Contemporary Chinese Societies

This unusual and interesting book is a fascinating account of the world of Chinese writing. It examines Chinese space and the political and social use of writing as propaganda, a publicity booster and as a ladder for social climbing.

China's rapid economic growth, modernization and globalization have led to astounding social changes. Contemporary China provides a fascinating portrayal of society and social change in the contemporary People's Republic of China. This book introduces readers to key sociological perspectives, themes and debates about Chinese society. It explores topics such as family life, citizenship, gender, ethnicity, labour, religion, education, class and rural/urban inequalities. It considers China's imperial past, the social and institutional legacies of the Maoist era, and the momentous forces shaping it in the present. It also emphasises diversity and multiplicity, encouraging readers to consider new perspectives and rethink Western stereotypes about China and its people. Real-life case studies illustrate the key features of social relations and change in China. Definitions of key terms, discussion questions and lists of further reading help consolidate learning. Including full-colour maps and photographs, this book offers remarkable insight into Chinese society and social change.

Contemporary Chinese Societies is a valuable resource for researchers, students, and businesspeople eager to learn about China. Especially useful for instructors, the CD-ROM can be customized for either an interdisciplinary or a more traditional approach to introducing students to Chinese society. Six primary themes address issues across several fields in the social sciences and humanities: unity of diversity; views of time and space; the individual and the collectivity; adapting to a changing world; shaping conformity and dissent; and political culture. The user can build a curriculum guided by either these themes or the standard fields of economics, politics, history, sociology, literature, anthropology, religion, education, and the visual and performing arts. This second edition includes new video introductions for each unit; additional text on religion, economics, politics, and music; and an easier format for reading and copying material. Also, the editors have revamped the features that have made this CD such a popular choice, including new audio and video presentations; striking photographs, statistics, charts, graphs, and digitized and interactive maps; Web links; a searchable database; an expanded glossary; and a revised list of suggested readings. Engaging, comprehensive, and easy to navigate, Contemporary Chinese Societies is an exciting way to discover China.

Recent attention to historical, geographic, and class differences in the studies of women and gender in China has expanded our understanding of the diversity and complexity of gendered China. Nevertheless, the ethnic dimension of this subject matter remains largely overlooked, particularly concerning women’s conditions and gender status. Consequently, the patriarchy and its oppression of women among the Han, the ethnic majority in China, are often inaccurately or erroneously associated with the whole gendered heritage of China, epitomized by the infamous traditions of footbinding and female-infanticide. Such academic and popular predisposition belies the fact that gender systems in China span a wide spectrum, ranging from extreme Han patriarchy to Lahu gender-egalitarianism. The authors contributing to this book have collectively initiated a systematic effort to bridge the gap between understanding the majority Han and ethnic minorities in regard to women and gender in contemporary Chinese societies. By achieving a quantitative balance between articles on the Han majority and those on ethnic minorities, this book transcends the ghettoization of ethnic minorities in the studies of Chinese women and gender. The eleven chapters of this volume are divided into three sections which jointly challenge the traditions and norms of Han patriarchy from various perspectives. The first section focuses on gender traditions among ethnic minorities which compete with the norms of Han patriarchy. The second section emphasizes the impact of radical social transformation on gender systems and practices among both Han and ethnic minorities. The third section underscores socio-cultural diversity and complexity in resistance to Han patriarchal norms from a broad perspective. This book complements previous scholarship on Chinese women and gender by expanding our investigative lens beyond Han patriarchy and providing images of the multi-ethnic landscape of China. By identifying the Han as an ethnically marked category and by bringing to the forefront the diverse gender systems of ethnic minorities, this book encourages an increasing awareness of, and sensitivity to the cross-cultural diversity of gendered China both in academia and beyond.

This introduction to Chinese society uses the themes of resistance & protest to explore the complexity of life in contemporary China. It draws on perspectives from sociology, anthropology, psychology, history & political science, & covers issues including women, labour, ethnic conflict & suicide.

For students, businesspeople, or anyone planning to travel to China, here is a multimedia presentation of the diversity of modern China in the context of its traditional roots. As both an integrated curriculum and "virtual" introduction, this new CD-ROM combines imagery, music, and the spoken language with text and narrative that are grounded in the latest scholarship. Minimum System Requirements: PC: Windows95 Pentium 100, 32 MB RAM, 16-bit color display, 2X CD-ROM Macintosh: System 7.5 68040 processor, 32 MB RAM, 16-bit color display, 2X CD-ROM

Introduces readers to key sociological perspectives about modern Chinese society and social change.