Course syllabus

SEMESTER 2, 2018

15 points

Course Convenor: 

Professor Paul Clark (Asian Studies)  paul.clark@auckland.ac.nz

Office Hours:  Wednesdays 2:00, Fridays 1:00

Course delivery format:

Thursdays 3-5 Lecture (303: G23); Fridays 4 Tutorial (Old Choral Hall: G07)

Wednesdays 3-5 Group Screening of the week's main film (of nine in total) Old Choral Hall: G07.  The films are also available in the AV Library for individual viewing.

Class rep.:  Jocelyn Cho  ycho406@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Prerequisites: 45 points in Stage 1 BA courses, or 30 points from ASIAN 100, CHINESE 130, JAPANESE 150, KOREAN 120, or 30 points from FTVMS 100 and 101.

Restrictions: ASIAN 207/307, CHINESE 303

Summary of Course Description:              
The transformation of China’s contemporary cultures and communities can be charted through film. This course uses films from the 1930s until this century to examine the development and contestation of the Chinese nation. Several films will be compared with their literary originals in translation.  The course centres on discussion of nine major films from the Chinese mainland. Our first films are from the 1930s and the 1940s and focus on the position of women. Socialist Chinese cinema is represented by several films, including literary adaptations. The rise of a new generation of filmmakers in the 1980s is a major theme, as we trace the changes in their careers, art and audiences. The internationalisation of Chinese cinema by the turn of the twenty-first century completes the course.  Taught entirely in English.

Assessment Summary:

Film Report 40% (2,000 words)

Final Essay 60% (3,000 words)

Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:  The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.