EAST 217 - The East is Red: Asian Socialism

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
This course provides an historical and political overview of socialism in China and Asia from the late 1910s to the present. In addition to looking at the socialist governments of China, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, we will examine cases of “unsuccessful” socialist movements in Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, and India. Class materials include memoirs of survival by non-state actors, the writings of socialist leaders, and cultural constructions such as revolutionary theatre, songs, and contemporary films. We will also engage secondary scholarship that deals with Asian approaches to modernity, the use of revolutionary and state violence, and gender relations under socialism.
This course is cross-listed with HIST 217