cc13-lowres

Introduction

What is the Common Core Curriculum?

What are the goals?

What will you study?

What will you learn?

How will you learn?

How is it structured?

How will you be assessed?

Why are tutorials important?

What are the requirements?

How do you select your courses?

• Table1:ProgrammeRequirementsfor

TakingCommonCoreCoursesforStudents

Enteringin2013-14

Non-Permissible Combinations

• Table2:Non-PermissibleCombinationsof

CommonCoreCourses

The Areas of Inquiry: Rationale, Aims and Objectives, and Key Themes

• ScientificandTechnologicalLiteracy

• Humanities

• GlobalIssues

• China:Culture,StateandSociety

Course Details

• ScientificandTechnologicalLiteracy

• Humanities

• GlobalIssues

• China:Culture,StateandSociety

CONTENTS

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he HKU Common Core Curriculum, is an essential part of academic induction to facilitate the transition from secondary school to

university. It is designed to provide key common learning experience for all HKU undergraduate students and to broaden their horizons beyond their chosen disciplinary fields of study. It focuses on issues that have been, and continue to be, of deeply profound significance to humankind, the core intellectual skills that all HKU undergraduates should acquire and the core values that they should uphold.

Introduction his handbook is designed to acquaint you with the HKU Common Core Curriculum and to assist you in making an informed selection

of the courses you wish to study. In order to maximize the benefits of your university education, it is important that you choose your courses carefully. To this end, the handbook provides you with detailed information of all the Common Core courses on offer in 2013-2014. This information includes the course description, the learning outcomes, the study load, the assessment requirements, the required reading, and the course teacher(s). Additional relevant information might be available on the course websites.

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What is the Common Core Curriculum?

What are the goals?

he goals of the Common Core Curriculum are:

1. to enable students to develop a broader perspective and a critical understanding of the complexities and the interconnectedness of the issues that they are confronted with in their everyday lives;

2. to cultivate students’ appreciation of their own culture and other cultures, and the inter-relatedness among cultures;

3. to enable students to see themselves as members of global as well as local communities and to play an active role as responsible individuals and citizens in these communities; and

4. to enable students to develop the key intellectual skills that will be further enhanced in their disciplinary studies.

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he Common Core Curriculum is designed to help you see the interconnectedness and interdependence of human existence

through exploring the following fundamental common human experiences:

• theaesthetic(orsymbolic)expressionsofideasandemotions• therelationshipbetweenindividualsandcommunities,andtheroleof

the former in the latter • theinteractionamongstcommunitiesonvariousscales• the relationshipsand interdependenciesbetweenhumanbeings,

science, technology and nature • thebeliefsandvaluesthatareessential tohumanbondingandto

mediating tensions within and between groups • therelationshipbetweenourpast,presentandfuture.

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What will you learn? hile the Common Core Curriculum as a whole will engage you in an exploration of issues of profound significance in relation to a number

of fundamental human experiences, the detail of what you will learn will vary from course to course. Hence, each course has its own set of learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are statements that specify precisely what you should be able to do at the end of a course, usually expressed as knowledge, skills, or attitudes.

How will you learn? tudent workload hours for a 6-credit course, as endorsed by Senate, amount to 120-180 hours. Common Core courses normally consist

of 36 contact hours, with a 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial per week. Within these sessions, you may have first-hand encounters with your subjects of study, be asked to solve problems, or be asked to decide on issues you wish to investigate. The remainder of the hours will be made up through engaging in a number of other relevant learning activities including reading, self-study, fieldwork, visits, group projects, research, and exam preparation.

What will you study?

The one real goal of education is to leave a person asking questions. Max Beerbohm

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How is it structured?n order to ensure a broad and balanced exploration of the abovementioned common human experiences, the Common Core Curriculum is divided into

four Areas of Inquiry (AoIs). However, it is important for you to realize that while these AoIs serve as a means of organizing the curriculum, they are inter-related rather than mutually exclusive. The Areas of Inquiry are:

•ScientificandTechnologicalLiteracy•Humanities•GlobalIssues•China:Culture,StateandSociety

Within each AoI a number of key themes have been identified, each with an outline of the key issues that should be addressed. These themes and issues provide the building blocks for the individual courses. The AoIs and the key themes are:

Scientific and Technological Literacy Themes // The Nature and Methods of Science Science, Technology and Society Science,TechnologyandGlobalIssues ScienceandTechnologyinEverydayLife Frontiers of Science and Technology

Humanities Themes // The Creative Arts Historical Awareness: Past and Present Language,CommunicationandSociety Mind-Body-Spirit Ethics and Society

Global Issues Themes // GlobalIssues,LocalLives ChallengesofGlobalGovernance GlobalizationandEconomicDevelopment GlobalEthicsandCitizenship

China: Culture, State and Society Themes // ChineseCulture:Thoughts,ValuesandWaysofLife Chinese Civilization: State, Society and Economy China’s Changing Environment China’s Quest for Modernization The Rise of China in the 21st Century: Challenges and Prospects

How will you be assessed? ommon Core courses utilize diverse modes of assessment. As well as the more traditional exams, tests and quizzes, you are likely to be required to

demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a variety of other ways, for example, by keeping a journal to reflect on lectures and readings, making a movie, engaging in fieldwork, undertaking research, constructing a website or doing group projects and presentations.

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ommon Core courses are selected online through the Student Information Sys-tem (SIS). It is important to note that selecting a course online does not guar-

antee a place on the course as Common Core courses have a fixed quota*. For over-subscribed courses, enrolment will be determined by auto-ballot carried out on a daily basis during the course selection period and add/drop period. Students who are disapproved by auto-ballot will be notified by an auto-generated e-mail so it is important that you check your e-mail account on a regular basis. You should also regularly check your course selection status online. The quota is strictly applied and there is no way whatsoever of gaining a place on a course that is full.

*The quota may not apply to exchange students whose acceptance on a course that is full is subject to the approval of the course co-ordinator and the Faculty con-cerned.

ou are normally required to take six 6-credit courses, one from each AoI and not more than two from any AoI. However, the number of courses required and

the year and semester in which they are taken vary from programme to programme. Please refer to Table 1 to find out the requirements for your programme. You are advised to check the accuracy of the information in the table with your home Fac-ulty before choosing courses. The majority of Common Core courses are taught on Wednesday afternoon and a number of them on Saturday morning. Please note that whatever the requirements for your programme you are not allowed to take more than one course from any AoI in an academic year.

Why are tutorials important? utorials are an essential and compulsory element of study in the Common Core Curriculum. Tutorials will normally be conducted weekly in groups of

no more than 12 students. The purpose of tutorials is to provide a context for you to clarify and deepen your understanding of ideas and issues arising from the course through dialogue with others in an interactive setting. Additionally, tutorials offer an environment for you to improve your communication skills and develop your confidence. You should therefore make every effort to participate actively and constructively in tutorials. Indeed, each member of the tutorial group has responsibility for creating an effective learning experience for all concerned. Thus, it is also important that you prepare adequately for tutorials by reviewing your understanding of the relevant lecture(s), formulating questions for discussion and completing any preset tasks and/or reading requirements.

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What are the requirements?

How do you select your courses?

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Table 1: Programme Requirements for Taking Common Core Courses for Students Entering in 2013-14

Faculty Programme Year(s) in which the Common Core courses are taken

Architecture

BA(ArchStud)Four in Year 1, two in Year 2

BA(LS)BSc(Surv) Four in Year 1, one in Year 2, one in Year 3BA(Conservation)

Four in Year 1, two in Year 2BA(UrbanStud)

ArtsBA Six within the first 3 years

Four within the first 3 years

Business and Economics

BBA

Four in Year 1, two in Year 2BBA(Acc&Fin)BBA(IBGM)BBA(IS)BBA(Law) One in Year 1, two in Year 2, three in Year 3BEcon

Three in Year 1, two in Year 2, one in Year 3BEcon&FinBSc(QFin)

Dentistry BDS Four in Year 1, two in Year 2

Education

BA&BEd(LangEd)1 Three in Year 1, one in Year 2BSc(Exercise&Health)

Four in Year 1, two in Year 2BSc(Sp&HearSc)

BSc(IM)Two in the first year of the Curriculum [BSc(IM) is a curriculum ad-mitting students to senior year places only, i.e. direct entry to Year 3]

BEd&BSc1

Two in Year 1, two in Year 2BEd&BSocSc1

Engineering

BEng(CE)

Three in Year 1, three in Year 2

BEng(CivE)

BEng(Civ-EnvE)BEng(CompSc)BEng(ElecE)BEng(EE)BEng(IETM)BEng(LESCM)BEng(ME)BEng(ME-BSE)BEng(MedE)BEng(EngSci)

Law LLB Four in Year 1, two in Year 2

Medicine

BBiomedSc

Four in Year 1, two in Year 2

BChinMedBNursBPharm

MBBS

ScienceBSc

Six within the first 3 yearsBSc(ActuarSc)

Social Sciences

BJSix within the first 3 yearsBSocSc

BSWBSocSc(Govt&Laws)&LLB1, 3 Four within the first 2 years

1. Double degree - four Common Core courses are required. 2. Before the end of semester 2 in Year 2, students will be required to declare if they will continue with the LLB programme. Students who opt out of the LLB programme will be required to complete the remaining two

Common Core courses by the end of Year 3 if necessary. 3. Before the commencement of semester 1 in Year 3, students will be required to declare if they will continue with the LLB programme. Students who opt out of the LLB programme will be required to complete the

remaining two Common Core courses by the end of Year 3.

StudentsareadvisedtochecktheaccuracyoftheinformationbelowwiththeirhomeFacultybeforechoosingcourses.

BA(LiteraryStudies)1, 2

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Course Code Course Title CCST9006 Biomedical Breakthroughs in a Pluralistic WorldCCST9011 Biotechnology − Science and ImpactsCCST9003 Everyday Computing and the InternetCCST9004 Appropriate Technology for the Developing WorldCCST9015 Electronic Technologies in Everyday LifeCCST9013 Our Living EnvironmentCCST9016 Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental ImpactsCCST9002 Quantitative Literacy in Science, Technology and SocietyCCST9039 Statistics and Our SocietyCCST9017 Hidden Order in Daily Life: A Mathematical PerspectiveCCST9037 Mathematics: A Cultural HeritageCCST9010 The Science of Crime InvestigationCCST9030 Forensic Science: Unmasking Evidence, Mysteries and Crimes

CCST9028 Science and Technology: Facts and Fallacies(Formertitle:CriticalThinkingaboutScienceandTechnology)

CCST9035 Making Sense of Science-related Social IssuesCCHU9034 Metropolitan Visions: Modernity, Architecture and the CityCCHU9037 Street Sense: The City and its EnvironmentCCHU9007 Sexuality and Gender: Diversity and SocietyCCHU9015 Sex and Intimacy in Modern TimesCCHU9039 Sexuality and CultureCCGL9004 Governance and Democracy in the Age of GlobalizationCCGL9006 Asian Regional Governance in an Age of GlobalizationCCGL9019 Economic Globalization: Issues and ChallengesCCGL9022 Globalization in Question: Human and Economic Consequences CCGL9016 Feeding the WorldCCGL9017 Food: Technology, Trade and CultureCCGL9041 You, Food and the City: Local and Global Food Networks

CCGL9005 Poverty, Development, and the Next Generation: Challenges for a Global World

CCGL9025 The Political Economy of Growth and Poverty in the WorldCCGL9002 Hong Kong Culture in the Context of GlobalizationCCGL9026 Think Global, Act Local: You, Hong Kong, and the WorldCCCH9030 Modernization and Constitutionalism in ChinaCCCH9041 The Rule of Law in Contemporary China

Non-Permissible Combinations

Courses in which there is considerable overlap of issues covered will be listed as non-permissible combinations, and you will only be permitted to take one course in those combinations. Please check Table 2 for non-permissible com-binations before you choose your courses.

Table 2: Non-Permissible Combinations of Common Core Courses

Rationale

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AoI // Scientificand Technological Literacy

Scientifically literate individuals benefit not only intellectually but also aesthetically and moral-ethically. A scientifically literate individual is better able to appreciate the beauty and wonders of nature, just as an individual who is knowledgeable in music and fine arts can appreciate a musical theme or a work of art. An understanding of the ethical standards and code of responsible behaviour that should be observed within the scientific community enables individuals to make better decisions in their personal and professional lives as responsible individuals and citizens.

Increased scientific literacy will also benefit society as a whole, in that the humanities and the sciences can be brought together, and citizens will share a more common and holistic knowledge that can serve as a unifying force for democratic living. Scientific literacy promotes decision making that is more democratic (by encouraging people to exercise their democratic rights) and more effective (with people exercising their rights more wisely and responsibly) on the more and more complex issues of scientific and technological public policy.

The well-being of our society owes much to science and technology. Science and technology transform our living conditions tremendously and contribute to profound changes in our society. However, while some of these changes bring great benefits to us (such as health, security and economic prosperity) some other changes bring damages and threats to the world (such as environmental degradation and ecological imbalance). Because of the high stakes involved, all members of our community need to be literate in science and technology.

A scientifically and technologically literate individual is better able to cope with the demands of everyday life in an increasingly technology-dominated society, better positioned to evaluate and respond critically to the supposed “scientific evidence” used by advertising agencies and politicians to promote particular products and policies, better equipped to make important life decisions, and more ready and willing to engage in debates on contemporary socio-scientific issues.

Aim and Objectives

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Key Themes //

Under this AoI, the following key themes will be addressed:

> The Nature and Methods of Science> Science, Technology and Society> Science, Technology and Global Issues> Science and Technology in Everyday Life> Frontiers of Science and Technology.

and development of some of the “big ideas” of science, and the social impli-cations of important technologies;

5. to enable students to be critically aware of contemporary socio-scientif-ic and technology issues at the local, regional, national and global levels;

6. to develop students’ appreciation of the complexity of inter-relationships among science, technology, society and environment, and the role played by science and technology in the pro-gress of civilization;

7. to raise students’ awareness of the moral-ethical issues associated with scientific and technology research and the deployment of scientific knowl-edge and technological innovations, and to enable them to engage actively with these issues in an ethically appro-priate manner; and

8. to enable students to see the inter-connection between the humanities and the sciences and technology.

The aim of raising students’ levels of sci-entific and technological literacy is to enable them to engage critically with knowledge and discourse on science and technology and to respond actively and appropriately to issues surrounding sci-entific and technological advancements.

The objectives are:

1. to equip students with a general un-derstanding of the fundamental ideas, principles and theories of science and technology and of natural phenomena and the ways in which scientific and technological knowledge is generated, validated and disseminated, and to enable students to use this knowledge appropriately and effectively;

2. to enable students to understand the form, structure and purpose of scien-tific language, to read and interpret scientific data and scientific argu-ments, and at a general level, to evalu-ate their validity and reliability or claim to knowledge;

3. to arouse students’ general interest in science and technology, and to in-culcate a willingness and capacity to update and acquire new scientific and technological knowledge;

4. to enhance students’ awareness of the circumstances surrounding the history

Rationale

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AoI // Humanities

The humanities engage with the fundamental questions of human existence. They unravel how humans make sense of the world from critical, interpretive and analytical perspectives. The issues that the humanities have tried to grapple with pertain to the intellectual, moral, aesthetic, and spiritual aspects of human existence. The study of the humanities raises our awareness of human qualities and experiences which are inextricably bound up with the context and culture in which they are embedded. Understanding how humans are related to each other and the moral responsibility of humans to their fellow humans and the community to which they belong is fundamental to the study of the humanities. Moreover, as Procter points out, “The humanities … not only give us a history

of the modern self; they remind us that our own culture, our own past, contains experiences and ideals which can help us to transcend this self and find other ways of experiencing our humanity.” (1998, p. 174) In summary, the humanities are unified by (a) an attempt to address the various aspects of human existence through (b) the employment of interpretive, critical and analytical methods of inquiry.

While the modes of thinking and enquiry of the humanities are critical and interpretive in nature whereas those of the sciences are mostly empirical in nature, we should not overlook the interconnection between the two. Although in the Common Core Curriculum, science and technological l iteracy and humanistic studies are organized as two separate AoIs, the courses in both AoIs should enable students to see the interconnection between them.

Aim and Objectives

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Key Themes //

Education in the humanities is traditionally organized under the following fields of study: language, history, literature, visual and performing arts, and philosophy. However, this AoI will comprise five interdisciplinary themes that cross these boundaries, all of which address the intellectual, moral, aesthetic and spiritual aspects of human existence:

> The Creative Arts> Historical Awareness: Past and Present> Language, Communication and Society> Mind-Body-Spirit> Ethics and Society.

5. to become aware of the relationship between humankind and other forms of lives and the place of humankind in the “web of life”;

6. to become aware of their moral re-sponsibilities to their fellow humans and other forms of lives, and to up-hold civic and moral values;

7. to engage in critical, interpretive and analytical exploration of human quali-ties and experiences; and

8. to appreciate the interconnection be-tween studies of science and technol-ogy and those of humanities.

The aim of this AoI is to enable students to appreciate how intellectual, moral, aesthetic and spiritual aspects of human existence have been explored from criti-cal, analytical and interpretive perspec-tives, to think about the meaning of our lives, and to seek wisdom and virtue, as embodied in the HKU motto: Sapientia et Virtus.

The objectives are to enable students:

1. to gain an understanding of the dis-tinctive qualities and experiences of being human;

2. to appreciate the ways in which hu-mans express their experiences through literatures and arts;

3. to become aware of the fact that hu-man qualities and experiences are sit-uated in the contexts and cultures of which they are a part;

4. to understand human relationships and the social fabric of human com-munities;

Rationale

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AoI // Global Issues

T o d a y w e l i v e i n a w o r l d w i t h a n unprecedented level of interdependence. Our l ives are profoundly affected by decisions and events that occur in places far away from us. Capital, products, services, information, ideas and people move across national borders much more easily and rapidly than before. Such domestic issues as food, energy, health, environment, economic development and national security have acquired a significant global dimension. How are we to comprehend the complex nature of globalization that significantly shapes our personal, social, cultural, economic, and political lives? What are the pros and cons of globalization? What duties and rights do people of this global village have towards each other? What are the opportunities and challenges that confront the contemporary world? These questions merit careful thinking by every HKU student, as one of the University’s six educational aims is to develop capabilities in intercultural understanding and global citizenship.

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Key Themes //

Aim and Objectives

An understanding of globalization can be approached from various perspectives, including the impact of globalization on our daily lives, the processes of globalization and the resulting interdependencies and inequalities at local, national, international levels, the challenges of global governance in relation to globalization, and the duties and rights of global citizens. The following themes elaborate on these perspectives and serve as a framework for organizing courses:

> Global Issues, Local Lives> Challenges of Global Governance> Globalization and Economic Development> Global Ethics and Citizenship.

The aim of this AoI is to enable students to think globally and live as informed and active members of a global community.

The objectives are to enable students:

1. to understand that globalization is a multifaceted and contested concept;

2. to develop an appreciation of the in-terconnectedness (or interdepend-ence) of the world in which they live;

3. to develop a critical awareness of how their daily lives are shaped by globali-zation;

4. to develop an ability to critically ana-lyze the nature of globalization, and its pros and cons;

5. to develop a capability to reflect on their duties and rights as global citi-zens and to be critically aware of the moral controversies that confront ex-isting international institutions; and

6. to cultivate a willingness to become informed and active members of a global community.

Rationale

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AoI // China: Culture, State and Society

China is a rich, enduring, yet progressing civilization that still instills awe or admiration across the globe. Understanding China from past to present enables our students not only to see how a major civilization in the world has experienced both grandeur as well as setbacks, but also to understand the historical processes and international forces that have shaped the conditions of the Chinese across time and space. In order to comprehend the complexities of China’s

changing fortunes and the fundamental challenges confronting her today, one has to examine how the Chinese have lived their lives, formed and debated their values, identities and heritage, and survived dramatic changes over the centuries.

Since the late 1970s, China’s achievements in carrying out economic reforms and open door policy have not only improved the livelihood of the majority of the Chinese people, but also created enormous business opportunities for many countries in the world. Its phenomenal

Aim and Objectives

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Key Themes //

The following key themes will be addressed in the AoI:

> Chinese Culture: Thoughts, Values and Ways of Life> Chinese Civilization: State, Society, and Economy> China’s Changing Environment> China’s Quest for Modernization> The Rise of China in the 21st Century: Challenges and

Prospects.

The aim of this AoI is to enhance the in-terest and intellectual ability of students in understanding China from past to pre-sent and from different disciplinary per-spectives and to engage them in critical inquiries of the issues and problems faced by China.

The objectives are:

1. to enhance the interest of students in understanding China’s civiliza-tion, people and environment and in searching and constructing the mean-ings of being Chinese;

2. to guide students in an intellectual journey through key aspects of Chi-na’s social, economic and political transformation from a variety of disci-plinary perspectives;

3. to heighten the sensitivity and aware-ness of students in appreciating the characteristics and diversities of China’s culture and heritage, her cultural trans-formation and dynamism, as well as her changing relations with other cultures;

4. to engage students in critically reflect-ing on the challenges and possibilities in China’s quest for modernity and the implications of her recent transforma-tion; and

5. to explore the many roles played by Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and over-seas Chinese communities in the mak-ing of modern China and the shaping of her future.

economic growth has laid the foundation for China’s recent rise as a major power on the world stage. Hong Kong is the most cosmopolitan city on Chinese soil today. Yet her history reminds us of modern China’s precarious quest for modernity and her role in bridging China and the West. ThefutureofGreaterChina,comprisingtheMainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, will have far reaching repercussions for Asia and the world. Hong Kong, being a unique, dynamic part of China, is privileged intellectually, culturally and geographically to engage in a crit ical , intel lectual inquiry of China’s civilization, people and environment. Reflecting upon China’s past, interpreting her present, and exploring the prospects of her progress and future pose a series of intellectual puzzles that merit the attention and thought of every student at HKU.

