The second course of this year’s CIV program, taught by Professor Dali Yang, has successfully wrapped up. Approaching the People’s Republic of China through the disciplinary lens of political science, the course guided students through key moments in the nation’s founding, governance, and ongoing transformation. To complement classroom learning, students explored landmark sites including the National Museum of China, the Military Museum of The Chinese People’s Revolution, the China Railway Museum, the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, and Tian’anmen Square—spaces that illuminate the narratives and symbols central to the contemporary Chinese state.
After the course concluded, students embarked on a weeklong trip to Xi’an, the ancient capital of China, and Yan’an, the wartime base of the Chinese Communist Party. The journey offered students a unique look at how the official narrative of Chinese history is curated and communicated in ways that connect the country’s dynastical past with the party-state today.
