Topics in Development: Chinese Politics

This course provides an overview of China's political system for graduate students. We begin with a brief historical overview of China's political development from 1949 to the present. We then examine the key challenges facing the current generation of CCP leadership, focusing on prospects for democratization and political reform. We also explore the following: factionalism and political purges, corruption, avenues for political participation, village elections, public opinion, protest movements and dissidents, co-optation of the business class, and the media and internet control.