Scientific andTechnological Literacy

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Life 2.0: Synthetic Biology and the Future BioeconomyCourse Code: CCST9001

Quantitative Literacyin Science, Technology and SocietyCourse Code: CCST9002

Everyday Computingand the InternetCourse Code: CCST9003

Appropriate Technology for the Developing WorldCourse Code: CCST9004

Science and Health:The Ever-changing Challenges and SolutionsCourse Code: CCST9005

Biomedical Breakthroughsin a Pluralistic WorldCourse Code: CCST9006

Electronic Technologiesin Everyday LifeCourse Code: CCST9015

Energy: Its Evolutionand Environmental ImpactsCourse Code: CCST9016

Hidden Order in Daily Life: A Mathematical PerspectiveCourse Code: CCST9017

Origin and Evolution of LifeCourse Code: CCST9018

Understanding Climate ChangeCourse Code: CCST9019

Sustainable Development of the Built EnvironmentCourse Code: CCST9020

Blood, Beliefs, BiologyCourse Code: CCST9024

Genetics and Human NatureCourse Code: CCST9025

The Science of Irrational ThinkingCourse Code: CCST9027

Scientific Revolutions and their Impact on Modern SocietiesCourse Code: CCST9026

Hong Kong: Our Marine HeritageCourse Code: CCST9021

How the Mass Media Depicts Science, Technology and the Natural WorldCourse Code: CCST9022

The Oceans: Science and SocietyCourse Code: CCST9023

Science and Technology: Facts and FallaciesCourse Code: CCST9028

Cyberspace Crime: Technology and EthicsCourse Code: CCST9029

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“Intelligent” Architecture and SustainabilityCourse Code: CCST9032

Forensic Science: Unmasking Evidence, Mysteries and CrimesCourse Code: CCST9030

Left Brain, Right Brain: Science and MythCourse Code: CCST9033

Living in a Hazardous WorldCourse Code: CCST9034

Science and Science FictionCourse Code: CCST9038

Statistics and Our SocietyCourse Code: CCST9039

The Science of Evidence: Is Medicine Scientific?Course Code: CCST9040

The World of WavesCourse Code: CCST9042

Time’s ArrowCourse Code: CCST9043

Radiation: A Blessing and a Curse?Course Code: CCST9044

The Science and Lore of Culinary CultureCourse Code: CCST9045

The Science of the Mind-body-health RelationshipCourse Code: CCST9046

The Age of Big DataCourse Code: CCST9047

Making Sense of Science-related Social IssuesCourse Code: CCST9035

Material World: Past, Present, and FutureCourse Code: CCST9036

Mathematics: A Cultural HeritageCourse Code: CCST9037

Infectious Diseasein a Changing WorldCourse Code: CCST9008

Living with Stem CellsCourse Code: CCST9009

Biotechnology – Science and ImpactsCourse Code: CCST9011

Our Place in the UniverseCourse Code: CCST9012

Our Living EnvironmentCourse Code: CCST9013

Science and MusicCourse Code: CCST9014

The Science of Crime InvestigationCourse Code: CCST9010

Humanities

Cultural Heritages in the Contemporary World Course Code: CCHU9013

Making History:Engaging with the Powerful PastCourse Code: CCHU9003

Catastrophes, Cultures, and the Angry EarthCourse Code: CCHU9004

Food and ValuesCourse Code: CCHU9005

Girl Power in a Man’s WorldCourse Code: CCHU9006

Sexuality and Gender: Diversity and Society Course Code: CCHU9007

Moral Controversies in Contemporary Society Course Code: CCHU9009

Being Different: Understanding People with Disabilities Course Code: CCHU9010

Social Divisions in Contemporary Societies Course Code: CCHU9011

Body, Beauty and Fashion Course Code: CCHU9012

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Designs on the Future: Sustainability of the Built EnvironmentCourse Code: CCHU9001

Spirituality, Religion and Social ChangeCourse Code: CCHU9014

Sex and Intimacy in Modern Times Course Code: CCHU9015

Creativity, Technology and LawCourse Code: CCHU9025

Critical Thinking in Contemporary Society Course Code: CCHU9021

Journey into Madness: Conceptions of Mental Health and Mental IllnessCourse Code: CCHU9022

Shaping the Landscape: A Quest for Harmony between Nature and the CityCourse Code: CCHU9023

The Last Dance: Understanding Death and DyingCourse Code: CCHU9024

Happy Endings: How a Text EndsCourse Code: CCHU9028

Cultures of War: Making Sense of the Human Fighting InstinctCourse Code: CCHU9026

The British Empire in Text and ImageCourse Code: CCHU9016

Stages of Life: Scientific Fact or Social Fiction?Course Code: CCHU9017

From Health to Well-beingCourse Code: CCHU9019

Art and Ideas: East and WestCourse Code: CCHU9018

Countries of the Mind: Texts that Shape the EnvironmentCourse Code: CCHU9033

Metropolitan Visions: Modernity, Architecture and the CityCourse Code: CCHU9034

Politics of SpaceCourse Code: CCHU9035

Reflecting on Human Experience through LiteratureCourse Code: CCHU9036

Music and the Human BodyCourse Code: CCHU9038

Human Language: Nature or Nurture?Course Code: CCHU9042

Sexuality and CultureCourse Code: CCHU9039

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Language Play as Social Communication in Multilingual SettingsCourse Code: CCHU9031

Image, Architecture and Society: Finding Meaning in ArchitecturalRepresentation Course Code: CCHU9030

Street Sense: The City and its EnvironmentsCourse Code: CCHU9037

Creative Arts as a Way of KnowingCourse Code: CCHU9044

“Thinking” Women: Their Oppression and ResistanceCourse Code: CCHU9043

Vision: The Science and Art of PerceptionCourse Code: CCHU9045

Critical Readings of Popular CultureCourse Code: CCHU9046

The Press, the Public and the Public SphereCourse Code: CCHU9047

Global Issues

Hong Kong Cinema through a Global Lens Course Code: CCGL9001

Cybersocieties: Understanding Technology as Global ChangeCourse Code: CCGL9008

Hong Kong Culture in the Context of Globalization Course Code: CCGL9002

Local Cultures and Global MarketsCourse Code: CCGL9009

Contagions:Global Histories of DiseaseCourse Code: CCGL9003

Governance and Democracy in the Age of GlobalizationCourse Code: CCGL9004

Media in the Age of GlobalizationCourse Code: CCGL9011

Poverty, Development,and the Next Generation:Challenges for a Global WorldCourse Code: CCGL9005

Asian Regional Governancein an Age of GlobalizationCourse Code: CCGL9006

Youth in a Global WorldCourse Code: CCGL9007

Sports Cultureunder Global CapitalismCourse Code: CCGL9010

Media, Politics and the EnvironmentCourse Code: CCGL9012

Economic Globalization: Issues and ChallengesCourse Code: CCGL9019

Environment, Globalization, and the LawCourse Code: CCGL9020

Thinking about Global EthicsCourse Code: CCGL9014

Globalization and MigrationCourse Code: CCGL9015

Feeding the WorldCourse Code: CCGL9016

Food: Technology, Trade and CultureCourse Code: CCGL9017

Corporate Social ResponsibilityCourse Code: CCGL9018

Globalization and TourismCourse Code: CCGL9021

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Understanding the Financial CrisisCourse Code: CCGL9030

Internet, Media and SocietyCourse Code: CCGL9023

The Political Economy of Growth and Poverty in the WorldCourse Code: CCGL9025

Think Global, Act Local: You, Hong Kong, and the WorldCourse Code: CCGL9026

The Life and Death of Languages: Diversity, Identity and GlobalizationCourse Code: CCGL9024

Criminal Organizations, Clandestine Globalization and the Illicit WorldPolitical EconomyCourse Code: CCGL9027

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Science, Proliferation and TerrorismCourse Code: CCGL9033

Entrepreneurship: Global and Social DevelopmentCourse Code: CCGL9031

Rule of Law in a Globalizing WorldCourse Code: CCGL9032

World Heritage and UsCourse Code: CCGL9039

Energy Futures, Globalization and SustainabilityCourse Code: CCGL9040

You, Food and the City: Local and Global Food NetworksCourse Code: CCGL9041

The Evolution of CivilizationCourse Code: CCGL9042

English as a Global Language in Asian ContextsCourse Code: CCGL9038

Globalization and ArchitectureCourse Code: CCGL9034

Dilemmas of Humanitarian InterventionCourse Code: CCGL9036

20

Globalization in Question: Human and Economic ConsequencesCourse Code: CCGL9022

China: Culture,State and Society

Ideas and Images of the West in Late Imperial ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9004

The Chinese Cultural RevolutionCourse Code: CCCH9005

Chinese House and Garden: Architecture, Landscape, and Material CultureCourse Code: CCCH9001

Chinese Cities in the 21st CenturyCourse Code: CCCH9002

Modernity and Traditional Chinese ThoughtCourse Code: CCCH9003

Hong Kong’s Environment:Issues and PoliciesCourse Code: CCCH9008

Protests, Rebellions and Revolutions in Modern China: From 1840 until TodayCourse Code: CCCH9009

Understanding China’s Governance: Challenges and ProspectsCourse Code: CCCH9010

China’s Rise and Asia’s FutureCourse Code: CCCH9011

China’s Modernization in the East Asian ContextCourse Code: CCCH9006

China in the Global EconomyCourse Code: CCCH9007

China and World OrderCourse Code: CCCH9012

Love, Marriageand Sex in Modern ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9013

Science and Technology: Lessons from ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9020

Chinese Business Practice and Society: Past and PresentCourse Code: CCCH9021

Social DevelopmentChallenges in ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9014

Family and Development in Modern ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9023

Following the Dao: Ways of Life in Chinese Thought Course Code: CCCH9024

Hong Kong: Becominga Chinese Global CityCourse Code: CCCH9016

People, Propaganda and Profit: Understanding Media in ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9017

Buddhism and Chinese CultureCourse Code: CCCH9018

Humanity and Nature in Chinese Thought Course Code: CCCH9025

Population, Society and Sustainable Development in Hong KongCourse Code: CCCH9015

China’s Ethnic Groups: Cultural Assimilation or Cultural Pluralism? Course Code: CCCH9027

Modernization and Constitutionalism in ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9030

Hong Kong and China’s Economic DevelopmentCourse Code: CCCH9028

Ideas and Practices of Healing in Traditional ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9029

Sustainable Urban Development and Hong KongCourse Code: CCCH9033

Music Along the Silk RoadCourse Code: CCCH9035

Environmental Pollution in ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9036

Chinese MythologyCourse Code: CCCH9037

Chinese Social Values: Authority and AnarchyCourse Code: CCCH9038

Curing the Chinese: Medicine and Society in Modern ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9039

Property Rights, Built Heritage and Sustainable Development in Hong KongCourse Code: CCCH9031

Sports and Chinese SocietyCourse Code: CCCH9032

Representing Contemporary China through FilmCourse Code: CCCH9040

The Rule of Law in Contemporary ChinaCourse Code: CCCH9041

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21

Scientific & Technological Literacy

22

Teacher(s)

Course Co-ordinatorCourse Learning Outcomes

Assessment: 100% coursework

Study Load

Required Reading

http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccst9001

Dr J.A. TannerDepartment of Biochemistry,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9472 [email protected]

Dr S.J. BevanDepartment of Biochemistry,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9495 [email protected]

Dr R.M. WattOral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0482 [email protected]

Dr W.K. TsangOral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0484 [email protected]

Dr J.A. TannerDepartment of Biochemistry,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9472 [email protected]

On completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of molecular, evolutionary and synthetic biology, and recognize the continued intercon-nectedness between science, technology and fundamental human issues.

2. Review theories of evolution and the origins of life in the light of recent developments in synthetic biology, and ex-amine changing values, interests and behaviors of society from multiple perspectives.

3. Critically analyze scientific and ethical perspectives relat-ing to the applications of synthetic biology using evidence-based arguments to reach reasoned positions.

4. Evaluate how emerging and future synthetic biology tech-nologies may benefit and/or potentially endanger human-ity and the natural environment.

Assessment Tasks WeightingPerformance in tutorials and online discussion forums 20Lecture minute assessments / In-class assessments 10Individual assessment: Written opinion piece 20Group assessment: Narrated presentation 30Individual and group assessment: Debate 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Laboratory experience 3Reading / Self-study / Tutorial and debate preparation 40Team assessment task preparation 30Individual assessment task preparation 14Total: 120

Course Code // CCST9001

Church, G. M., & Regis, E. (2012). Regenesis: How synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves. New York: Basic Books. [Note: Certain chapters and sections will be highlighted in the course]

Darwin, C. (1859). The origin of species. Multiple publishers. [Note: Certain chapters and sections will be highlighted in the course]

ETC Group. (2012). The principles for the oversight of synthetic biology. From http://www.etcgroup.org/

Genesis redux. (2010). The Economist. 395(8683), 81-83.Krauss, L. M. (2010). Life from a test tube? The real promise of synthetic

biology. Scientific American, 302(2), 32. Kwok, R. (2010). Five hard truths for synthetic biology. Nature,

463(7279), 288-290. Marris, C., & Rose, N. (2012). Let’s get real on synthetic biology. New

Scientist, 2868, 28-29.Vinson, V., & Pennisi, E. (2011). The allure of synthetic biology. Science,

333(6047), 1235.

Life 2.0: Synthetic Biology and the Future Bioeconomy

Synthetic Biology has been heralded as the solution to many of contemporary socie-ty’s most pressing problems in energy, food and medicine. Will synthetic biology really deliver on its promises in our lifetimes, or is it just a rebranding of biotechnology?

This course brings together molecular biology, evolutionary biology and insight into the origins of life to allow students to understand how synthetic biology is now at-tempting to solve many of humanity’s gravest challenges. We will discuss the impact of synthetic biology on the individual, the global community, the natural environment and the economy using evidence-based arguments to reach reasoned positions. The opportunities, possibilities and risks of technologies emerging from synthetic biology will be examined from multiple perspectives.

The course content will be explored through a blend of lectures, video materials, and interactive learning tasks. There will be a strong emphasis on collaborative group learn-ing including a synthetic biology laboratory experience and a narrated group presenta-tion that will enable students to engage creatively with the course issues. The tutorials will be used to consolidate ideas and discuss issues in greater depth.

Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)


23

Required Reading

Course Learning Outcomes Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load


Activities Number of hoursLectures / Seminars 22Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: E-forum 14Assessment: Group project 30Assessment: Individual assignment 20Total: 148

Assessment Tasks WeightingE-forum 20Group presentation 30Individual assignment (linked with group project) 30Quiz 20

Dr I.A.C. Mok Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2536 [email protected]

Dr M.M.W. Cheng Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2532 [email protected]

Mr A.M.S. Lee Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2717 [email protected]

Mr K.L. Wong Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2857 8397 [email protected]

Dr I.A.C. Mok Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2536 [email protected]


1. Interpret, organize and report logically and analytically multiple representations of numerical information derived from daily life transactions.

2. Relate issues such as consumers’ choice, resources and risk-taking in health and science.

3. Analyze novel or ill-defined problem situations embedded in messages raised in the media concerning socio-scientific issues.

4. Evaluate uses of statistics and scientific evidence in adver-tisement and media.

5. Critically evaluate different models representing the growth and pattern of some phenomena such as virus-spread and population growth, etc.

6. Communicate findings and views on socio-scientific issues with the support of quantitative data in platforms such as workshops, seminars and e-forum.

This course aims to develop students’ quantitative literacy for the understanding of scientific, technological and social issues. It consists of three themes: (1) Synthesiz-ing multiple representations of quantitative data; (2) Understanding risk and un-certainty; and (3) Modeling and prediction of phenomena. The course will help stu-dents develop mathematical reasoning in contextualized scenarios.

The course will focus on the use (and mis-use) of quantitative information in the understanding (and mis-understanding) of scientific and technological issues we face in our daily lives. The limitation of quantitative information is also highlighted. Through case studies of various issues with the use of quantitative information, stu-dents will be able to develop critical eyes when handling socio-scientific/techno-logical issues and to make informed decisions. Although the course addresses the use of mathematical reasoning in the better understanding of socio-scientific/tech-nological issues, no pre-requisite specialized mathematics and science knowledge is required.

Bennett, J. O., & Briggs, W. L. (2008). Using and understanding mathematics: A quantitative reasoning approach (4th ed.). Boston; London: Pearson Addison Wesley. [Chaps. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9]


Lecture Time // First semester (Wed)


Quantitative Literacy in Science, Technology and Society

Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9039 Statistics and Our Society

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


24


Study Load

Adleman, L. M. (1994). Molecular computation of solutions to combinatorial problems. Science, 266(5187), 1021-1024.

Bailenson, J. N., Blascovich, J., Bleicher, A., DeTorres, C., Dunbar, R., Garfield, B., et al. (2011, June). IEEE Spectrum, 48(6). [A detailed report on social networking]

Benenson, Y., Gil, B., Ben-Dor, U., Adar, R., & Shapiro, E. (2004). An autonomous molecular computer for logical control of gene expression. Nature, 429(6990), 423-429.

Google. (2013). Google Flu Trends. From http://www.google.org/flutrends/

Hany Farid’s research. From http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/farid/research/tampering.html

Hölzle, U. (2009). Powering a Google search. Google: Official Blog. From http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/powering-google-search.html

Kuhnert, L., Agladze, K. I., & Krinsky, V. I. (1989, January). Image processing using light-sensitive chemical waves. Nature, 337, 244–247.

Layton, J. (2009). How MapQuest works. How Stuff Works. From http://money.howstuffworks.com/mapquest.htm

Watson, C. (1994). An image processing tutorial. From http://www.cs.washington.edu/research/metip/tutor/tutor.html

Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33-35. From http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~CompThink/

Timely articles published on the Web and in other magazines (e.g., Science, Nature, Time, Newsweek, The Economist, Psychology Today, etc.)

Assessment Tasks WeightingPerformance in classes (lectures and tutorials) 20Short survey 103-minute talk 15Project report 20Group project presentation 15Homework 20


1. Describe and explain, in a high-level manner, various rep-resentative computational algorithms (e.g., Google search, Google map route finding, etc.).

2. Use the understanding of limitations on computability to judge whether a certain problem is computable.

3. Apply the various “tricks” learned in designing algorithms (e.g., recursion) to come up with a rough solution to a new problem.

4. Demonstrate appreciation of the various technology fron-tiers and make informed judgments as to what new ser-vices/products we can expect to be derived from them.

5. Critically judge whether a certain computing service/facil-ity is likely to be beneficial to society.

6. Demonstrate understanding that “computing” as a tool is a double-edge sword, and thus, reflect critically on whether we have been relying too much on computing devices in educating and entertaining young people.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 12Seminars 4Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Short one-page survey + 3-minute talk 30Assessment: Project report writing 15Assessment: Project presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Simple quantitative homework assignments 15Total: 141

Professor Y.K. Kwok Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 8059 [email protected]


Lecture Time // First semester (Sat)

In order to make informed decisions in this information age, everyone needs to have an efficient way to sift through and evaluate the myriads of information that is available through the Internet. The ultimate objective of this course is to help stu-dents develop a “computational” state of mind for everyday events. Specifically, the course will enable students to answer the following questions: What daily problems need to be solved by a computational method? Are such problems solvable? By what means can such problems be solved? Is it worthwhile to compute such prob-lems? How do all these problems relate to the Internet that we use on a daily basis? We will also discuss intensively the societal impacts of computing technologies on our daily life. The course will be taught with minimal levels of mathematical and technical detail.

Everyday Computing and the Internet



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9004 Appropriate Technology for the Developing World /CCST9015 Electronic Technologies in Everyday Life

Required Reading

Study Load



25

Hazeltine, B., & Bull, C. (1999). Appropriate technology: Tools, choices and implications. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Smith, C. E., & Cooper-Hewitt Museum. (2007). Design for the other 90% (1st ed.). New York: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial discussion 5Oral presentation 15Mini project 20Final project 60

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 10Seminars 6Reading / Self-study 44Assessment: Oral presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Mini project (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Design project (incl preparation) 50Total: 150

Lecture Time // Second semester (Sat)


Teacher(s)


1. Explain the challenges in designing technologies for the developing world.

2. Identify the key design considerations pertinent to tech-nologies intended for deployment in the developing world.

3. Assess how technology can actively contribute to the bet-terment of life in the developing world.

4. Formulate a design model for a technology that has po-tential to be developed into a working prototype for use in the developing world.

Professor L.G. Tham Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 1965 [email protected]

Dr A.C.H. Yu Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8482 [email protected]

Dr A.W.Y. Ko Faculty of Engineering📞 2219 4860 [email protected]

This course introduces students to the opportunities, barriers, and challenges in designing technologies for the developing world. Students will examine the design constraints and re-source limitations encountered in the developing world from different perspectives. The over-all aim of the course is to broaden the vision of the students on how properly designed tech-nologies can make positive contributions to the developing world.

Throughout the course, students will be introduced to four key intellectual ideas that form the cornerstones of developing-world technologies:

• A developing-world technology should be considered as appropriate only if it can fulfill all the design constraints and resource limitations.

