AANB11052U The Chinese Dream: Anthropological Approaches to Understanding Contemporary China

President Xi Jinping coined the term ‘the Chinese dream’ even before he took office in 2013, evoking its American equivalent. Since then much speculation has gone into discerning its meaning and scope. To what extent is it empty rhetoric (guan hua) and to what extent should it be taken at face value? Continued economic growth and upward social mobility seems to be key to his vision, but the terms is also used in conjunction with issues such as the societal transition from a production  to a knowledge economy, a growing service sector, harmonious international relations, combatting corruption, democratization of society and the continued expansion of a  middle-class of consumers. But what does ‘the Chinese dream’ mean to various Chinese citizens? This course sheds light on the relationship between state rhetoric and actual social practice, between party-members and non-party members, between rural and urban boundaries, educated and non-educated and between generations. Through a series of critical ethnographic texts focused on the themes of family, education, politics, religion, psychology and work, this course seeks to explore the quandaries, hopes and desires of Chinese citizens, including the mismatch between dreams and the sometimes daunting race for prosperity, competitiveness and success amidst limited possibilities.