• Design constraints for a developing-world technology should be defined in terms of at least four aspects: technical, social, political, and economical.

• We must think outside the box when designing and assessing a technology intended for third world deployment, as technologies that form part of daily life in the developed world usually do not meet the needs of the developing world.

• Properly designed technologies can help developing-world people solve their basic needs and improve their standard of living, while inappropriate ones may phase out rap-idly.

In taking this course, students will have the opportunity to think more critically about the impact of science and technology on the cultural values and quality of life in the developing world. In doing so, they can become more mindful of the comparatively luxurious living condi-tions in Hong Kong where technology is abundant and plays an integral role in daily living.

The course will be taught using a combination of lectures, small-group tutorials, and hands-on design activities. Another key component of this course is a group design project where stu-dents will work collaboratively to propose a piece of appropriate technology to address an ill-defined problem that is related to real-world challenges faced by people living in the develop-ing world.

Appropriate Technology for the Developing World



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9003 Everyday Computing and the Internet /CCST9015 Electronic Technologies in Everyday Life


26

Required Reading

Hewitt, P. G. (2007). Conceptual integrated science (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA; London: Pearson/Addison Wesley. [Chap. 1]

Lafaille, R., & Fulder, S. (1993). Towards a new science of health. London: Routledge.

Westwood, O. M. R. (1999). The scientific basis for health care. London: Mosby. [Chap. 21]


Teacher(s)Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingField trip report 30Debates 20Problem-based Learning tutorials 20Problem-based Learning tutorials case reports 30


1. Recognize from history dramatic improvements in the health of human beings attributable to the innovation of our predecessors in the development and discoveries of scientific advances.

2. Identify the difficulties, challenges and drawbacks encoun-tered when science is applied to improve the health of hu-man beings and hazard prevention and minimization.

3. Show awareness of the moral-ethical considerations in applying a scientific achievement to the health of human beings, especially in imminent and imperative clinical situa-tions e.g. outbreaks or epidemics.

4. Apply optimization techniques when placing priorities on utilization of limited resources in scientific research of health improvement, promotion and prevention.

5. Demonstrate awareness of the utmost importance of so-cial, national and global responsibilities and moral obliga-tions to ensure equity and justness to enjoy the scientific achievement for human health.

6. Think critically on how the impact, difficulties and con-sequences of health improvement foster and influence further new scientific research to maintain sustainability of health improvement and continuity of the human species.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 30Reading / Self-study 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: Debate 10Total: 127

Dr V.H.F. Lee Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4698 [email protected]

Dr J.K.C. Leung Department of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2858 [email protected]

Professor D.L.W. Kwong Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4521 [email protected]

Dr V.H.F. Lee Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4698 [email protected]


For thousands of years human beings have been striving hard to survive, get healthier and improve their standard of living. Numer-ous methods have evolved to improve and maintain health, in the context of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds among vari-ous regions in the world. However, obstacles and limitations are always ahead during the development of scientific achievements to improve health. More importantly, even when we have attained certain levels of achievement, the human ambition to further im-prove our health and create more achievements by developing more advanced scientific techniques is never-ending. We are al-ways at the crossroads of how much more we should achieve in one respect at the expense of others. This course will enable stu-dents to: (i) acknowledge from history the improvement of health through scientific achievements as well as realize the limitations of science in solving health-related problems; (ii) be aware of the motives and challenges when developing, making judgments and



Science and Health: The Ever-changing Challenges and Solutions

applying scientific achievements from theories to real practice on human health; (iii) recognize the dilemma of decision making on placing priorities on utilization of limited resources in fostering scientific research and health promotion with special emphasis on recent health challenges in Hong Kong and China; (iv) realize the importance of moral and ethical obligations/considerations when performing scientific research on human beings; (v) identify the actual social, national and global judgments and conscience to ensure equity and justness to enjoy scientific achievements; and (vi) comprehend the cross-influences between science and health and how health improvements develop and foster new motives and discoveries in future scientific research. Field trip visits to the Hong Kong Observatory, Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station and the Department of Clinical Oncology at Queen Mary Hospital will be arranged to keep abreast of the recent hot issues of radiation leak-age, safety and surveillance (see photo).

(Hong Kong Observatory)

Required Reading

Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)Scientific & Technological Literacy

27

Course Learning Outcomes Course Co-ordinatorStudy Load



Carlson, E. A. (2006). Times of triumph, times of doubt: Science and the battle for public trust. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Nobel Prize in Medicine. Nobelprize.org. From http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/ [Selected presentations, press releases and/or information]

Widmaier, E. P., Raff, H., & Strang, K. T. (2011). Vander’s human physiology: The mechanisms of body function (12th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Assessment Tasks WeightingReading assignment (formative) 0Short essay 40Tutorial discussion 30Poster presentation 30


1. Explain the basic process of scientific discovery and the historical and scientific background behind major biomedi-cal breakthroughs.

2. Describe and explain how major biomedical discoveries have improved human health globally by providing the ba-sics of disease mechanism, diagnosis and treatment.

3. Explain and evaluate the social and ethical implications of major biomedical discoveries.

4. Apply the above knowledge to critically evaluate other biomedical discoveries and their social and ethical implica-tions.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 12Laboratory 2Reading / Self-study 55Assessment: Essay / Report writing 35Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 24Total: 150

Teacher(s)

Dr S.Y.W. Shiu Department of Physiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9261 [email protected]

Dr N.S. Wong Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9142 [email protected]

Dr K.M. Yao Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9275 [email protected]

Dr S.Y.W. Shiu Department of Physiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9261 [email protected]

The aim of this course is to help students develop critical, balanced and multi-di-mensional perspectives on the power of modern biomedical science in offering so-lutions to complex health problems against the new societal and ethical challenges brought by such technological advancements. It is hoped that by attending to the scientific, social and ethical ramifications of what modern medicine does to our lives and society, we may be able to shape biomedical progress to best suit our val-ues. The course contents include: (i) Literacy in biomedical science – basic process of scientific discovery, combat with microbes, drug development, genes and the human genome; (ii) Interdisciplinary nature of scientific research for technological empowerment – organ transplantation; (iii) Complexity of the dynamic interactions between science and humanities in finding pragmatic solutions to major health problems.

Biomedical Breakthroughs in a Pluralistic World


Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9011 Biotechnology − Science and Impacts

28

Required Reading


Greenwood, D. (2007). Medical microbiology: A guide to microbial infections: Pathogenesis, immunity, laboratory diagnosis and control (17th ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Nelson, K. E., & Williams, C. M. (2007). Infectious disease epidemiology: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Pommerville, J. C., & Alcamo, I. E. (2007). Alcamo’s fundamentals of microbiology (8th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.


Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class test 30Topic presentation and report 40Short essay 30

Study Load

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 8Practical classes 6Visit to the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences 3Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: In-class test 3Total: 120



1. Demonstrate understanding of the interaction between microbes and humans in infectious diseases.

2. Describe the environmental, ecological, social, historical, and human factors in determining the epidemiology of infectious diseases.

3. Balance the risk and benefits of vaccination as a preventive measure for infectious diseases.

4. Demonstrate understanding of the ecology and epidemiol-ogy of some important emerging and re-emerging infec-tious diseases that are locally or globally important.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of a free flow of information in the global control of infectious dis-eases.

Teacher(s)

Dr S.S.Y. Wong Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4714 [email protected]

Professor K.Y. Yuen Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4892 [email protected]

Professor J.S.M. Peiris School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2816 8404 [email protected]

Dr P.L. Ho Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4892 [email protected]

Dr S.S.Y. Wong Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4714 [email protected]

Infectious disease is one of the key threats to global health. The emergence of new pathogens, the re-emergence of old pathogens, the growing problem of antimicro-bial resistance, and the threat of bioterrorism pose substantial difficulties to public health and patient management. HIV, SARS, avian influenza and pandemic influ-enza, extensively-resistant and totally-resistant tuberculosis, cholera, community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and other multiple-resistant or pan-resistant bacteria are just some recent reminders that emerging infections can strike both the developing and industrialized countries equally. China, as the most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies, has also been one of the epicenters for emerging infectious diseases. This course aims to: (i) introduce the concepts of microbes and infection; (ii) introduce the con-cepts of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and their local and global significance; (iii) illustrate the importance of infectious disease in the history of hu-mankind; (iv) study the role of nations in the global control of emerging infectious diseases, with special reference to China and Hong Kong; (v) examine some basic tools to understand infectious diseases and the pathogens; and (vi) explore some of the controversial issues in the prevention and management of infectious diseas-es.

Infectious Disease in a Changing World



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Hogan, K. A., & Palladino, M. A. (2009). Stem cells and cloning (2nd ed.) (The Benjamin Cummings special topics in biology series). San Francisco, CA; London: Pearson/ Benjamin Cummings.

Park, A. (2009, January 29). Stem cell research: The quest resumes. Time.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class continuous assessment

(discussions, debates, activities) 20Group projects 20Individual assignments 40In-class test 20


1. Express the implications of stem cell technologies on indi-viduals, families, societies and humankind.

2. State the principles of biomedical ethics and apply ethi-cal and moral understanding to evaluate the benefits and dilemmas of stem cell technologies.

3. Analyze and evaluate case scenarios for informed decision making and recommend strategies for stem cell research policy making.

4. Explain the positions taken by different individuals, organi-zations and cultures with respect to stem cell technologies.

5. Define the basic characteristics of different types of stem cells and discuss their applications in medicine.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Laboratory 3Movie viewing 4Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Group tasks 15Assessment: Individual tasks 25Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 5Total: 125

Dr M.H. Sham Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9240 [email protected]

Dr S.J. Bevan Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9495 [email protected]

Dr D. Chan Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9482 [email protected]

Dr M.H. Sham Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9240 [email protected]

Discoveries in biological and medical sciences in recent decades have transformed our life and society. The potential of stem cells to replace “new cells for old” offers great hope for the treatment of many diseases, yet it is uncertain whether these cells will live up to the expectations of doctors and society at large. Some bioethi-cists have expressed concerns that society’s drive to find cures is obscuring our judgment and forcing us to step over inappropriate moral boundaries.

This course will guide you through the scientific discoveries to allow you to appreci-ate how stem cells can be a therapeutic tool, both now and in the future. It will give you the opportunity to explore the relevant moral issues and bioethical framework for evaluating the benefits and dilemmas of stem cell-based regenerative medicine. It will also allow you to examine Hong Kong’s current stem cell policies and regula-tions in relation to other countries, providing you with both the scientific and ethi-cal perspectives necessary to inform future stem cell policy making.

The topics will be addressed through scientific, literary and popular media in a com-bination of lectures, tutorials and case studies. There will be many opportunities for interactive group work and sharing of ideas during the classes.

Living with Stem Cells


29




30

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


About forensic DNA. The DNA Initiative. From http://www.dna.gov/basics/

Casey, E. (2004). Digital evidence and computer crime: Forensic science, computers and the Internet (2nd ed.). London; San Diego, CA: Academic Press. [Chaps. 1-7]

Collected writings on the washing away of wrongs. Chinaculture.org. From http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/31/content_26879.htm

Lee, H. C., Palmbach, T., & Miller, M. T. (2001). Henry Lee’s crime scene handbook. San Diego, CA; London: Academic. [Chaps. 1-7]

Saukko, P. J., & Knight, B. (2004). Knight’s forensic pathology (3rd ed.). London; New York: Arnold. [Chaps. 1, 2]

Assessment Tasks WeightingPortfolio collection of references (individual) 20Problem-based Learning tutorials 30Analysis and preparation of a case file 20Presentation case analysis and conclusions

(individual and small group) 30


1. Demonstrate understanding of the scientific principles that underline and support the practical application of various scientific disciplines that are involved in the forensic sci-ences.

2. Analyze and integrate various sources of scientific data and understand their validity and limitations hence allow-ing critical appraisal of their value in providing answers for solving a crime.

3. Display interpersonal communication and collaboration skills in working with students from different backgrounds.

4. Demonstrate awareness of the importance of professional standards and ethical practices.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 16Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: Development of case file 10Total: 124

Dr S.L. Beh Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4863 [email protected]

Dr K.P. Chow Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2191 [email protected]

Dr S.L. Beh Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4863 [email protected]

This course introduces students to the scientific, legal and ethical concepts that underpin forensic science. Forensic science spans all scientific disciplines such as anthropology, biology, chemistry, computing, medicine, physics, etc. Students will explore and develop an understanding of the principles of forensic science through an overview as well as more topic-specific lectures, and experience hands-on some of the simple skills involved in scientific analysis. Knowledge gained will be applied and students will be required to work on an assigned case and offer solutions.

The Science of Crime Investigation




Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9030 Forensic Science: Unmasking Evidence, Mysteries and Crimes

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Selected reading materials (2-3 assigned articles per week) from Scientific American, the science and technology section of The New York Times and The Washington Post, and the Internet.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class participation and quizzes 15Essay and reports 20Discussion forum 35Poster and oral presentation 30


1. Describe and explain the principles of inheritance, recom-binant DNA and cloning.

2. Determine, explain and appraise the benefits and short-comings of the application of biotechnology knowledge.

3. Select and justify the use of advanced biotechnology products through bioethical consideration.

4. Demonstrate professional and ethical approaches in pre-senting findings and analyses in a coherent and effective manner.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Discussion (reading and self-study) 48Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Total: 129

Professor F.C.C. LeungSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0825 [email protected]

Professor F.C.C. LeungSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0825 [email protected]

This course provides students with the facts about the scientific discovery leading to the development of this new and revolutionary technology, and challenges them to think, investigate and evaluate how this technology can help solve medical and health, agricultural and food, and environmental and sustainable resources prob-lems and also its potential risk and hazards. Students will gain general understand-ing and knowledge of basic genetic, molecular biology and biotechnology, and interest in and awareness of the modern advancement of molecular biology and biotechnology. Students will be challenged to gain understanding about the im-pacts of biotechnology in human medical health, agriculture and environment. The moral-ethical issues associated with the biotechnology industry will be discussed and debated leading to the appreciation of the potential significant interconnection between biotechnology knowledge and humanities.


Biotechnology – Science and Impacts


31



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9006 Biomedical Breakthroughs in a Pluralistic World


32


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Assessment: 60% coursework; 40% examination

Required Reading

Koestler, A. (1968). The sleepwalkers: A history of man’s changing vision of the universe. New York: Penguin Books.

Assessment Tasks WeightingAssignments 20Laboratory reports 20Mid-term test 20Examination 40


1. Describe the scientific method and explain how the sci-entific method was developed and applied to explain and predict motions of celestial objects.

2. Evaluate the role of science in transforming our philosophi-cal thinking.

3. Identify qualitative and quantitative everyday astronomi-cal phenomena and describe how such understanding has evolved over history.

4. Describe the emergence of rational thinking and assess the effects of social environment on intellectual development through historical examples.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 2Reading / Self-study 100Laboratory 4Assessment: Assignments / Reports 10Assessment: Mid-term test 1Assessment: Examination 3Total: 150

Professor S. Kwok Faculty of Science📞 2859 2682 [email protected]

Dr J.C.S. Pun Department of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1962 [email protected]

Professor S. Kwok Faculty of Science📞 2859 2682 [email protected]

This course discusses the historical changes in the perception of our place in the universe as a result of astronomical development. We begin with ancient models of the universe in different cultures and the religious and philosophical interpretation of celestial objects, through the Copernican revolution and the work of Kepler, Gali-leo and Newton, towards our current physical model of the universe.

Topics include:• Changing perceptions of our place in the universe as the result of astronomical

development. Illustration of the development of the scientific method and how science has influenced the evolution of our philosophical thinking and cultural development;

• Ancient models of the universe and the early philosophical and religious inter-pretation of celestial objects;

• The development of concepts of time and calendars through the observation of solar, lunar, and planetary motions;

• The Copernican revolution and the change from geocentric to heliocentric cos-mology;

• The application of scientific method and a physical interpretation of the uni-verse through the work of Kepler, Galileo and Newton;

• The expansion of the spatial scale of the universe as the result of modern as-tronomical observations;

• Expansion of the time domain in cosmic history through the study of the his-tory of the Earth, biological evolution, and cosmic evolution.


Our Place in the Universe




Teacher(s)

Study Load

Required Reading

Sections from:

Jones, G. E. (2004). People and environment: A global approach. New York: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Simmons, I. G. (1989). Changing the face of the earth: Culture, environment, history. Oxford: Blackwell.


1. Recognize and describe the reciprocal relationships be-tween humans and their environment influenced by scien-tific discovery and technological development.

2. Analyze the impacts of scientific discovery and technologi-cal development on the natural environment and human societies at different spatial and temporal scales.

3. Demonstrate an awareness of the impacts of science with-in the broader economic, environmental and socio-cultural context, and apply knowledge gained to evaluate solutions appropriate to the specific cultures and environments.

4. Produce written evidence, in the form of individual course work, of their aquisition of knowledge and analytical skills in the topic.

5. Present, in the form of internet searching for relevant infor-mation and group digital presentation of research results, their IT and communication skills.


Assessment Tasks WeightingLiterature review 20Paleoclimate laboratory 30Lamma field trip 10Concept mapping with explanations 20Multiple choice quiz 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 4Palaeoclimate laboratory 4Reading / Self-study 84Workshops on essay writing 2Assessment: Essay / Report writing 16Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8Assessment: Quiz 2Total: 148 Dr S.C. Chang

Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2857 8577 [email protected]

Dr C.D. DingleDepartment of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2219 4170 [email protected]

Dr S.C. ChangDepartment of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2857 8577 [email protected]

This course will introduce to students the diverse ways in which human society has interacted with the natural environment, raise their awareness of the complexity of environmental issues, and encourage them to explore various aspects of global and local environmental problems. The teaching will focus firstly on how scientific and technological development has influenced human society in gaining economic benefits from understanding and being able to modify and manage the natural en-vironment. It will then draw students’ attention to the consequences of human’s modification of the natural environment, including an increase in the scale of natu-ral hazards recently occurring across the world. Students will be guided to examine global (resources, climate change, economic growth, etc.) and local (pollution and resource depletion in China and Hong Kong) environmental issues, and explore pos-sible scientific and technological solutions along with political, social and economi-cal considerations to these environmental problems.

Our Living EnvironmentCourse Code // CCST9013


33



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9016 Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impacts


34

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Chen, C. (1996). Early Chinese work in natural science: A re-examination of the physics of motion, acoustic, astronomy and scientific thoughts. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [Chaps. 1, 2]

Parker, B. (2009). Good vibrations: The physics of music. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class tests 40Project component 1 (content) 30Project component 2 (portfolio) 10Project component 3 (presentation) 20


1. Demonstrate appreciation of the close ties there have been between the study of music and science over the centu-ries, and how in the modern era close ties still exist but for various reasons are largely ignored.

2. Explain the production of musical tone and timbre in musi-cal instruments using the scientific principles and under-standing of sound propagation, waves and harmonics.

3. Apply simple mathematics to the construction of different musical scales (just, equal, meantone) and appreciate the historical development of scales in both Europe and China.

4. Realize and discuss coherently philosophical issues at the science and music interface.

5. Demonstrate academic research capabilities by carrying out a research project on some topics relating science and music.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 20Total: 137

Professor H.F. Chau Department of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1925 [email protected]

Dr H.Y. Chan School of Humanities (Music), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5210 [email protected]


The course aims at an appreciation of the close connection between music and sci-ence that has existed historically from Pythagoras on into modern times. The essen-tial physics of musical sound production and analysis will be provided in order to facilitate the elementary principles behind wind, string and percussion instruments and their characteristic timbre. The development of scales from fundamental princi-ples will be dealt with leading to an appreciation of some of the subtle differences between Chinese and Western music. Contemporary music and science interactions will focus on electronic music and the working principles of modern instruments such as the electric guitar. Finally some scientific understanding of musical appre-ciation will be given by looking at the factors that make music pleasing.

Science and MusicCourse Code // CCST9014


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Sections from:

Jarvis, J. (2011). Public parts: How sharing in the digital age improves the way we work and live. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Levine, R. (2011). Free ride: How digital parasites are destroying the culture business, and how the culture business can fight back. New York: Doubleday.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class quizzes, tutorial exercises, and homework tasks 403-minute talk 15Group project report 30Group project presentation 15


1. Differentiate true innovation from marketing hypes.

2. Locate caveats in marketing hypes.

3. Identify key merits of a new technology.

4. Discuss the socio-economical impact of major technolo-gies from recent years.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study / Homework 24 Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Total: 120



In this age of information explosion, it is easy for one to get lost in the labyrinth of new technology surfacing everyday in mass media and the Internet. While some of these new technologies will eventually change our ways of living, some, unfortu-nately, are mere marketing hypes. This course aims to: (i) arouse students’ general interest in science and technology, particularly with regard to current “high-tech” products that they encounter everyday; and (ii) train students to develop critical intellectual enquiries concerning existing and latest technologies they encounter in their everyday lives through examining scientific evidence and information. Through lectures and discussions, students will not only be able to recognize the latest ad-vancement in technologies and identify misinformation presented in the mass me-dia, but also be able to understand their social implications, as well as to develop critical thinking and to carry educated discussion about merits and common mis-conceptions associated with new technologies.

Electronic Technologies in Everyday Life



35



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9003 Everyday Computing and the Internet /CCST9004 Appropriate Technology for the Developing World


36

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Fanchi, J. R. (2005). Energy in the 21st century. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific.

Gibilisco, S. (2007). Alternative energy demystified. New York: McGraw-Hill.

International Energy Agency, & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2000). Energy technology and climate change: A call to action. Paris: OECD/IEA.

Kostic, M. M. (2007). Energy: Global and historical background. Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology, 1(1), 601-615. Also available from http://www.kostic.niu.edu/Energy_Global_Historical-Kostic.pdf

Lam, P., & Hong Kong Centre for Economic Research. (1996). The scheme of control on electricity companies. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.

Mitchell, C. (2008). The political economy of sustainable energy. Basingstoke, UK; New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssays and reports 25Quizzes 25Examination 50


1. Describe and explain various energy conversion technolo-gies.

2. Assess the social benefits and environmental impacts of the fossil fuel economy and present their own views.

3. Evaluate the potential of renewable energy technologies for future sustainable development.

4. Demonstrate understanding of the ways energy was dis-covered and used in human history.

5. Formulate informed arguments in responding to energy-related environmental issues.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits (incl report writing) 10Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 20Total: 152

Dr T.S.P Feng Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8554 [email protected]

Dr S.C.M. Hui Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2123 [email protected]

Dr T.S.P Feng Department of Mechanical Engineering,Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8554 [email protected]


Energy is essential to our daily lives. Electricity, fuel gas and fuel oil have brought us much convenience, luxury and prosperity. However, our present heavy reliance on fossil fuels has caused a serious energy crisis, air pollution and climate change problems. Active technological development is needed on both the supply and de-mand sides to enhance the energy industry to achieve sustainability. This course is designed to enable students to develop a broader perspective and critical under-standing of energy issues that they are confronted with, to cultivate their apprecia-tion of various viewpoints and responsibilities as global and local citizens, and to develop their problem-solving ability through lectures and discussion of the key energy and environmental issues. The course topics include: (i) world energy re-sources; (ii) fossil fuel-based, nuclear and hydro energy technologies; (iii) energy conservation and energy efficiency; (iv) clean and renewable energy technologies; (v) scheme of control and deregulation in electricity supply; (vi) environmental im-pacts of energy industry; (vii) social, economic and political issues; and (viii) reme-dial measures and policies.


Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impacts


Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9013 Our Living Environment

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Bryan, K., & Leise, T. (2006). The $25,000,000,000 eigenvector: The linear algebra behind Google. Siam Review, 48(3), 569-581.

Gura, E.-Y., & Maschler, M. (2008). Insights into game theory: An alternative mathematical experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Chap. 3]

Haigh, J. (2003). Taking chances: Winning with probability (New ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chap.14]

Lysyanskaya, A. (2008). How to keep secrets safe. Scientific American, 299(3), 88-95.

Shermer, M. (2008). The doping dilemma. Scientific American, 298(4), 82-89. From http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-doping-dilemma

Taylor, A. D., & Pacelli, A. M. (2008). Mathematics and politics: Strategy, voting, power and proof (2nd ed.). New York: Springer.

Woolfson, M. M. (2008). Everyday probability and statistics: Health, elections, gambling and war. London: Imperial College Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingWriting assignments 35Mini project and group presentation 35Examination 30


1. Demonstrate understanding of important applications of mathematics in our everyday life.

2. Apply mathematical ideas and methods to decision mak-ing on everyday issues.

3. Investigate the mathematical foundation of topics that are related to everyday life.

4. Communicate daily life problems and solutions using ap-propriate mathematical terminology and good English.

5. Solve real-life problems using mathematics and present the solutions using appropriate software.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Examination 1.5Assessment: Assignments 30Total: 138.5 Each section will be taught by one or two of the fol-

lowing teachers:

Dr T.W. Ng Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2241 5631 [email protected]

Dr K.H. Chan Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2857 8571 [email protected]

Dr S.P. YungDepartment of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1992 [email protected]

Dr T.W. Ng Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2241 5631 [email protected]



Although not obvious, mathematics actually permeates many areas of our modern society, affecting us fundamentally on an everyday basis. For example, the Human Genome Project, GPS systems, and mobile phones use mathematics extensively as well as other non-science matters such as financial investment, data encryption, and internet searching. Even voting systems, an important feature of our democra-cy, can be analyzed with the help of mathematics, enabling us to gain a deeper un-derstanding of what is meant by fairness of a voting system or a social choice pro-cedure and its limitations. Through exploring non-technically some mathematically rich daily life topics, this course aims to help students gain essential mathematical literacy for living in the 21st century. Students will learn the mathematical concepts and principles of things that they encounter in modern society, and learn how to handle and interpret numerical and other forms of mathematical data that affect their daily life.

* Note: Mathematics beyond the level of general school mathematics is not required. The focus of the course is on demonstrating analytical reasoning, formulating evi-dential and logical arguments, and presenting and communicating the coherent body of knowledge acquired.

Hidden Order in Daily Life: A Mathematical Perspective


37

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – First semester (Wed)


Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9037 Mathematics: A Cultural Heritage


38

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



1. Describe how advances in technology have influenced sci-entific thinking on the origin, evolution and future of life.

2. Discriminate between scientific explanations and other belief-based explanations for the origin and evolution of life.

3. Describe and explain the societal implications of scientific discoveries relating to the origin, evolution and future of life.

4. Evaluate how technological advances can affect the long-term future of humankind.

Assessment Tasks WeightingVideo critiques / Self-produced video interview 20Debates 10Mini essay 20Poster presentation 30Quizzes and tutorial activities 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials (incl preparation) 18Reading / Self-study 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 24Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 24Total: 126

Dr K.H. Lemke Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2241 5474 [email protected]

Dr G.W. Porter Faculty of Science📞 2241 5195 [email protected]


Grady, M. M. (2001). Astrobiology. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press in association with the Natural History Museum, London.

NASA. Astrobiology Magazine. From http://www.astrobio.net

Among the most fundamental questions we can ask ourselves as human beings are: Where do we come from – how did life begin and evolve? Are we alone – is the Earth unique in our universe in supporting life? and Where are we going – what is the long-term future for humankind? These questions focus on the origin, evolution and future of life, a field of study collectively termed astrobiology. Answers have been sought via scientific inquiry throughout human history, and technological advances have created paradigm shifts in the way that society reconciles new sci-entific findings with accepted norms and belief-systems. The course will examine: (i) how the conditions for life arose in the universe and how scientific and techno-logical advances have changed this perception over time; (ii) the various scientific threads supporting the appearance of life including humans, and their evolutionary changes over time; and (iii) the societal implications of discovering extraterrestrial life.


Origin and Evolution of Life

Lecture Time // Second Semester (Wed)


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Caron, Z., & May, E. (2009). Global warming for dummies. Mississauga, Ontario: J. Wiley & Sons Canada.

Weekly or bi-weekly reading from the Internet such as Science News, Science, The Washington Post, The New York Times, South China Morning Post, etc.


1. Describe, explain and connect the basic principles, con-cepts and theories, pertaining to the climate change de-bate using appropriate scientific language.

2. Describe and explain how climate change impacts every-day life and society.

3. Critically assess films and other media information (e.g. from the Internet, the popular press, books, journals) on the climate change debate.

4. Work constructively in peer-selected groups to produce a presentation.

5. Demonstrate public speaking skills.Assessment: 100% coursework

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay 20Multiple choice quiz 20Group presentation and blog 20Field trip worksheets 10Laboratory reports 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 16Practical classes 4Tutorials 8Seminars 4Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 80Palaeoclimate laboratory 4Blog participation 2Assessment: Essay / Report writing 18Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 4Total: 148

Dr Z.H. Liu Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2831 [email protected]

Dr J.A. King Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2241 5473 [email protected]

Dr Z.H. Liu Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2831 [email protected]

Climate change is consistently in the news, yet there is little public understand-ing of what is now one of the biggest issues facing humanity. This course will pro-vide students with the scientific literacy needed to understand climate change and consider existing and proposed solutions. The guiding objective is to promote the understanding needed to evaluate, develop and propose emerging and creative solutions at individual, local and global levels. Students will be required to critically examine different media on the subject including critiques of An Inconvenient Truth and The Great Global Warming Swindle films that present opposing sides of the climate change argument. Besides lectures, the course will use self-directed web-based learning and “blog” discussions together with a climate lab and field trip to stimulate student thinking. An interest in climate change issues and the ability to think critically and express ideas are the only prerequisites for the course.

Understanding Climate Change


39




40

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Granade, H. C., Creyts, J., Derkach, A., Farese, P., Nyquist, S., & Ostrowski, K. (2009). Unlocking energy efficiency in the U.S. economy. McKinsey Global Energy and Materials, McKinsey & Company.

Kibert C. (2008). Sustainable construction: Green building design and delivery (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Mulder, K., Ferrer, D., & Van Lente, H. (Eds.). (2011). What is sustainable technology? Perceptions, paradoxes and possibilities. Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing.

Additional required readings will be provided in class by the teachers.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-course quizzes 10Participation in tutorial discussions 15Assignments 15Field visit reports 20Examination 40


1. Demonstrate understanding of abstract to semi-technical issues relating to sustainable development in the context of the built environment.

2. Demonstrate awareness of the impact of human activity on the natural and built environment and argue the role professionals have played and will play.

3. Describe modern built environment systems and sustain-able technologies.

4. Formulate strategies to ensure sustainable development of current and future built environments.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 3Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Quizzes 1Assessment: Assignments and reports 36Assessment: Examination 2Total: 124

Dr W. Pan Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2671 [email protected]

Dr K.M. Shih Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 1973 [email protected]

Dr W. Pan Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2671 [email protected]


“First we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” (Winston Churchill)

An ever growing awareness of the adverse impacts that humans are having upon the natural environment is prompting a greater public awareness of the need to live in a sustainable manner. An opportunity to enact such a manner of living is no greater than the very place we spend a significant portion of our lives; the built en-vironment. The sustainable functioning of large cities, such as Hong Kong, offers an ideal opportunity to positively influence the present and future impact of human activity on our planet.

Students of this course should gain an informed understanding of the central issues associated with sustainable development of the built environment and the ways in which these issues have been responded to throughout history and the present day as well as how they could be responded to in the future. Students will also develop an ability to formulate clear strategies by drawing upon relevant best practices and technologies. Topics specific to this course include (i) global issues related to the natural and built environment, (ii) the science of sustainable development and as-sociated technologies, (iii) relevant ethical, socioeconomic, philosophical and politi-cal issues as well as the role of professionals, (iv) energy, and (v) case studies and the future. In this course students will be expected to attend lectures and tutorials, participate in tutorial discussions, search literature and read widely, and to also un-dertake a field trip (within Hong Kong) and report the results.

Sustainable Development of the Built Environment



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Rogers, P. P., Jalal, K. F., & Boyd, J. A. (2008). An introduction to sustainable development. London; Sterling, VA: Earthscan. [e-book]

Tsang, S. Y. S. (2004). A modern history of Hong Kong. London: I. B. Tauris. [e-book]

Assessment Tasks WeightingSelf-learning exercises 20Field trip worksheet 10In-class assessments 20Group project 20Tutorial participation and individual presentation 20Essay 10


1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of our marine herit-age in relation to its historical, societal, physicochemical, and ecological aspects.

2. Critically analyze the various situations, problems and conflicts with respect to the use and management of our marine resources.

3. Apply essential principles and skills to resolve the environ-mental problems in relation to the sustainable develop-ment of marine natural resources.

4. Appreciate our own culture related to history of the unique marine heritage in contrast to the cultures in other jurisdic-tions.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the potential positive and negative impacts of science and technology such as those demonstrated in fishing gears’ evolution.

6. Ascertain self-learning habits, problem solving and com-munication skills through various learning activities.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 64Self-learning exercises through museum and site visits 20Assessment: Group project / Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Total: 168

Dr K.M.Y. Leung School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0607 [email protected]

Professor Y. SadovySchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0603 [email protected]

Dr K.M.Y. Leung School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0607 [email protected]

This course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of our marine her-itage in relation to its historical, social, economical, physicochemical, and ecological aspects. In particular, the course will acquaint students with key principles and skills to resolve the environmental problems with respect to the sustainable development of marine natural resources. Students will also explore the positive and negative impacts of science and technology such as those demonstrated in the evolution of fishing gear and chemical use. Eventually, students will learn how to critically ana-lyze the various situations, problems, conflicts and solutions regarding the use and management of our marine resources.

Hong Kong: Our Marine Heritage



41




42

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Day, R. A., & Gastel, B. (2006). How to write and publish a scientific paper. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Erickson, M. (2005). Science, culture and society: Understanding science in the twenty-first century. Cambridge, UK: Polity.

Goldacre, B. (2009). Bad science. London: Fourth Estate.Gregory, J., & Miller, S. (1998). Science in public: Communication,

culture, and credibility. New York: Plenum Trade.Hargreaves, I., & Ferguson, G. (2000). Who’s misunderstanding whom?

Swindon, UK: Economic and Social Research Council.Sagan, C. (1997). The demon-haunted world: Science as a candle in the

dark. New York: Ballantine Books.Scanlon, E. (1999). Communicating science: Contexts and channels.

London; New York: Routledge.Silverstone, R. (1985). Framing science: The making of a BBC

documentary. London: British Film Institute Publishing.The nature of Nature. (2009, April 25). The Economist, 390(8628), 83-

84.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class quizzes 20Individual mini-project 30Group presentation 20Case study 30


1. Define the scientific method and recognize how it is ap-plied in the real world.

2. Describe how the mass media shapes our view of the modern world.

3. Explain how the public understanding and perception of science and technology issues is shaped by the mass me-dia.

4. Critically appraise the depiction of science in the media and in popular culture: learning to formulate opinions on facts depicted, seeing how it shapes our society.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Case study 15Assessment: Mini-project 15Assessment: In-class quizzes (incl revision) 8Total: 145


Mr T. Abraham Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4017 [email protected]


Public understanding and perception of science and technology issues are heavily shaped by their depictions in the mass media. This course aims at helping students to understand what is science from the point of view of scientists, to become dis-cerning and critical consumers of science and technology as depicted in the mass media, and to be able to critically understand how science and technology influ-ence our daily life from multiple perspectives. In this course, we first introduce the scientific method (i.e., observations, hypothesis, prediction, experiment, and theory) and how it is applied in the real world (e.g., issues such as public/private funding source, control sample, statistics, and press-release versus peer-reviewed publica-tions). We then introduce elements of media criticism and how the media shape our view of the world.

How the Mass Media Depicts Science, Technology and the Natural World



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


These readings are subject to change. More appropriate literature may be available later.

Charnock, H. (1973). H.M.S. Challenger and the development of marine science. The Journal of Navigation, 26(1), 1-12.

Imbrie, J., & Imbrie, K. P. (1979). Ice age: Solving the mystery. Short Hills, NJ: Enslow Publishers. [The Deep and the Past, pp. 123-133]

Kious, W. J., Tilling, R. I., & Geological Survey (U.S.). (1994). This dynamic earth: The story of plate tectonics. Washington, DC: U.S. Geological Survey. [Developing the Theory, pp. 14-30] Also available from http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/developing.html

Powell, H. (2008). Fertilizing the ocean with iron. Oceanus, 46(1), 4-9.Reves-Sohn, R. (2004). Unique vehicles for a unique environment.

Oceanus, 42(2), 25-27.Safina, C. (1995). The world’s imperiled fish. Scientific American, 273(5),

46-53.Smith, L. (2008, May 24). Titanic search was cover for secret Cold War

subs mission. The Times.Viviano, F. (2005). China’s Great Armada. National Geographic, 208(1),

28-53.


1. Describe the scientific process and how it relates to ocean-ography.

2. Describe how global conflict and the quest for food and resources led to advancement in our understanding of the oceans.

3. Evaluate critically the physical, chemical and biological im-pacts of human activities on the ocean systems.

4. Apply knowledge on the human dependence on the oceans to decision making on policies pertaining to their management.Assessment: 100% coursework

Assessment Tasks WeightingBlack box assignment 15Field trip worksheet and MCQ 15Laboratory report 15Essay 10Mini-debate 15Final class MCQ 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 8Practical (laboratory) classes 4Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Field trip quiz (incl preparation) 2Assessment: Essay / Laboratory report writing 15Assessment: Debate presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Final class MCQ (incl preparation) 15Total: 144 Dr S.C. Chang

Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2857 8577 [email protected]

Dr J.A. King Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2241 5473 [email protected]

Dr S.C. Chang Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2857 8577 [email protected]

The oceans are the last frontier on earth. They cover 70% of the earth surface, and yet we have mapped only 5% of the ocean floors. Given that the oceans are the primary reason that the Earth is habitable, increasing our understanding of this system and its role in the development of civilization, and our interdependence on the oceans’ many resources is critical. In this course we will explore the interac-tions between humans and the oceans throughout civilization. Humans rely on the oceans for water supply, food, energy, and military and economic activities. We will discuss how historical and recent oceanographic explorations have enlightened our understanding of the earth and contributed to the advancement of technology. The course will also explore the human impacts on the oceans and how such impacts could in turn produce adverse effects on civilization – including climate change.

The Oceans: Science and Society


43




44

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Problem-based Learning tutorials 12Fieldwork/ Visits 5Reading / Self-study 40Practicals 4Films and videos 5Assessment: Essay / Report writing 24Assessment: Field work visit report 6Total: 120

Assessment Tasks WeightingShort essays 45Practical worksheet 5Field trip presentation 20Participation in Problem-based Learning tutorials 30

Professor L.C. ChanDepartment of Pathology,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4872 [email protected]

Dr J.C.C. SoDepartment of Pathology,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4570 [email protected]

Dr S.L. BehDepartment of Pathology,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4863 [email protected]

Professor L.C. ChanDepartment of Pathology,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4872 [email protected]


1. Explain how scientific discoveries and technolgoical in-novations shape our understanding of blood, its biological properties and potential uses.

2. Discuss how blood maintains our body in health, and de-scribe why transfusions of blood and its products have been viewed to bring both benefit and harm to human be-ings.

3. Demonstrate understanding of how cultural and personal beliefs shape engagement with blood through rituals, cere-monies, and in films and stories associated with vampirism.

4. Articulate how science is distinct from, and connected with, other areas of investigation in the humanities, the so-cial sciences, and in everyday life.

Selected chapters from:

Harrison, E. (2007). Blood cells for sale. Scientific American, 297(5), 108-109.

Hoffbrand, A. V., Moss, P. A. H., & Pettit, J. E. (2006). Essential haematology (5th ed.). Malden, MA; Oxford: Blackwell.

Kline, R. M. (2001). Whose blood is it, anyway? Scientific American, 284(4), 42.

Netting, J. (1999). Viral gene screen. Scientific American, 281(2), 31-32. Nucci, M. L., & Abuchowski, A. (1998). The search for blood substitutes.

Scientific American, 278(2), 72-77. Porter, R. (2003). Blood and guts: A short history of medicine. London:

Penguin Books.Starr, D. P. (1998). Blood: An epic history of medicine and commerce

(1st ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. [Also available from Scientific American]

This course will enable students to understand the reasons for the fascination which blood holds over human beings from a number of different, but interrelated, perspectives. They will be able to articulate how our views of blood are not only changed in time through scientific discoveries and technological innovations, but are also affected by cultural and religious beliefs. Under the theme “Nature and Methods of Science”, the course will address the historical understanding of blood and its function viewed from both a western perspective as driven by scientific dis-coveries and from the traditional Chinese concept of blood and its relationship to qi. Under the themes “Science, Technology and Society” and “Science and Technol-ogy in Everyday Life”, the student will understand how advances in science coupled with innovations in technology have expanded the uses of blood e.g. blood banks (and the need for screening for infectious agents), blood as source of stem cells, and blood tests in forensic and legal medicine. Finally, the course will examine the meanings which blood bring through cultural and religious beliefs, e.g. the role of blood in sacrifice and rituals; the prohibition of transfusion of blood by Jehovah’s Witnesses, the global fascination with taking and giving of blood in vampirism and its association with immortality.


Blood, Beliefs, Biology


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingOnline discussions 20Group presentations 30Essay 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 64Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Online discussions 10Total: 160

Dawkins, R. (2006). The selfish gene (30th anniversary ed.). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Professor P.C. Sham Centre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5425 [email protected]

Dr S.S. Cherny Centre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5079 [email protected]

Dr W.L. Yang Centre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5077 [email protected]

Dr M.M. Garcia-Barcelo Centre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5073 [email protected]

Professor P.C. Sham Centre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5425 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the basic principles of genetics and evolution, and give an account of the principal historical figures and their major ideas and contributions.

2. Evaluate the evidence concerning the relative roles of nature and nurture (or genes and environment) in the de-termination of human individual differences, and to discuss the implications of the findings of such studies.

3. Analyze how humankind’s evolutionary past may have shaped our emotional makeup and thereby impact on how we behave to each other and the material world.

The overall theme of this course is that genetics and evolution provide a useful per-spective for understanding many important aspects of our lives, including our psy-chological makeup and how we relate to others. The course will draw on multiple intellectual disciplines – genetics, evolution, mathematics, statistics and psychology – to address the following fundamental issues:

• How life is maintained from one generation to the next through genes, and how living organisms can adapt the environment through changes in the genes.

• How human individual differences in important domains such as personality and health are influenced by genetic and environmental differences. How the nature or humankind may have been shaped by our evolutionary past, and the implications this has on the future of our species.

Genetics and Human NatureCourse Code // CCST9025


45




46

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class test 40Individual mini-project-essay 20Group presentation 20Reading assignments 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 11Seminars 2Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 28Total: 133

Dr J.C.S. PunDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1962 [email protected]

Professor A.S.C. CheungDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2155 [email protected]

Dr Y. ZhouDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2989 6105 [email protected]

Professor K.S. ChengDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2368 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the most important scientific revolu-tions that took place in science, their causes, and their historical context.

2. Use the relevant information about the scientific revolu-tions to critically examine their social impact.

3. Apply the knowledge obtained from the course to assess the impact on society of the major scientific discoveries of the future.

4. Examine the role of science in modern human history.

5. Analyze the impact of science in larger socio-cultural con-text.


Barrow, J. D. (2005). The artful universe expanded. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Barrow, J. D. (2008). Cosmic imagery: Key images in the history of science (1st Amer. ed.). London: Bodley Head.

Feyerabend, P. (1987). Farewell to reason. London; New York: Verso.Galison, P., Gordin, M. D., & Kaiser, D. (2001). Science and society: The

history of modern physical science in the twentieth century. New York: Routledge.

Hall, A. R. (1994). Science and society: Historical essays on the relations of science, technology, and medicine. Aldershot, UK: Variorum.

Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Popper, K. R. (2002). The logic of scientific discovery. London: Routledge Classics.

The main purpose of this course is to review some of the most important scientific revolutions that took place in the history of science (Heliocentric, Newtonian, the Chemical, the Relativistic, the Quantum, and the Darwinian revolutions), and to pre-sent and discuss their historical context, and origin, the struggle of the individual scientists for scientific truth, and how they succeeded in changing the dominant views on nature and society. The scientific revolutions had a deep social impact, by changing the world and the way of life through the development of new technolo-gies, and shaping a new social order. The course will promote open discussion on the social contexts and socio-cultural impacts of the major scientific discoveries. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment, and deeply influence the way of life of common people through technology. The course will address the following fundamental issues: what is science and how it works; the nature of research; normal science (paradigm), and its development; scientific anomaly and the shift in professional commitments to shared assumptions; the sci-entific revolution and its meaning and consequences; and the social impact of the scientific revolution.

Scientific Revolutions and their Impact on Modern Societies



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Core readings:Ariely, D. (2008). Predictably irrational. New York: HarperCollins. Gilovich, T. (1991). How we know what isn’t so: The fallibility of human

reason in everyday life. New York: The Free Press.Schwartz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice: Why more is less (1st ed.).

New York: ECCO.


Gigerenzer, G. (2007). Gut feelings: The intelligence of the unconscious. New York: Viking.

Groopman, J. E. (2007). How doctors think. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Lewis, M. (2003). Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game (1st

ed.). New York: W. W. Norton.Piattelli-Palmarini, M. (1994). Inevitable illusions: How mistakes of

reason rule our minds. New York: Wiley.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class tests 40Short essays 50Small assignments 10


1. Describe and give examples of common errors in intuitive judgment and decisions.

2. Recognize and identify these errors in real world situations.

3. Explain psychological theories for these errors and sup-porting empirical evidence.

4. Discuss and critically evaluate psychological theories of intuitive judgement and decision making.

5. Apply knowledge and theories to analyze judgments and decisions in real world situations.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 30Demonstrations 10Homework 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Total: 125

Dr J.A. Saunders Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8596 [email protected]

Dr J.A. Saunders Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8596 [email protected]

Human judgment and decisions are often irrational. People subscribe to fallacies, hold superstitious beliefs, make inconsistent judgments, and allow irrelevant factors to influence decisions. Often, such errors are not due to lack of knowledge or intel-ligence, but are consequences of the way our brains work. The mental processes that allow us to make decisions in the complex situations of everyday life can also lead us to errors and irrational thinking.

This course examines irrational thinking from a scientific perspective. We will survey a range of systematic errors and biases that have been identified, discuss scientific evidence and explanations, and analyze how these biases manifest themselves in domains like medicine, economics, and consumer choice. A number of class dem-onstrations, modeled after actual studies, will help illustrate the effects.

The Science of Irrational Thinking


47

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – Second semester (Wed)



48

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Easton, T. A. (2010). Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial issues in science, technology, and society (9th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education. [Older editions are also acceptable]

Vaughn, L. (2008). The power of critical thinking: Effective reasoning about ordinary and extraordinary claims. New York: Oxford University Press.

Yudkin, B. (2006). Critical reading: Making sense of research papers in life sciences and medicine. London: Routledge.

Assessment Tasks WeightingAssignments 0Class notes 15Poster 40Group presentations and debates 25In-class test 20


1. Find the information on a specific topic, understand the scientific terminology, explain and interpret the relevant information, and examine its validity.

2. Describe and explain the interplay between science and technology, government policies, economics, and society.

3. Critically examine different science and technology issues relevant to their daily life.

4. Compare information from different sources, discriminate between information with different reliability, and form an informed opinion about scientific controversies.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 10Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Poster (incl preparation of own

poster and grading other posters) 20Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 12Total: 156

Professor A. Djurisic Department of Physics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 7946 [email protected]


Science and technology are important parts of modern life, and understanding of scientific concepts is necessary to form an informed judgment on a range of topics from claims in product advertisements to policies on global issues. This process can be complex due to the abundance of easily available information. Thus, it is neces-sary to be able to distinguish between facts and fallacies and discriminate between different claims.

This course aims to help students to develop critical thinking skills and to apply them to a variety of science and technology issues. To achieve this aim, the course will first cover the general topics about scientific method and critical thinking, with numerous examples of both good and bad research practices, examples of mislead-ing advertising, and controversial policy issues. The principles of critical thinking and sound scientific research will then be applied to several specific topics, which will be selected among the following areas: nanotechnology, global warming, pes-ticide use, nuclear energy, biofuels, alternative medicine and health supplements industry, genetic engineering, cloning and stem cell research, health risks of modern lifestyles, and threats of global epidemics.

Science and Technology: Facts and Fallacies



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9035 Making Sense of Science-related Social Issues

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Assessment: 100% courseworkStudy Load

Aker, P. (2007, November 6). Schools’ Internet filters let in porn. The Columbus Dispatch. From http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2007/11/06/School_Porn.ART_ART_11-06-07_A1_L98CSNE.html

Department of Justice, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (2011). The Prosecutions Division. From http://www.doj.gov.hk/eng/about/pd.html [Obscene articles and child pornography]

Dillner, M. (2000, January). Internet safety and ethics for the classroom. Reading Online. From http://www.readingonline.org/editorial/edit_index.asp?HREF=/editorial/ethics.html

Donoghue, A. (2008, August 15). Growth in password theft from online games. SC Magazine UK. From http://www.scmagazineuk.com/growth-in-password-theft-from-online-games/article/115454/

Filby, M. (2007). Big crook in little China: The ramifications of the Hong Kong BitTorrent case on the criminal test of prejudicial effect. International Review of Law Computers and Technology, 21(3), 275-283.

Hong Kong Police Force, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (2011). Technology crime. From http://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/04_crime_matters/tcd/index.html

Information Services Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (2008, September 25). Secretary for Security talks about crime situation [Press release]. From http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200809/25/P200809250258.htm

Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs. (2008). Protection of personal data privacy [LC Paper No. CB(2)2454/07-08(01)]. From http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr07-08/english/panels/ha/papers/ha0704cb2-2454-1-e.pdf

Matte, C. (n.d.). Why you may need an Internet filter. From http://familyinternet.about.com/od/computingsafetyprivacy/a/needfilter.htm

Moy, P. (2008, July 17). Child porn hoarders may be locked up for 3 years. The Standard. From http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=68738&sid=19788009&con_type=1&d_str=20080717&isSearch=1&sear_year=2008

Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong. (2008, June 5). The Director of Immigration Department signed formal undertaking [Media statement]. From http://www.pcpd.org.hk/english/infocentre/press_20080605.html

Twist, J. (2005, February 25). Solutions to net security fears. BBC News. From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4273135.stm

Weinstein, S., & Wild, C. (2007, April). The Hong Kong BitTorrent Case: Why should big crook do down big time for a little infringement? Paper presented at the 22nd BILETA Annual Conference 2007, Hertfordshire. From http://www.bileta2007.co.uk/papers/images/stream_6/WeinsteinS_WildC.pdf

Wong, K. C. (2005). The discovery of computer crime in Hong Kong: A case study of the crime creation process. Journal of Information, Law and Technology, 2005(1). From http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/law/elj/jilt/2005_1/wong/

Yoskowitz, A. (2008, September 22). 14-year-old arrested for music uploads. Afterdawn. From http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/15458.cfm

Assessment Tasks WeightingQuizzes 40Case study and final project 35In-class presentation / Class discussion 25


1. Demonstrate understanding of what actions or application of technology in our everyday life might constitute a crime in the cyberspace.

2. Describe and explain the legal challenges of cyberspace crime in Hong Kong.

3. Formulate arguments in responding to cyberspace crime related ethical issues.

4. Demonstrate understanding of real-world issues relating to the balance between the use of cyberspace technologies, legal challenges and ethical responsibilities.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Assessment: Essay / Report writing 50Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 40Assessment: Quiz 20Total: 144



The Internet (aka cyberspace) has become a platform in many arenas, including social, cultural, and public policy. Consequently, great amounts of information and data transmitted by and stored in cyberspace are vulnerable to attack by hackers and abuse by Internet users. Moreover, some cyberspace users perform unethical or criminal acts with the belief that his or her identity cannot be reviewed in cyber-space, such as sharing of copyright-protected materials and spreading of rumors.

This course will adopt a holistic approach to introduce the fundamental concepts of cyberspace crime, not only from the technological point of view, but also from the legal and ethical points of view. Through the discussion of different case stud-ies, the course aims to help students to become a scientifically and technologically equipped and responsible individual and citizen. The topics of these case studies include: internet piracy, internet privacy and data leakage, freedom of speech in cyberspace, online pornography, and cyberspace theft. Famous cyberspace crime and non-crime cases in Hong Kong and the rest of the world will be included.


Cyberspace Crime: Technology and Ethics


49




50

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Saferstein, R. (2007). Criminalistics: An introduction to forensic science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.


Assessment Tasks WeightingCase studies and Problem-based Learning tutorial 20Individual collection of references into a personal

reference folder with a summary report and a group presentation 20

Assignments and laboratory reports 30Quizzes 30


1. Describe and explain how scientific and technological prin-ciples are being applied in modern forensic science.

2. Demonstrate good understanding of how modern forensic science is being applied to uphold justice in the society and solve crimes in everyday life.

3. Investigate and apply forensic principles and analysis on evidences/samples gathered by students.

4. Apply critical thinking and scientific knowledge systemati-cally on uncertain and unfamiliar situations, starting from identifying and defining problems, gathering evidences, analytical reasoning and group discussion, to finally gener-ating solutions to solve the problem of crime case studies.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Case study of a crime scene 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Laboratory practicals

(incl preparation, performance and report writing) 20Assessment: Quizzes 4Total: 150 Professor D.L. Phillips

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2160 [email protected]

Dr W.T. Chan Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2156 [email protected]

Dr B.L. Lim School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0826 [email protected]

Professor D.L. Phillips Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2160 [email protected]


Modern forensic science covers multiple scientific disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, computing, engineering etc. This course will lead stu-dents to explore the world of modern forensic science through a series of selected forensic science topics interplayed with interesting, famous or mysterious crime case studies and Problem-based Learning tutorials. Additionally, hands-on practi-cals will enable students to carry out the collection of, and examination and analysis on, several types of forensic materials, including hairs and fibers, fingerprints and soil samples, which can be found in everyday life. Through the hands-on work, stu-dents can appreciate the possible gap between theory and practice, which will help them develop in-depth understanding of the scientific topics taught in lectures or read from books as well as applying and verifying ideas and theories in practice. In additional to introducing students to the underlying scientific, legal and ethical con-cepts of crime investigation, knowledge gained in the course will be used by stu-dents to critically analyze assigned crime cases and generate logical solutions. All course contents including practicals are designed to be suitable for students having little or no science training.

Forensic Science: Unmasking Evidence, Mysteries and Crimes



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9010 The Science of Crime Investigation

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Emerging in our midst is intelligent architecture which in this course refers to in-telligent built environments: dynamic systems with the capacity to respond intelli-gently and immediately to various human and environmental stimuli for our benefit. What makes these built environments “intelligent” is their ability to react positively and spontaneously to forces of nature, to fluctuating climates, to human activity, to cultural nuances and to human expectations. Intelligent architecture harnesses not only evolving technology but also valuable insights and lessons from the forms and processes that occur in nature. This enables it to provide enhanced productiv-ity, safety, comfort and quality living to society. The central aim of this course is to explore the world of intelligent built environments and the mutual impact, relation-ships and evolution they have in the culture and daily lives of people. First-hand ex-ploration involving experiential learning and direct activation of the senses, will be a key component of the course. This complements discussions that would uncover and reveal, in broad and general terms, the underlying principles and technologies that allow buildings to perform smartly. Students will also be encouraged to un-leash their imagination to construct future scenarios that the concept of intelligent architecture may lead to.

Benyus, J. M. (1998). Biomimicry: Innovation inspired by nature. New York: Quill.

Fox, M., & Kemp, M. (2009). Interactive architecture (1st ed.). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Rudofsky, B. (1987). Architecture without architects: A short introduction to non-pedigreed architecture. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press.

Van der Ryn, S., & Cowan, S. (2007). Ecological design (10th anniversary ed.). Washington, DC: Island Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup report on presentation topic 15Group assignment activity and presentation 25Homework 25Quizzes 15Individual final report 20


1. Demonstrate their understanding of how nature has inspired and continues to inspire innovative intelligent re-sponsive systems in buildings.

2. Analyze and discuss how smart buildings/environments, technology and society mutually spur their collective de-velopment.

3. Demonstrate their understanding of ways in which intel-ligent buildings respond to and shape culturally diverse values as well as influence each of our daily lives.

4. Identify and describe key developments in building tech-nology that contribute to and inspire smart building sys-tems that react and appropriately respond to various hu-man actions and needs as well as environmental conditions or phenomena.

5. Explain how intelligent building systems contribute to sus-tainability.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Seminars 4Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 12Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 18Assessment: Homework assignments 18Total: 132

Mr R.J.C. Garcia Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2281 [email protected]

Mr K.P. Cheung Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7963 [email protected]

Dr B.S. Jia Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4260 [email protected]

Mr R.J.C. Garcia Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2281 [email protected]


“Intelligent” Architecture and Sustainability


51




52

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Selected news and journal articles.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project 35Oral presentation of group project 10Participation in tutorial discussions 15Quizzes 40


1. Describe and explain, in general and non-technical terms, the general principles that govern neural function and hemispheric specialization in the human brain.

2. Critically evaluate the nature of brain organization that underlies different human abilities (e.g., seeing, language, creativity).

3. Effectively communicate and collaborate with teammates in developing a term project that critically evaluates the link between cerebral laterality and domains of human ex-pression.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of the general principles by which the scientific method can be used to evaluate com-plex, ill-defined problems.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 24Group project 24Assessment: Essay / Report writing 24Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 12Total: 132

Dr J.H.W. HsiaoDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4874 [email protected]

Dr J.H.W. HsiaoDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4874 [email protected]

The human brain is made up of about 100 billion neurons, and contains trillions of connections between cells. Somehow, activity of these neurons results in “con-sciousness”, and gives us our memories, abilities, creativity, and dreams. In this course, we will focus on how the brain controls some of the processes that we think of as making us human, such as language, memory, musical ability, learning, emo-tion, and so forth, and, in particular, whether there are differences between the two cerebral hemispheres, known colloquially as the “left brain” and the “right brain”. For each topic we will look at the way these abilities are instantiated in the brains of all of us, and also at what differences there might be in, say, musical processing between a skilled violinist and a complete novice. In addition, we will also look at fascinating case studies of people who have suffered brain damage and then lost some aspects of their conscious experience. Our aim is to critically evaluate claims about differences in function between the left brain and the right brain, for example in terms of “right brain learning”.

Left Brain, Right Brain: Science and Myth




Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

United Nations Development Programme. (2004). Reducing disaster risk: A challenge for development. New York: United Nations Development Programme, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery.

Assessment Tasks WeightingHazard portfolio 35Short presentation 20Participation in tutorial discussions 5Examination 40


1. Describe and explain the origins, occurrence, and charac-teristics of various hazards.

2. Compare and contrast the impacts on human society of various hazards for different regions of the world.

3. Describe and evaluate the various measures that can be used to reduce the impact of environmental hazards.

4. Demonstrate an awareness of information sources regard-ing hazards.

5. Demonstrate critical understanding of the contrasting vul-nerability of different societies to specific hazards.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 47Assessment: Hazard portfolio 46Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Examination 1Total: 150


Dr M.R. Peart Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 7021 [email protected]

Dr M.R. Peart Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 7021 [email protected]


We are living in an increasingly hazardous world. Since the beginning of this centu-ry we have experienced unprecedented disasters: the Asian tsunami, Hurricane Kat-rina, the 2003 European heat wave, devastating earthquakes in Sichuan and Haiti and the volcanic eruption in Iceland in April 2010, to name just a few of the most notable. This course will examine the causes and characteristics of a broad range of environmental hazards and their destructive impact on human society. The impact of global environmental change on the nature and occurrence of recent and possi-ble future hazards will be discussed. In addition the role that technology has played in the occurrence of various hazards will be explored. Particular emphasis will be placed on who is most vulnerable to specific hazards. The responses available to different societies in dealing with these hazards, including adjustment, mitigation and the role of science and technology will be evaluated. Governance in the form of hazard planning and management will also form a focus.

Living in a Hazardous World


53




54

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Jarman, R., & McClune, B. (2007). Developing scientific literacy: Using news media in the classroom. Maidenhead, UK: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.

McComas, W. F. (1998). The principal elements of the nature of science: Dispelling the myths. In W. F. McComas (Ed.), The nature of science in science education: Rationales and strategies (pp. 53-70). Dordrecht; Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in classroom activities 20Oral report on a SSI 15Peer-evaluated poster presentation 25Essay 40


1. Identify and describe relevant features of science and tech-nology as reflected in history of science and contemporary science practice.

2. Explain the intricate relationship between facts and opin-ions, and evaluate arguments as presented in different sources of the media on the same issue.

3. Apply the understanding of the nature of science and technology and news media in critical analysis of SSI.

4. Communicate ideas related to science, technology and so-ciety in an organized manner with appropriate terminolo-gies.

5. Critically evaluate a SSI and make sensible judgments and decisions on the SSI based on evidence and ethical values, etc.

Activities Number of hoursLectures / Seminars / Workshops 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Group video production and presentation 10Assessment: Group poster production and presentation 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Total: 146

Dr A.S.L. Wong Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 1958 [email protected]

Dr M.M.W. Cheng Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2532 [email protected]

Dr A.S.L. Wong Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Faculty of Education📞 2859 1958 [email protected]

The course aims to enhance students’ understanding about science and technolo-gy, and to enable them to critically evaluate socio-scientific issues (SSI) as reported in the media. Such critical evaluation should enable them to make rational and re-sponsible decisions on these issues, and to be aware of the implication of such de-cisions.

The course will consist of three components: (1) Features about science and tech-nology aims to promote an understanding of the nature of science and technology. Cases on frontier scientific research such as the development of anti-cancer drugs and prenatal diagnosis, and their implications and controversies, will be discussed. (2) The making of science-related news in the media aims to develop an under-standing of the agendas behind the inclusion of certain science-related social issues in media reports. Operation of the media, criteria of “news worthiness” of science news, and editorial stances of different media, etc. will be considered. (3) Criti-cal evaluation of SSI and making of sensible decisions aims to develop transferable skills such as reasoning, analytical and evaluative skills through critical analysis of the impact of scientific and technological development on issues like equity, public health, and socio-cultural practices.


Making Sense of Science-related Social Issues


Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9028 Science and Technology: Facts and Fallacies


55



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Arunachalam, V. S., & Fleischer, E. L. (2000). Behind the themes and between the lines: Materials challenges for the next century. MRS Bulletin, 25(1), 3.

Arunachalam, V. S., & Fleischer, E. L. (2001). Materials challenges for the next century: A concluding note. MRS Bulletin, 26(12), 1020-1021.

Cottrell, A. (2000). A centennial report: Looking back on 100 years of materials of development. MRS Bulletin, 25(2), 125-132.


1. Identify, describe, and compare some essential materials used by human in the past and present, and to explain the basic scientific principles of how these materials function.

2. Describe and explain the relationship between the usage of materials and advancement in human civilization.

3. Identify problems related to the improper usage and dis-posal of materials, and describe the impact of these prob-lems to our society.

4. Analyze simple scientific problems related to materials, to design and conduct simple experiments to solve these problems, and to organize, present, and discuss their find-ings in public or other workshops.


Assessment Tasks WeightingMini group project 30Project presentation 15Participation in practical sessions 10Participation in discussion group 5Quiz 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Seminars 4Reading / Self-study 20Practical classes 12Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: In-class test 2Assessment: Group project 40Total: 140 Professor W.K. Chan

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 8943 [email protected]

Professor W.K. Chan Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 8943 [email protected]

The civilization and technology of humankind in the pre-historical period may be described by the type of materials used. The transition from one period to another reflects the evolution in human civilization and their skills in making and processing materials. Analyzing the chemical components in archaeological objects is indeed a very important tool to identify when these objects were made. The rapid advance-ment in modern technology is also a consequence of the development of many new types of materials. For example, the discovery of silicon in 19th century and the invention of the transistor in 20th century paved the road for the “information age”.

This course is designed to equip students with a general understanding that the development of materials by humankind in history has a close relationship with hu-man civilization. The organization of the course will be based on the development of materials by humankind in chronological order, and the underlying scientific prin-ciples. The principles related to the preparation, processing, and functions of differ-ent types of materials will be integrated into the topics presented.


Material World: Past, Present, and Future


56

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load




Selected sections from:

Davis, P. J., & Hersh, R. (1998). The mathematical experience. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

McLeish, J. (1994). The story of numbers: How mathematics has shaped civilization. New York: Ballantine Books.

Selected excerpts from other books.Selected articles from journals, magazines, newspapers and the Internet.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class worksheets 10Written assignments 30Tutorial discussion 20Essay 40


1. Appreciate and describe the beauty, the utility, and the “Way” of mathematics.

2. Comprehend and describe how mathematics was and is being developed as a work of human culture.

3. Investigate and describe the interplay among mathematics and other areas of human culture.

4. Investigate and explain the role of mathematics in the de-velopment of civilization.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Written assignments 20Total: 144

Dr N.K. Tsing Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2251 [email protected]

Dr N.K. Tsing Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2251 [email protected]

Mathematics is one of the major threads, together with language, science, and the arts, that have woven the beautiful fabric of human civilization. Through examples gathered from the long history of humankind, around our daily lives, and in diverse areas of human activities, this course aims to help students to comprehend how mathematics was, and is being, developed as a work of human endeavour with cultural, intellectual, and social contexts. We will also investigate the role of math-ematics in the development of other areas of our civilization. In particular we shall examine the interplay between mathematics and other cultural pursuits such as phi-losophy, the arts, and science and technology, and to study how they have affected each others’ development. Rather than transmitting a body of technical knowledge in mathematics, our emphasis is placed on appreciating, contemplating, and exam-ining the beauty, the utility, and the “Way” of mathematics, as well as the intricate relationship between mathematics and other human cultural pursuits.

The demand on technical preparation in mathematics is minimal, say up to the level of the general mathematics curriculum in secondary school, but the student is ex-pected to possess intellectual curiosity and willingness to participate in the reason-ing process.

Mathematics: A Cultural Heritage


Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9017 Hidden Order in Daily Life: A Mathematical Perspective

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Lambourne, R. J., Shallis, M., & Shortland, M. (1990). Close encounters? Science and science fiction. Bristol, UK: Adam Hilger.

Stocker, J. H. (Ed.). (1998). Chemistry and science fiction. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society.

At least one of the books from the list of examples of works provided. Science fiction books not on the list can be acceptable if approved by the course coordinator.

Assessment Tasks WeightingDebates in tutorials and short assignments 0Group presentation 45Short essays 30In-class test 25


1. Describe what is science fiction and classify different types of science fiction.

2. Illustrate the use and misuse of science as a plot device.

3. Describe and explain the influence of science on science fiction and vice versa.

4. Appraise and evaluate scientific and societal relevance of science fiction works.




Science fiction represents a blend of science, social science and arts. It frequently draws inspiration from science, as well as addressing the social issues relevant to-day by highlighting certain social aspects. Science fiction also serves to popularize science and affects public opinion about certain scientific and technological issues. Therefore, there is a complex relationship between science and science fiction, and understanding this relationship requires its analysis from multiple perspectives.

This course will cover the topics of the influence of science on science fiction, the influence of science fiction on science, and the influence of science fiction on public perception of science and scientists. These topics will be discussed in the context of examples of science fiction works dealing with space exploration and space trav-el, time travel, near future fiction, and science fiction dealing with social issues. The science concepts involved in these topics will be briefly explained at a layperson level, and the main emphasis will be placed on critical thinking and analyzing inter-disciplinary connections and relationships.


Science and Science Fiction


57




58

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

There is no official textbook for the course. Lecture notes will be distributed and all required readings will be provided.

Assessment Tasks WeightingAssignments and group projects (written reports) 40Tutorial participation and performance 20Examination 40


1. Demonstrate understanding of some commonly used probability and statistical concepts.

2. Evaluate and interpret critically statistics reporting from the press and various research reports.

3. Analyze problems and make logical decisions from a sta-tistical perspective.

4. Analyze the inter-relatedness among different territories, appraise the socio-economic well-being of a territory through statistics.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Assignments and group projects 30Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 30Total: 126

Dr K.C. CheungDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1987 [email protected]

Professor W.K. Li Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2473 [email protected]

Dr K.C. CheungDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Faculty of Science📞 2859 1987 [email protected]


The course seeks to expose students to a range of statistical concepts and per-spectives essential to the understanding of different scientific, social and economic issues. The course consists of two parts. The first part aims at enhancing students’ understanding of some fundamental statistical principles and concepts. This ena-bles them to comprehend and assess critically the statistical analyses presented in various sources, such as news media and research reports which they would fre-quently come across in their daily lives. The second part introduces students to a range of major official statistical series compiled by the Government and selected statistics compiled by non-government organizations, the academia, and private companies. Key concepts and methodologies underlying the compilation of these statistics will be covered. The focus of this part is on analyzing and interpreting the inter-relatedness among Hong Kong, Mainland China and other major territories in the world, and understanding various socio-economic issues through studying dif-ferent sets of statistics. Through a more in-depth understanding of the proper inter-pretation and application of statistics, students will be able to compare and formu-late solutions using appropriate statistics in discerning the complexities and cross-disciplinary nature of real life issues.


Statistics and Our Society



Non-Permissible Combination:CCST9002 Quantitative Literacy in Science, Technology and Society

Required Reading


Study Load


Teacher(s)

Pielke, R.A., Jr. (2010). The honest broker: Making sense of science in policy and politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rose, H., & Rose, S. (1977). Science and society. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin.

Assessment Tasks WeightingContinuous reflective diary 30Essay 40Poster presentation 20Abstract 10


1. Offer related theoretical explanations for different inter-national recommendations on food components and their consumption.

2. Integrate features of examples of established knowledge systems that have been overturned by evidence and ex-trapolate this to one or more relevant current “debates”.

3. Rationalize the use of evidence in claims to knowing within different complex debates.

4. Relate the evidence for harmfulness of drugs to their legal status: offer reasoned explanations for any inconsistencies.

5. Analyze the moral and ethical issues inherent in societal and personal application of and responses to the use of evidence for population based decision making.

6. Integrate the above and synthesize implications for know-ing how evidence is contextualized in our perceptions of the world.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 100Assessment: Reflective diary 36Total: 172

Dr J.M. Johnston Department of Community Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9108 [email protected]

Professor R. Fielding Department of Community Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9288 [email protected]

Dr J.M. Johnston Department of Community Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9108 [email protected]

The aim of this course is for students to understand the complex-ity involved in the application of scientific knowledge to the im-provement of the human condition, both from the individual and societal perspective. As such, the course will require the students to think critically about topical, ill-defined, societal issues with com-plex ramifications from a number of perspectives. Science is a tool with which we can test reality to determine that which is. Hence, the course will examine the science of evidence – what is it and how do we know it? Knowing what is “true” is not necessarily straightforward.

The course provides a vehicle within which students can explore the issues of how and where evidence for and against certain truths comes about. This is particularly important in a world that is increasingly being filled with “evidence” and countervailing “evi-dence” in support of such issues as global warming vs. global cool-ing; evolution vs. intelligent design; “healthy” and “unhealthy” food; drugs − bad chemicals, bad people or bad science? The course covers how evidence is used to support particular value-based ori-entations through a series of example cases.


The Science of Evidence: Is Medicine Scientific?

The course requires students to explore a series of in-depth case studies which underpin the basis of “evidence”, its influences and contexts, and how these influence meaning and knowing. Teach-ing is by core lecture-based material supplemented by snowballed small group learning to enable students to pursue in-depth, self-directed learning for several exemplary problems and to debate these openly within the class. It is crucial for this course that stu-dents are fully engaged in this process of debate and discussion as this exemplifies the mechanisms by which evidence is used in the real world. Small-group sessions will be managed using a “floating tutor” approach – Following the presentation of some core materi-al, students are then asked to synthesize and derive related short-term learning goals that they research and present at the next ses-sion’s small groups. These will be guided by provision of Problem-based Learning (PBL) materials. Following small groups, large group integrative discussions will wrap up each session.


59




60

Required Reading



Teacher(s)

Study Load



Krauskopf, K. B., & Beiser, A. (2006). The physical universe (11th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Spencer, E. W. (2003). Earth science: Understanding environmental systems (1st ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Tillery, B. W. (2007). Physical science (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

These three books are all written at a level suitable for first and second year students without quantitative background. Typically one or two chapter(s) from each book will be required for the preparation of the mid-term quiz. The “Recommended Reading” list (available from http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccst9042 ) contains books relevant for a term paper.

Assessment Tasks WeightingMid-term quizzes 60Term paper 30Presentation 10


1. Recognize the importance and widespread occurrence of wave motion, the primary process in the transmission of energy and information in Nature. Comprehend the work-ing principles of several selected inventions and phenom-ena, e.g. radar, mirage, and telescope, as examples of how wave motion has brought changes to the society.

2. Describe the historical development of optical fiber and wireless communications, and identify and analyze the ca-pability and the limitations of these two modern inventions of technology.

3. Realize that waves of gigantic scales occurring in Nature (e.g. tsunamis and earthquakes) cannot be seen nor heard, and since measurements of these motions are difficult, international collaboration must be sought to mitigate po-tential damages.

4. Demonstrate (a) understanding of how a body of scientific knowledge is created; (b) ability to apply established sci-entific principles to everyday devices and phenomena, and (c) capability to evaluate claims and conjectures in news-paper and media.

5. Identify the distinctions, restrictions and interconnected-ness between elegant, rigorous scientific principles and the demand for cost, efficiency and performance of products in technology.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Laboratory demonstrations 1Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 5Assessment: Quizzes (incl preparation) 30Total: 138

Professor K.W. ChowDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2641 [email protected]

Dr K.K.Y. Wong Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8483 [email protected]

Dr Y.C. Wu Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 7090 [email protected]

Professor K.W. Chow Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2641 [email protected]

The primary objective of this course is to elucidate the dynamics and physics of wave propagation in applied sciences and Nature. Understanding these principles and applying them wisely have dramatically improved the living conditions, safety and comfort of humankind. Wave motion acts as an agent for conveying infor-mation and energy. Elementary concepts of optics and acoustics will first be in-troduced, highlighting light and sound as examples of wave motion. The working principles of many novel devices and instruments – e.g. telescopes in astronomy, Doppler radar in detecting speeding vehicle and ultrasound imaging machines in the health care sector – will be explained. A major thrust will be placed on two modern devices, namely, optical fiber and mobile phones. The relation between mo-bile phones and radio wave transmission will be identified. Optical fiber networks are marvelous systems with tremendous capacity for carrying information elec-tronically. Historical account, technical designs as well as social significance will be described. Finally, large scale wave motions in Nature, especially phenomena asso-ciated with earthquakes and tsunamis, will be presented.


The World of Waves


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingProblem-based Learning sessions 50Poster presentation 25Essay 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 1Reading / Self-study 30Film viewing 4Panel discussion 2Problem-based Learning sessions 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Total: 140


1. Describe and explain the concept of time and how it has been measured and perceived in different stages of the story of human civilization.

2. Elaborate critically on an ordinary, everyday phenomenon such as time, and on its role in the development of knowl-edge and its consequences for modern society.

3. Use the familiar concept of time to derive connection and commonalities between different aspects and disciplines of science and the humanities.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of the universal beauty of natural science and obtain a better understanding of the nature of time as perceived in different cultures.

5. Realize the importance of good management of time.

Dr Y.L. Li Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2859 8021 [email protected]

Dr W.M.Y. Cheung Faculty of Science📞 2857 8589 [email protected]

Dr T.D. Wotherspoon Faculty of Science📞 2241 5420 [email protected]

Dr Y.L. Li Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2859 8021 [email protected]

Holland, C. H. (1999). The idea of time. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

This course will introduce students to a well-known but poorly understood phenom-enon, time. We all have a personal concept of time since it drives our lives minute by minute, day after day. It changes us over our lifetime yet it is one of the greatest mysteries to humankind. In this course, we will discuss the concept of time and how it profoundly affects our everyday lives from different yet connected angles: cos-mological, astronomical, biological, geological, socio-cultural and philosophical. We will explore the fundamental nature of time, how we measure it, and its important role in the human society. We will also scrutinize footprints of time on different time scales, manifested as different events in the past history of our Earth, our solar sys-tem, and even our Universe.


Time’s Arrow


61



Required Reading

Course Learning OutcomesCourse Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load


Allison, W. (2009). Radiation and reason: The impact of science on a culture of fear. York, UK: York Publishing Services.

Curie, E. (1937/2001). Madame Curie: A biography (V. Sheean, Trans.). Boston, MA: Da Capo Press.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (2004). Radiation, people and the environment. From http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/RadPeopleEnv/pdf/radiation_low.pdf

Assessment Tasks WeightingLecture minute assessments 10Essay 30Performance in tutorials 30Poster 30


1. Identify and distinguish fundamental similarities and dif-ferences in physical properties and attributes between the various forms of ionizing (e.g. x-rays) and non-ionizing (e.g. visible light, microwave) radiation.

2. Explain and demonstrate how various forms of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation may be used for diverse practi-cal applications, and have very differing effects on human health.

3. Critically evaluate and discuss the practical and moral-ethical issues relating to the benefits of radiation exposure (e.g. using x-rays to diagnose disease) versus possible health risks associated with its use (e.g. cancer).

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 2Reading / Self-study 50Preparation for tutorial activities 20Assessment: Poster presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Total: 158

Dr T.K. Goto Oral Diagnosis and Polyclinics, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0559 [email protected]

Dr R.M. Watt Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0482 [email protected]

Dr W.K. Tsang Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0484 [email protected]

Dr T.K. Goto Oral Diagnosis and Polyclinics, Faculty of Dentistry📞 2859 0559 [email protected]

The word “radiation” generally conjures-up extremely negative and fearful images such as mutation, contamination and nuclear war. However, radiation does not just refer to nuclear radiation, and it comes in many different forms: such as visible light, heat, and radio signals. It pervades our natural environment, and we are bathed in various types of radiation from birth to death.

Course structure and topics are:

1. Socio-scientific introduction to radiation and historical overview.

2. Radiation and human health: the evaluation of beneficial effects versus relative risks to health as well as societal responsibilities and the global impacts, official policies, governance and monitoring mechanisms of radiation.

3. Radiation in everyday life: a myriad of different applications and technologies such as: medical imaging; autopsy imaging; non-destructive analysis of cultural or historical items; airport security systems; microwave ovens; lasers; mobile phones; wifi routers etc. are discussed. We aim to “expose” students to a variety of different forms of radiation!

This course will help students identify and appreciate commonalities and inter-rela-tionships between human health; personal and social behavior; the natural environ-ment; modern technologies; and underlying scientific issues related to radiation. It will be an intellectually-stimulating and worthwhile journey.

Radiation: A Blessing and a Curse?


4. Discuss the ethical and socio-scientific implica-tions of using nuclear technologies (e.g. nuclear power), with particular emphasis on its global environmental impact and its direct and indirect effects on human well-being.

5. Explain why radiation and radiation-related issues raise concern and controversy among the general public; and synthesize approaches that could be used to enable society members to gain an in-formed understanding of the nature of radiation, and its benefits/risks to humankind.


62



Required Reading


Barham, P. (2001). The science of cooking. Berlin: Springer. [Chaps. 1 – 5]McGee, H. (2004). On food and cooking: The science and lore of the

kitchen. New York: Scribner. [Chaps. 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14]




1. Identify the science, social and historical contexts that influence the development of culinary field, including the evolution of cooking methods, technologies and choice of ingredients.

2. Describe and explain the science principles behind the preparation, production, consumption, storage and safety measures of food and cooking.

3. Analyze and evaluate case scenarios such as cooking myths and health claims of functional food using evidence-based scientific methods.

4. Critically evaluate the cause and impact of food produc-tions, food safety scandals and other food related issues from scientific, social and economic perspectives.

Assessment Tasks WeightingPoster and oral presentation 40Tutorial discussion and debate 30Laboratory report 10In-class quizzes 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 8Laboratory experience 9Reading / Self-study 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 10Assessment: Poster and presentation (incl preparation) 40Assessment: In-class quizzes 10Total: 135

Teacher(s)

Professor G. Chen Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2150 [email protected]

Dr M.Y. Yuen Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 7915 [email protected]


Professor G. Chen Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science📞 2859 2150 [email protected]

There is an old saying, “You are what you eat”, which means the food one eats has a bearing on one’s state of mind and health. Since the discovery of fire, culinary prac-tices have been instrumental in the progress of human evolution. Culinary practices may be regarded as one of the oldest and most widespread applications of chem-istry and physical sciences in everyday life. Traditionally, understanding and knowl-edge on cooking are based on collective experiences of diverse individuals passed down from generations to generations. In this course, we will guide the students to explore everyday life cooking and food preparation activities from scientific per-spectives. We will examine critically the “folk knowledge” of cooking from the view-points of chemical, biological, physical and social studies. The aim of this course is to promote science literacy through exploring concepts and theories that are behind everyday cooking and cuisines. Using knowledge of cooking as a starting point, students will explore the intimate relationship between sciences, personal life and society through daily life examples and laboratory demonstrations. All course contents including practical sections are designed to be suitable for students hav-ing little or no science training.


The Science and Lore of Culinary Culture


63http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccst9045

Required Reading

Scientific & Technological Literacy Lecture Time // First semester (Wed)

64 http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccst9046

Englert, H. (2004). Sussing out stress. Scientific American Mind, 14(1), 56-61.

Roth, G. (2004). The quest to find consciousness. Scientific American Mind, 14(1), 32-39.

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers – The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping (3rd ed.). New York: Holt Publishing. [Selected materials from chapters 1, 2, 6, 8]




1. Describe multiple connections between the body’s physio-logical systems (immune, endocrine, and nervous systems).

2. Discuss how multiple systems in the body participate in the response to stress.

3. Analyze how stress, relaxation, the power of positive/nega-tive suggestion and previous experience come into play as a part of mind-body interaction during their daily lives.

4. Appraise mind-body therapies alongside those of con-ventional medicine (What are the benefits? What are the potential pitfalls?).

Assessment Tasks WeightingOral presentation and critique 40Poster 30In-class tests 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Poster presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Peer to peer critique of oral presentations 1Total: 127

Teacher(s)

Dr H.S. El-Nezami School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0835 [email protected]

Dr G.W. Porter Faculty of Science📞 2241 5195 [email protected]

Professor L.C. Chan Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4872 [email protected]

Dr J.Y. Chen Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2855 0753 [email protected]

Dr H.S. El-Nezami School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0835 [email protected]

Do you ever wonder what is happening to your body during times of stress? Can emotional states influence the body’s physiological processes? What scientific evi-dence underpins the claims of mind-body effects? We undoubtedly all experience stressful times, are all recipients of healthcare, and possess lifestyles and attitudes that may impact our health. In this course, students will delve into cutting edge issues in the science of the mind-body-health relationship and analyze how com-munication occurs both within and across the body’s systems. Such multi-system analysis will provide biological explanations for mind-body effects seen in human health and medical treatments. Furthermore, philosophical issues of mind-body du-ality, emotions as “drugs”, and the power of positive and negative suggestion will be critically examined. The issues dealt with in this course will shed scientific light on the interconnections between thought, behavior, and health that will recur time after time in the students’ daily lives. The course does not require any prior in-depth biological knowledge.


The Science of the Mind-body-health Relationship

65http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccst9047

Scientific & Technological Literacy Lecture Time // First semester (Wed)

Required Reading

Notes provided by the lecturer. Selected articles from newspapers, books, academic journal and conference papers, magazines and websites for each lecture.




1. Describe and explain why and how Big Data impacts dif-ferent aspects of the society.

2. Analyze and understand the effect of Big Data on social and moral values.

3. Apply the understanding of security issues of Big Data to the protection of personal data, or new kinds of data ap-pearing in the future.

4. Describe and explain the conditions under which a given piece of data can be trusted.

5. Apply the knowledge about the trust on Big Data to im-prove the quality of confidence in a given piece of data.

6. Describe and understand the basic principles of organizing and searching Big Data.

7. Apply data organizing and searching methodologies to or-ganize a potentially large amount of personal information.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass discussion 5Problem-based Learning sessions 15Debates 10Essay / Report writing 10Group projects 20Quizzes 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Group projects and case studies 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Total: 121 Teacher(s)

Dr R.C.K. Cheng Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering📞 2219 4778 [email protected]

Dr R.C.K. Cheng Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering📞 2219 4778 [email protected]

We are entering the “Age of Big Data” – an extremely large amount of information is created every day, which is revolutionizing science and technology, governments, economy, and international development. A variety of sources contribute to the Big Data, including the Internet, Wikipedia, social networks (e.g., Facebook), mi-cro blogs, mobile phones, and cameras. This era of “information burst” has brought convenience to our daily lives. However, the availability of such a vast amount of information has also created a lot of problems. For example, reported incidents of leakage of private data, due to the use of the Foxy software, and the loss of USB drives that contain thousands of patients’ records, have raised serious legal and so-cial concerns.

The goal of this course is to engage students in examining the critical issues that they could encounter in the Age of Big Data. They will examine how Big Data is af-fecting our society and daily lives. They will study the security and credibility issues of Big Data. They will also address the issues of organizing and exploring Big Data. Solutions proposed in legal, technological, and education domains will be explored and discussed.


The Age of Big Data

66 http://commoncore.hku.hk/cchu9001

Humanities

Teacher(s)



Study Load

Required Reading

Mr M.R. PryorDivision of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 7961 [email protected]

Mr M.R. PryorDivision of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 7961 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of the concept of sustain-able living environments, and discuss ideas about the interdependent relationship between humans and their environment, and the values and responsibilities placed on humans as custodians of the environment.

2. Identify prevailing ideas and philosophies in sustainable development and evaluate the extent to which these influ-ence, and are influenced by the built environment.

3. Explore, interpret, and critically analyze expressions of the future environment, through time and its attendant physical and socio-cultural contexts, challenge traditional processes and thinking, and appreciate how visions of the future can inspire innovation in thinking and design.

Assessment Tasks WeightingCritical writing 30Participation in tutorial discussions 20Assignments and presentation 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 16Tutorials 12Workshop / Seminars 16Reading / Self-study 44Assessment: Written assignments 48Total: 136

Course Code // CCHU9001

The set readings which the students are required to read and make a written response to, will be announced in the previous week’s lecture. The readings are on current issues and will be in a variety of media, but typically will be between 1500 and 3000 words each.

Designs on the Future: Sustainability of the Built Environment

The course examines a broad range of sustainability issues such as population and urbanization; transportation and logistics; resources-water; resources-energy and food; (natural) disasters; community and governance; technology and mobility. These are explored through the perspective of contemporary and historical exam-ples of how people, in their visions of the future, have sought to perfect built en-vironments as the setting for model communities. The ideas raised in the lectures are discussed in weekly tutorial sessions and are brought together at the end of the course with an intensive workshop, in which students look to define their own sus-tainable project. This course is intended to inspire thinking about the way we should construct our living environments in future, in order to find a sustainable balance.


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Study Load


Humanities

http://commoncore.hku.hk/cchu9003

Bloch, M. L. B. (1953). The historian’s craft. New York: Knopf.Gaddis, J. L. (2002). The landscape of history: How historians map the

past. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. [Chap. 6, pp. 100-109]

Hayden, D. (1995). The power of place: Urban landscapes as public history. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Jenkins, K. (1991). Re-thinking history. London; New York: Routledge. [Extracts]

Kikumura, A. (1998). Family life histories: A collaborative venture. In R. Perks & A. Thomson (Eds.), The oral history reader. London; New York: Routledge.

Lowenthal, D. (1997). The past is a foreign country. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Extracts]

Moore, K. (1997). Museums and popular culture. London; Washington: Cassell. [Chap. 2, pp. 13-22, 28-31]

Rosenstone, R. A. (1995). Visions of the past: The challenge of film to our idea of history. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Chap. 8, pp. 169-197, 254-255]

Tetlock, P. E., Lebow, R. N., & Parker, G. (2006). Unmaking the West: “What-if” scenarios that rewrite world history. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Wallis, B. (1994). Selling nations: International exhibitions and cultural diplomacy. In D. J. Sherman & I. Rogoff (Eds.), Museum culture: Histories, discourses, spectacles. London: Routledge.

Assessment Tasks WeightingProject 40Fieldwork report 30Meeting participation 30


1. Engage critically with representations of the past.

2. Analyze and use evidence to construct historical accounts.

3. Critically interpret interconnections between past and pre-sent.

4. Reflect upon and critically consider the value of historical awareness.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 4Reading / Self-study 34Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Total: 120

Dr D.M. PomfretSchool of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2865 [email protected]

Dr D.M. PomfretSchool of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2865 [email protected]


The past is no longer present, but its influence can be felt everywhere. We connect with the past in many ways in our everyday lives. But what relevance or value does the past have in a globalizing world? Why should we care about the past? Could it help us to build a better future? Is there such a thing as a “true” historical account? What is the relationship between commercial, political and professional discourses of the past? And how do these relate to our own memories of the past? This course engages with these questions from multiple perspectives. It brings students face to face with the myriad ways in which the past is present in our lives today, and the importance of thinking historically. The course introduces students to the richness and value inherent in reading, writing and reflecting on the past; or in other words, making history.

Making History: Engaging with the Powerful Past


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Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)Humanities

Study Load


Antoine, R., & Katrina Narrative Project. (2008). Voices rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative Project. New Orleans: UNO Press. [Excerpts]

Atwater, B. F. (2005). The orphan tsunami of 1700: Japanese clues to a parent earthquake in North America. Seattle: University of Washington Press. [Excerpts]

Cardona, O. D. (2004). The need for rethinking concepts of vulnerability and risk from a holistic perspective. In G. Bankoff, G. Frerks & T. Hilhorst (Eds.), Mapping vulnerability: Disasters, development, and people (pp. 37-51). London: Earthscan.

Hoffman, S. M., & Oliver-Smith, A. (2002). Theorizing disasters: Nature, power, and culture. In S. M. Hoffman & A. Oliver-Smith (Eds.), Catastrophe and culture: The anthropology of disaster (pp. 23-47). Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research Press.

Kanamori, H., & Heaton, T. H. (1996). The wake of a legendary earthquake. Nature, 379, 203-204.

Levitt, J. I., & Whitaker, M. C. (2009). Hurricane Katrina: America’s unnatural disaster. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. [Selected chapters]

Ludwin, R. S., Dennis, R., Carver, D., McMilan, A. D., Losey, R., Clayue, J., et al. (2005). Dating the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake: Great coastal earthquakes in native stories. Seismological Research Letters, 76(2), 140-148.

Oliver-Smith, A. (1999). What is a disaster? Anthropological perspectives on a persistent question. In A. Oliver-Smith & S. M. Hoffman (Eds.), The angry earth: Disaster in anthropological perspective (pp. 18-34). New York: Routledge.

Oliver-Smith, A. (2002). Why anthropologists should study disasters. In S. M. Hoffman & A. Oliver-Smith (Eds.), Catastrophe and culture: The anthropology of disaster (pp. 3-22). Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research Press.

Padgett, T. (2010, March 1). Chile and Haiti: A tale of two earthquakes. Time, 1-3. Satake, K., et al. (1996). Time and size of a giant earthquake in Cascadia inferred

from Japanese tsunami records of January 1700. Nature, 379(6562), 246-249.

Schencking, J.C. (2007). The Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 and the Japanese nation. Education about Asia, 12(2), 20-25.

Schencking, J.C. (2013). The Great Kantō Earthquake and the chimera of national reconstruction in Japan. New York and Hong Kong: Columbia University Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass tests and written assignments 70Tutorial / Seminar project 30


1. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how natural disasters have been understood, interpreted, explained, and expressed across cultures and over time since 1700 to the present.

2. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how governing elites and non-governmental actors have attempted to use catastrophes and the reconstruction processes that follow to redevelop landscapes and reorder societies.

3. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how historical knowledge and understanding of past natu-ral disasters can help us better understand and develop solutions to problems posed by future catastrophes in our region of the world.

4. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how the study of natural disasters can illuminate the inter-connections between science, technology, religion, politics, economics, society, and the humanities.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Seminars / Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 48Group work (debates, disaster management plan,

disaster relief poster) 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 24Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Total: 150

Professor J.C. Schencking School of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2875 [email protected]

This course explores how natural disasters have influenced cultures and societies across time and geography. It will encourage students to reflect upon the intercon-nections between nature, society, and the built environment in new and exciting ways. Using disasters as revealers, the course will assist participants to think criti-cally and creatively about: what makes a natural phenomenon such as an earth-quake, a tsunami, a volcanic eruption, or a cyclone a natural disaster; how have pre-modern, early modern, and modern societies interpreted disasters and what does this tell us about our evolving relationships with religion, science and technology; and how and why have people portrayed disasters through art, literature, and the media. Students will also examine how governments have responded to disasters and used reconstruction processes to redevelop landscapes, remake societies, and reorder politics. Disasters will thus be examined not only as events that cause suf-fering and devastation, but as occurrences that inspire opportunism and unleash contestation. Disasters studied will include the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake and Tsu-nami, the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, hurricanes in the Atlantic world including Hurricane Katrina 2005, Cyclone Nargis of 2008, and the Sichuan Earth-quake of 2008.

Catastrophes, Cultures, and the Angry Earth

Professor J.C. Schencking School of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2875 [email protected]



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Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Humanities


Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingShort writing assignments 60Special project 30Tutorial participation 10


1. Compare and contrast the various absolutist, relativist and contextualist positions about morality and values.

2. Identify the critical factors to consider in moral evaluation and apply such knowledge in analyzing selected ethical problems related to food.

3. Critically examine the nature of subjectivity in aesthetic and taste preferences and the possibility of objective eval-uative standards, and demonstrate an awareness of their connections to moral reasoning.

4. Use relevant research information related to the course to collaborate with others in presenting ideas creatively, clearly and systematically.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Writing assignments 50Assessment: Special project 30Total: 152

Dr J.Y.F. Lau School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr J.Y.F. Lau School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – First semester (Wed)

Food and Values

Food is a fundamental aspect of human existence. This course examines philo-sophical issues about food and its relation to ethics, objectivity and values. Topics include moral issues such as the debate about animal rights, world hunger, the use of genetic engineering in agriculture and animal husbandry, and the justification of healthcare policies about food and drugs. We shall also look at issues about objec-tive standards in food, such as the relationship between food and art, and how we evaluate taste and food preferences. The main objective of the course is to help students adopt new perspectives in thinking critically about what they might nor-mally take for granted in their daily lives.


The case for legalisation: Time for a puff of sanity. (2001, July 26) The Economist, 360(8232), 11-12. From http://www.economist.com/node/709603

Fieser, J. (Ed.). (2008). Webpage of excerpts from articles on drugs from various sources. From http://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/160/3-drugs.htm (Last update in January 2012)

Gracyk, T. (2011). Hume’s aesthetics. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2011 ed.). Stanford: The Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. From http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2011/entries/hume-aesthetics/ [Section 4]

Kaplan, D. M. (Ed.). (2012). The philosophy of food. Berkeley: University of California Press. [Introduction] From http://www.food.unt.edu/philfood

Lau, J.Y.F. (2011). An introduction to critical thinking and creativity. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. [Chap. 18 (Sections 1, 2)]

Singer, P. (1997). The drowning child and the expanding circle. New Internationalist, 289. From http://www.newint.org/issue289/drowning.htm

Singer, P. (1989). All animals are equal. In T. Regan & P. Singer (Eds.), Animal rights and human obligations (2nd ed., pp. 148-162). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Smith, B. (2007). The objectivity of tastes and tasting. In B. Smith (Ed.), Questons of taste: The philosophy of wine. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. Also available from http://philpapers.org/rec/SMITOO-2

Telfer, E. (1996). Food as art. Food for thought: Philosophy and food (pp. 41-60). London: Routledge. [e-book version available through HKU library website]

Whitman, D. B. (2000). Genetically modified foods: Harmful or helpful? Discovery Guides database. From http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

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Course Learning Outcomes

Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingBook review and analysis 25Film review and analysis 25Quizzes 15Tutorial participation 10Group fieldwork project and presentation 25


1. Explain and apply key theories and concepts relating to how we define girlhood from both historical and contemporary perspectives.

2. Demonstrate understanding of how a myriad of modern disciplines – such as anthropology, psychology, economics, sociology, medicine and politics – shape our perception and definition of girlhood.

3. Apply a holistic comprehension of girlhood on a multiplicity of dimensions (e.g., social, economical, political) that em-brace the human condition both locally and globally.

4. Analyze the immediate and long-term social issues that emerge when societies limit how girl power is both explicitly and implicitly defined.

5. Analyze the role that culture plays in normatizing girlhood, taking examples from both developed and developing socie-ties.

6. Critique how girl power is both assisted and hindered by patriarchal-oriented social norms, and critically understand the complex relationship between girl power and masculinity.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 15Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Group project and presentation 30Total: 141

Professor N. Rao Division of Learning, Development and Diversity, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2521 [email protected]

Girl Power has emerged as the subject of much popular, policy and scholarly interest in the new millennium. This interest has been sparked by multiple, competing debates about girl-hood for it is girls and young women whose lives have long been shaped by male-dominant societies and patriarchal structures and yet who have, with the rapid changes resulting from a globalizing political economy, experienced a surge of new opportunities and challenges. These range from choices in the domains of personal health, sexuality, education and occupa-tional choice to changes in their roles in their interactions with family, peers, and colleagues. Boys and men have also had a significant role in “Girl Power”. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhcqoxNhrSY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrRtJY28ps8, read http://www.threecupsoftea.com/ and http://www.guyland.net/, http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/world/series/the_female_factor/index.html and see https://www.facebook.com/IHTFemaleFactor to gain an understanding of some of the issues which will be covered. The debates about girlhood and their implications for their male counterparts have largely been in the context of the social transformations and experiences of girls and young women in devel-oped countries. But the majority of the world’s female adolescent (10 to 24 years) population lives in the developed world. While gender discrimination occurs across the life cycle in most developing countries there are particular threats to adolescent development in these con-texts. The relevance of girls’ empowerment – the emerging opportunities, the traditional de-mands, and the choices created and taken – clearly extends beyond the borders of developed countries. Indeed girls’ and women’s issues are core to Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the main development targets to improve the human condition. Against this background this course considers (i) notions about girlhood from its early biological emphasis to contempo-rary frameworks that are informed by anthropology, psychology, economics, sociology, and politics; and (ii) the cultural meaning and consequences of girl power in both developed and developing societies, paying particular attention to the ways in which the male dominant world has both assisted and hindered girls’ development.

Girl Power in a Man’s World

Professor N. RaoDivision of Learning, Development and Diversity, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2521 [email protected]

Professor K.A. Laidler Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2059 [email protected]

Dr S.J. AistonDivision of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5426 [email protected]



Arnett, J. J. (2007). Emerging adulthood: What is it, and what is it good for? Child Development Perspectives, 1(2), 68-73.

Gonick, M. (2006). Between “girl power” and “reviving Ophelia”: Constituting the neoliberal girl subject. NWSA Journal, 18(2), 1-23.

Hargreaves, J., & Boler, T. (2006). Girl power. The impact of girls’ education on HIV and sexual behaviour. ActionAid International, Education and HIV Series 01. http://www.ungei.org/resources/1612_1065.html

Jackson, C., & Tinkler, P. (2007). “Ladettes” and “modern girls”: “Troublesome” young femininities. Sociological Review, 55(2), 251-272.

King, E.M., Klasen, S., & Porter, M. (2007, November). The challenge of women and development. Copenhagen Consensus 2008 Challenge Paper. Copenhagen Consensus Center. From http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/projects/copenhagen-consensus-2008/research/women-and-development

LeVine, R.A., LeVine, S. E., & Schnell, B. (2001). “Improve the women”: Mass schooling, female literacy and worldwide social change. Harvard Educational Review, 71(1), 1-50.

Plan International. (2012). Because I am a girl. The state of the world’s girls 2012 (Executive summary). From http://www.ungei.org/files/Learning_for_Life_bcimagirl_2012_EN_S.pdf

UN Women. (2008, December). Women 2000 and beyond: The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality. From http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/w2000/W2000%20Men%20and%20Boys%20E%20web.pdf

UNICEF. (2006). Women and children: The double dividend of gender equality. The state of the world’s children 2007. From http://www.unicef.org/sowc07/docs/sowc07.pdf

The Women’s Foundation, Hong Kong. (2008). Closing the gender gap in Hong Kong: Conversations with the community (Executive summary). From http://www.thewomensfoundationhk.org/upload/TWF_Conversations_Exec_Summary_Eng___Web.pdf

7. Demonstrate a broad perspective of the issues de-fining girlhood and how these insights impact the daily lives of students – both male and female.

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Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities


What is sexual and gender diversity? How does the experience of our own genderedness and sexuality define members of sexual and gender minorities as people, and shape our opinions about those people who do not share our experiences or who do not express their sexual-ity in the same ways as we do? In this course, which we believe has the potential to be life-changing, we will look at these sorts of questions. And we will do so while learning about (and in many cases meeting and talking with) people whose gender or sexuality places them on the fringes of mainstream society (in some cases beyond it). People who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or asexual. Transgender people and individuals who cross dress, or play with bondage, domination, and sado-masochism, use pornography, and/or are involved in commercial sex activities. And other people whose own experiences, known by strange-sounding names such as acrotomophilia and apotemnophilia, have their own story to tell. In lectures and tutorials we will examine other questions, such as: To what extent are sexual and gender diversity biologi-cally “hard-wired” rather than learned? What is “normal” in human sexuality and gender? How, when thinking about sexual and gender diversity, do we distinguish normal from abnormal, different from deviant, and healthy from sick anyway? When responding (as individuals and as a society) to those whose sexuality and gender are different to our own, how do we bal-ance individual rights (e.g. to sexual and gender expression) and responsibility to others (e.g. “to protect family values”)? What roles do society and culture play in forming our ideas about sexual and gender diversity? What roles do language, the arts and religion, the family, educa-tion, and the media play, not only in forming those ideas, but also in transmitting them? What effect has science and medicine had on the lives of individuals from sexual and gender mi-norities? How, in an increasingly interconnected world, are our ideas about sexual and gender diversity changing? We expect students will come out of the course with an informed, open-minded and critical understanding of the issues covered, and better able to join contemporary debates on sexual and gender diversity: debates that so often stir deep emotions and chal-lenge fundamental beliefs.

Assessment Tasks WeightingReflective journal 50Web presentation 50


1. Critically evaluate concepts central to the study of sexual and gender diversity and appraise the role that society and culture play (a) in the construction of these concepts and the links and distinctions that are drawn between them, and (b) in framing actual development of individuals from sexual and gender minorities.

2. Demonstrate understanding of historical changes (and cul-tural differences) in the ways in which sexual and gender diversity has been (and is) viewed.

3. Critically appraise the ways that ideas about sexual and gender diversity are created and transmitted (and adher-ence to norms is regulated) within any culture or society, and reflect upon how these ideas (including norms) frame our responses (individual and collective) to sexual and gender diversity and to the behaviour of persons belong-ing to sexual and gender minority groups.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Reflective journal 27Assessment: Web presentation 27Total: 138

Dr S.J. Winter Division of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2859 1901 [email protected]

Professor S.J. Andrews Faculty of Education

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – First semester (Sat)


Sexuality and Gender:Diversity and Society

Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J. S., & Fichner-Rathus, L. (2008). Human sexuality in a world of diversity (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/A&B.

The Yogyakarta Principles – Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (2007, March). From http://www.refworld.org/docid/48244e602.html

Non-Permissible Combination:CCHU9015 Sex and Intimacy in Modern Times /CCHU9039 Sexuality and Culture

4. Analyze critically the impact of increasing global interconnectedness in framing ideas about sexual and gender diversity, norms for sexual and gendered behaviour, and individual and collective responses to individuals from sexual and gender minorities.

5. Reflect on ways in which, globally, and in regard to sexual and gender diversity, humanity can reconcile a heightened awareness of cultural differences with a respect for individual differences and preferences, uphold human rights, justice and equality, and im-prove the well-being of humankind.

6. Reflect and debate on issues of human sexual and gender diversity in an informed and rational way, incorporating an awareness of others’ experiences and perspectives and a commitment to fundamental democratic values such as freedom of speech (in-cluding expression of ideas), human rights, justice and equality.

Humanities

72 http://commoncore.hku.hk/cchu9009


Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load

Buchanan, A. (2011). Better than human: The promise and perils of enhancing ourselves (pp. 133-171). New York: Oxford University Press. [Chap. 6]

Dworkin, R. (1993). Life’s dominion: An argument about abortion, euthanasia and individual freedom (pp. 179-217). New York: Knopf.

Ertman, M. M., & Williams, J. C. (Eds.). (2005). Rethinking commodification: Cases and readings in law and culture (pp. 243-270). New York: New York University Press. [Part II, C1]

Glover, J. (1986). It makes no difference whether or not I do it. In P. Singer (Ed.), Applied ethics (pp. 125-144). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kamisar, Y. (1978). Euthanasia legalisation: Some nonreligious objections. In T. L. Beauchamp & S. Perlin (Eds.), Ethical issues in death and dying (pp. 220-231). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Nussbaum, M. C. (1998). “Whether from reason or prejudice”: Taking money for bodily services. Journal of Legal Studies, 27, 693-724.

Primoratz, I. (1993). What’s wrong with prostitution? Philosophy, 68(264), 159-182.

Regan, T. (2006). The case for animal rights. In J. E. White (Ed.), Contemporary moral problems (8th ed., pp. 379-395). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Sandel, M. J. (2007). The case against perfection: Ethics in the age of genetic engineering. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Chap. 1]

Satz, D. (1995). Markets in women’s sexual labour. Ethics, 106(1), 63-85.Shrage, L. (2007). Feminist perspectives on sex markets. In E. Zalta

(Ed.), Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Stanford, CA: The Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. From http://stanford.library.usyd.edu.au/entries/feminist-sex-markets

Singer, P. (2006). All animals are equal. In J. E. White (Ed.), Contemporary moral problems (8th ed., pp. 377-378). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Timmons, M. (2002). Moral theory: An introduction. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. [Chaps. 5-7, 9]

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 20Mid-term essay 40In-class test 40


1. Open-mindedly consider different viewpoints in moral con-troversies.

2. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of different philo-sophical and popular arguments in the four topic areas of the course.

3. Demonstrate understanding of the major moral philosophi-cal approaches and techniques in moral reasoning.

4. Formulate and critically assess personal positions/convic-tions.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay writing 30Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 30Total: 154

Dr J. GledhillDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2393 [email protected]

Dr J. GledhillDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2393 [email protected]

This course critically examines some moral controversies in contemporary society. It aims to help students develop their ability to think in intellectually sophisticated ways about difficult issues of personal and public morality. The course focuses on four controversial moral topics: animal use, assisted suicide, prostitution, and bio-medical enhancement. These topics concern not only personal morality but also social or public morality. Students will be asked to discuss not only whether the above practices are moral or immoral, but also whether they should be prohibited, regulated, recognized, or supported by law. It is hoped that students will be better equipped to evaluate opposing arguments about the proper use of law in regulat-ing personal conduct and social interaction. In the course of discussing these top-ics, students will be introduced to major moral approaches, such as consequential-ism and deontology, as well as methods of critical thinking in moral reasoning.

Moral Controversies in Contemporary Society


73http://commoncore.hku.hk/cchu9010

Humanities Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Chan, C. W. (2004). Advocacy issues in dyslexia in Hong Kong. Brainchild, 5(3), 32-36.

Oliver, M. (2009). Understanding disability: From theory to practice (2nd ed.). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. [Chaps. 3, 10]

Rehabilitation Programme Plan Review Working Group. (2007). Hong Kong rehabilitation programme plan. Hong Kong: The Government Printer. [Executive summary, Chap. 2] From http://www.lwb.gov.hk/eng/advisory/rac/rpp_report.htm

Rusch, N., Angermeyer, M. C., & Corrigan, P. W. (2005). Mental illness stigma: Concepts, consequences, and initiatives to reduce stigma. European Psychiatry, 20(8), 529-539.

Sherry, M. (2008). Disability and diversity: A sociological perspective. New York: Nova Science Publishers. [Chap. 1]

Wong, P. K. S., & Wong, F. K. D. (2007). Disability. In J. C. B. Leung (Ed.), Envisioning social welfare: Our shared future (pp. 96-110). Hong Kong: Consultancy Team, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong.

Yip, K. (2003). Traditional Chinese religious beliefs and superstitions in delusions and hallucinations of Chinese schizophrenic patients. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 49(2), 97-111.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial presentation and discussion 50Reflection notes 50


1. Explain disability issues through a critical analysis of its definitions, moving away from the purely medical model to a human rights perspective and the social model of dis-abilities.

2. Identify the social, political, biological and cultural determi-nants of social exclusion in disabilities.

3. Demonstrate understanding of the experiences of persons with disabilities and reflect on the personal values and so-cietal issues of social inclusion.

4. Express an understanding of the family issues, educational concerns, and psychosocial aspects of the disability expe-rience.

5. Critically examine the basis of discrimination and neces-sary changes for social inclusion of human diversities.

6. Critically examine the related social policies and service provisions and identify the changes necessary to build up a barrier-free society.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits (incl preparation) 8Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Total: 150

Dr S.K.M. Tsang Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1090 [email protected]

Dr S.K.M. Tsang Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1090 [email protected]

This course focuses on disability as a social phenomenon and social construct. It engages students to look into the everyday life situations people with disabilities (PWDs) commonly encounter, particularly people with physical and intellectual disabilities as well as mental illnesses (PD, ID and MI). Issues that arise from these situations will be examined through the critical lens of sociology, politics, culture and social policies. Stereotypical images of PWDs, myths and erroneous assump-tions about them, and the basis of discrimination against them are major aspects students will reflect upon. They will explore how these attitudes have been shaped by the media, cultural representations, knowledge from medical and social sciences and further obtain an empathetic understanding of PWDs through class activities and direct contact in NGOs or self-help organizations.

By the end of the course, students should be able to appreciate the value of social inclusion and human diversities. They should have been equipped to critically iden-tify necessary amendment to be made in related social policies and service provi-sions and to take individual and collective actions in their future positions for build-ing an inclusive society.

Being Different: Understanding People with Disabilities

Humanities

74

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Best, S. (2005). Understanding social divisions. London; Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Braham, P., & Janes, L. (2002). Social differences and divisions. Oxford: Blackwell.

Haralambos, M., & Holborn, M. (2008). Sociology: Themes and perspectives. London: HarperCollins.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class quizzes 35Group presentation 15Tutorial participation 10Final test 40


1. Apply personal experiences and observations to the dis-cussion of social divisions.

2. Explain how social divisions are socially constructed.

3. Analyze social divisions from different perspectives.

4. Examine social exclusion faced by disadvantaged social groups.

5. Identify ways to narrow social divides in contemporary so-cieties.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: In-class quiz and final test (incl preparation) 28Total: 124

Dr S.S.K. Tse Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1071 [email protected]

Dr S.S.K. Tse Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1071 [email protected]


This course aims to enhance students’ awareness of social divisions and their im-plications for the distribution of resources and life chances in contemporary socie-ties. It examines how social divisions are shaped; how they can be understood from different theoretical perspectives; and the ways they can be dealt with at personal, societal and policy level. Various social divisions (such as class, gender, age, health and sexuality) will be used as examples for illustration. Critical thinking, social analysis and reflection on personal experiences will be emphasized. Through video viewing, guest lectures and visits, students will have the opportunity to learn about the real life experiences of social groups who are in different positions in social divi-sions. Students with an interest in understanding social issues and a commitment to search for ways to improve the life of disadvantaged social groups would find this course particularly stimulating.

Social Divisions in Contemporary Societies



Humanities

75

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – Second semester (Wed); Section 2 – Second semester (Wed)


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Bun, K. H. (2006). Body, dress and cultural exclusion: Experiences of Pakistani women in “global” Hong Kong. Asian Ethnicity, 7(3), 285-302.

Choi, S., & Ting, K. F. (2009). A gender perspective on families in Hong Kong. In F. Cheung & E. Holroyd (Eds.), Mainstreaming gender in Hong Kong society (pp. 159-180). Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.

Dittmar, H., Halliwel, E., & Ive, S. (2006). Does Barbie make girls want to be thin? The effect of experimental exposure to images of dolls on the body image of 5-8 year old girls. Developmental Psychology, 42(2), 283-292.

Francis, B. (2006). The nature of gender. In C. Skelton (Ed.), Sage handbook of gender and education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Gibbs, J., Ellison, N., & Heino, R. (2006). Self-presentation in online personals: The role of anticipated future interaction, self-disclosure and perceived success in Internet dating. Communication Research, 33(2), 152-177.

Goffman, E. (1959). “Introduction” from The presentation of self in everyday life. In C. Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.), Sociology of the body: A reader. (pp. 53-56). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lee, S. (1999). Fat, fatigue and the feminine: The changing cultural experience of women in Hong Kong. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 23, 51-73.

Leong, S. (2006). Who’s the fairest of them all? Television ads for skin-whitening cosmetics in Hong Kong. Asian Ethnicity, 7(2), 167-181.

Louie, K., & Edwards, L. (1994). Chinese masculinity. East Asian History, 8, 135-148.

So, A. (2003). Cross border families in Hong Kong: The role of social class and politics. Critical Asian Studies, 35(4), 515-534.

Wang, C. Y., & Goodridge, W. (2009). Chicken feathers and garlic skin: Diary of a Chinese garment factory girl on saipan. New York: Passion Profit Company.

Assessment Tasks WeightingReflective journal 40Fieldwork assignment 20In-class quizzes 20Tutorial workshop participation 20


1. Describe, explain and differentiate the sociological, psy-chological, anthropological and biological theories and ideas related to body, beauty and fashion.

2. Extrapolate key elements of various theories regarding beauty, body image, fashion and gender and apply to their everyday experiences.

3. Assess and critique messages regarding beauty, body im-age and fashion and place these messages in both a local and global context.

4. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the com-plex relationship between gender and beauty and how culture and history impact this relationship.

5. Critically assess social messages regarding body, beauty and fashion and discuss the social responsibility of accept-ing, not judging beauty as they explore alternative con-cepts of beauty that question conventional definitions.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 26Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 25Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: In-class quizzes (incl preparation) 12Total: 143

Professor K.A. LaidlerDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2059 [email protected]

Dr M.T. Dean Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2061 [email protected]

Professor K.A. LaidlerDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2059 [email protected]

This course takes students on an exploration of the links between body, beauty and fashion from a variety of perspectives ranging from sociology, social policy, economics, psychology and medicine. These various perspectives together offer students a way of seeing how individual level issues (like self esteem, stigma and identity) shape and are shaped by community level issues (mass media), societal level issues (gender) and glob-al level issues (globalization and westernization). The course examines these issues in a variety of formats using guest lectures, mass media analysis, video clips, problem solving activities and discussion. The course also focuses on cultural representations and under-standings of the human body and ideals of beauty. Although the emphasis is primarily on contemporary Hong Kong society, lectures will also include in-depth analyses of how beauty is culturally constructed and historically situated around the world. To this end, the course is gender inclusive and presents both the female and male perspectives on beauty and body image. In this context, how human bodies and standards of beauty are increasingly influenced by a global media, which promotes a progressively narrow con-cept of beauty, will be critically discussed. Aside from the media influence on an increas-ingly globalized interpretation of beauty standards, the course also explores how diet and fashion industries are gaining momentum in shaping beauty ideals. Lectures address other globally and socially constructed aspects of beauty and identity, such as: race, class, culture, ethnicity, sexual identity, age, and ability/disability.


Body, Beauty and Fashion

Humanities

76

Required Reading

Study Load





Teacher(s)

Ahmad, Y. (2006). The scope and definitions of heritage: From tangible to intangible. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 12(3), 292-300.

Australia ICOMOS Incorporated. (2000). The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance, 1999. From http://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/BURRA_CHARTER.pdf

Hobsbawm, E. J., & Ranger, T. O. (1983). The invention of tradition. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kuah, K. E. (1994). Bugis street in Singapore: Development, conservation and the reinvention of cultural landscape. In W. S. Logan & M. Askew (Eds.), Cultural identity and urban change in Southeast Asia: Interpretative essays (pp. 167-186). Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press.

Kuah, K. E. (1998). State, conservation, and ethnicization of Little India in Singapore. Urban Anthropology and Studies of Cultural Systems and World Economic Development, 27(1), 1-48.

Schmitt, T. M. (2008). The UNESCO concept of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage: Its background and Marrakchi roots. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 14(2), 95-111.

UNESCO. (1972). UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. From http://whc.unesco.org/archive/convention-en.pdf

Assessment Tasks WeightingFieldtrip reflection 20Group project and presentation 30Tutorial discussion 20Tests 20In-class assignments 10


1. Describe, explain and connect the basic concepts and theories pertaining to cultural heritage using appropriate academic language.

2. Critically examine the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage in Hong Kong and other Asian societies using relevant theoretical knowledge.

3. Propose a policy framework for implementation of the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage in Hong Kong.

4. Demonstrate an awareness of the need for the sustainabil-ity of cultural heritage in contemporary society.

5. Explain the significance of cultural heritage in everyday life and society from historical and contemporary perspec-tives.

6. Evaluate the relationship between intangible cultural herit-ages, and the tourist industry in the local and global envi-ronment.

7. Demonstrate critical understanding of the academic and policy debates and framework of cultural heritage from various media portrayal (newspapers, films, internet, jour-nals).

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Seminars / Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 24Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Group discussion 15Total: 130

Dr K.E. Kuah-Pearce Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2060 [email protected]

Dr K.E. Kuah-Pearce Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2060 [email protected]

Cultural heritage has been consistently in the news in recent years in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the rest of the world and this has created renewed interest and debates that surround the significance of heritage conservation and preservation where it is viewed as part of the creative cultural industries, as exemplified by the Kowloon Cultural Hub, as well as the tourist industry. Cultural heritages include the built environment, primarily historical buildings and sites as well as “intangible herit-ages” as defined by UNESCO which include the living cultures of the people such as religion, ethno-music, films and food. Both categories of heritages are now assum-ing great significance and communities and governments throughout the world are now looking at the need to preserve cultural heritages with a high level of urgency. This course addresses three key themes relating to cultural heritages in the contem-porary world, namely, (i) Understanding our History and Culture, (ii) Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritages, and (iii) Cultural Heritage and the Tourism Industry.

Cultural Heritages in the Contemporary World


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


The required reading each week is one chapter or book selection of approximately 10-25 pages long. Besides two readings which provide a conceptual framework for using anthropology and film to understand religion, the other readings all explore connections between scientific, religious and social approaches to reality. The readings are taken from the following volumes:

Arbab, F. (2000). Promoting a discourse on science, religion and development. In S. Harper (Ed.), The lab, the temple, and the market: Reflections at the intersection of science, religion, and development. Ottawa: International Development Research Centre Press.

Capra, F. (1976/1982). The Tao of physics: An exploration of the parallels between modern physics and Eastern mysticism. London: Flamingo.

Dahl, A. L. (1996). The eco principle: Ecology and economics in symbiosis. Oxford: George Ronald; London: Zed Books.

Karlberg, M. (2003). The paradox of protest in a culture of contest. Peace & Change, 28(3), 329-351.

Lassiter, L. E. (2006). Invitation to anthropology. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press. Plate, S. B. (2008). Religion and film: Cinema and the re-creation of the

world. London; New York: Wallflower. Ratzinger, J. (Pope Benedict XVI). (2005). That which holds the world

together: The pre-political moral foundations of a free state. In J. Ratzinger & J. Habermas, Dialectics of secularization: On reason and religion. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.

Teilhard de Chardin, P. (1959/1964). The future of man. New York: Harper & Row.

Waldron, W. S. (2003). Common ground, common cause: Buddhism and science on the afflictions of identity. In B. A. Wallace (Ed.), Buddhism & science: Breaking new ground. New York: Columbia University Press.

In-class discussion will focus on the concepts in these readings as well as quotations from religious texts including Zhuangzi, Laozi, the Great Learning, the Baghavad Gita, the Dhammapada, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the Qur’an, the Hidden Words, etc.

Required Film ViewingExtracts from the following feature films with spiritual themes will be viewed and discussed in class or tutorial sessions: Avatar, Harry Potter, Hero, Gandhi, and others. Some ethnographic documentary films will be shown as well.

Field TripsStudents shall join field trips to three of the following religious communities in Hong Kong: Baha’i, Buddhism, Daoism, Christian, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, and take part in activities such as meditation, spirit-writing, ritual, study circle, interviews and discussions with believers.

Assessment Tasks WeightingWeekly assignments 65Attendance and participation in lecture group

discussions and tutorials 20Field visit reflective journal 15


1. Engage in self-reflective dialogue with others on issues of spiritual and social concern.

2. Compare expressions of religion and spirituality emanating from different cultural and religious backgrounds.

3. Apply scientific perspectives and concepts to analyze, interpret and evaluate spiritual concepts and their associ-ated social and religious practices.

4. Evaluate the appropriateness of different forms of spiritual and religious engagement for improving the human condi-tion in the context of an emerging global society.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 20Required readings 36Assessment: Weekly assignments 36Assessment: Field journal writing 10Total: 138

Dr D.A. PalmerDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2051 [email protected]

Dr D.A. PalmerDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2051 [email protected]

The aim of this course is to engage you in a reflection on spirituality and religion, and on their relevance to contemporary social change. It will aim to do so in a manner which is personally meaningful, appropriate for critical analysis, and relevant to social action. Society is undergo-ing a resurgence of religious beliefs and practices. Many of us are personally committed to spiritual or religious beliefs, are engaged in what could be called a “spiritual search”, or at the very least have many questions of a spiritual nature. As faith in secular ideologies declines, there is a growing tendency to turn to religious traditions as conceptual and social resources for personal growth and social engagement. But is this appropriate or even right? In the past few decades the world has witnessed a dramatic resurgence of spiritual seeking and religious engagement in society, in ways that may be either constructive or destructive. Given the his-torical record, is it realistic to expect religion to provide answers to personal and social prob-lems?

Open to believers, agnostics, skeptics, atheists and seekers, this course will give you exposure to, and an opportunity to engage with, the spiritual heritage of humanity: you will discuss pas-sages from the scriptures of the world’s major religious traditions, as well as spiritual themes contained in popular feature films. You will critically consider the contemporary social impli-cations of religious teachings and spiritual principles when applied to questions of truth and knowledge, power and authority, conflict and cooperation, and sacrifice and service. You will reflect on whether these approaches to human spiritual life are part of the cause or part of the solution for global social problems.


Spirituality, Religion and Social Change

Humanities



Humanities

78

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Dr T.S.K. KongDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2055 [email protected]

Dr S.S.C. To Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences 📞 3917 2054 [email protected]

Dr T.S.K. KongDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2055 [email protected]


1. Identify key concepts in understanding intimacy using con-temporary sociological and political theories of identity, gender and sexuality.

2. Demonstrate critical understanding of the complexity of issues of intimacy in their everyday lives through examina-tion of the interplay between the self and society, i.e. how social, economic, political and cultural forces shape our intimate choices and decisions; and between private and public, i.e. how our most private decisions are bound up with public institutions such as the state, the law, the me-dia, and medicine.

3. Express an appreciation of the distinctiveness and inter-relatedness of their own and other intimate cultures and demonstrate a cultural sensitivity with people of diverse cultures.

4. Behave as responsible global citizens who respect individ-ual differences and preferences and uphold the core values of a democratic society: human rights, justice, equality and freedom of speech.

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in Problem-based Learning tutorials 30Individual essay 20Group project 40Individual reflective exercises 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Group project 50Total: 146

Bartky, S. L. (1999). Foucault, femininity, and the modernisation of patriarchal power. In J. A. Kourany, J. P. Sterba & R. Tong (Eds.), Feminist philosophies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ben-Ze’ev, A. (2004). Love online: Emotions of the Internet. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [Chap. 8]

Carroll, J. L., & Wolpe, P. R. (1996). Sexuality and gender in society. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers. [Chap. 1]

Giddens, A. (1992). The transformation of intimacy: Sexuality, love, and eroticism in modern societies. Cambridge: Polity Press. [Chaps. 3, 4]

Jamieson, L. (1998). Intimacy: Personal relationships in modern societies. Cambridge: Polity Press. [Introduction, Chap. 2]

Kong, T. S. K. (2006). What it feels like for a whore: The body politics of women performing erotic labour in Hong Kong. Gender, Work and Organization, 13(5), 409-434.

McNair, B. (2002). Striptease culture: Sex, media and the democratization of desire. London: Routledge. [Chaps. 4, 5]

Plummer, K. (1995). Telling sexual stories: Power, change and social worlds. London: Routledge. [Part 1]

Plummer, K. (2003). Intimate citizenship: Private decisions and public dialogues. Seattle: University of Washington Press. [Key reading]

Rubin, G. (1984/1993). Thinking sex: Notes for a radical theory of the politics of sexuality. In H. Abelove, M. A. Barale & D. M. Halperin (Eds.), The lesbian and gay studies reader (pp. 3-44). London: Routledge.

More readings will be assigned for each lecture in the beginning of the term.

Great transformations have been taking place in the realm of intimacy – the rise of non-mo-nogamous non-marital forms of intimacy, the increasing visibility of lesbian and gay existence, the well established commercial sex industry, the popularized public report of private stories, the huge development of the popularity of cosmetic surgery, and numerous possibilities for intimacy in the cyber world, just to name but a few. New forms of identity, intimacy and sexu-ality have emerged in the era of the post-modern/globalized world, which blur the boundaries of what constitutes private matters and public issues and challenge the meanings of normal/abnormal citizen, natural/artificial body, real/virtual relationship, authentic/counterfeit inti-macy, and so forth. Using contemporary sociological and political theories of identity, gender and sexuality, this course aims to track down the major transformation in the realm of sexual intimacy in modern times and to examine newly emerged ethical issues, moral dilemmas and social conflicts over sexual intimacy in four inter-related domains: (a) democracy, human sex-ual rights and citizenship – how these issues are important in talking about intimate relation-ships; (b) mass media and popular culture – how private matters become increasingly subject to public scrutiny; (c) economy and consumption – how intimacy is increasingly commodified and commercialized; and (d) science, medicine and computer technology – how medical and computer technologies foster new pleasures, bodies and practices and the problems that arise from this. At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to think critically about intimacy, to understand the complex interplay between self and society and to have learnt how to respect individual differences and preferences.


Sex and Intimacy in Modern Times


Non-Permissible Combination:CCHU9007 Sexuality and Gender: Diversity and Society /CCHU9039 Sexuality and Culture

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Students are required to get hold of the following text by purchase, borrowing or internet download/photocopy: Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness. Suggested for purchase are the World’s Classics Series text (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003) or the Penguin Classics text (London: Penguin, 1995), which contain good introductions and notes. Some copies will be available for purchase from the University bookshop. For students who do not want to buy the text, the text can also be downloaded and printed at the following sites (among many others):• http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/219• http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/darkmenu.htm

The University Library contains a number of copies of the novella as well, which students may borrow.

Students are also required to purchase the Course Reader (AV & Reserve Collection, 1st Floor, Main Library, cost about HK$90), containing the following compulsory reading materials: 1. John Frederick Lewis, “Harem Life in Constantinople”, “A Cairo

Bazaar”, “A View of the Street”, “The Commentator on the Koran” (painting)

2. E. J. Eitel, extract from Europe in China (history) 3. R. M. Martin, extract from Report on the Island of Hong Kong

(history) 4. Rudyard Kipling, “If”, “The White Man’s Burden”, “Mandalay” (poetry) 5. Joseph Chamberlain, “The True Conception of Empire” (politics)6. Lady Elizabeth Butler, “Egypt 1885”, from From Sketch-Book and

Diary (travel writing) 7. Edward Said, extract from Orientalism (criticism) 8. Robert Young, extract from Colonial Desire (criticism) 9. Aimé Césaire, extract from Discourse on Colonialism (criticism)

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial writing or research exercises / Quizzes /

Workshop reports 20Written assignment / Portfolio / Term paper 35Tutorial, workshop and class participation, and

contributions to the discussion forum on Moodle 10In-class writing exercise 35


1. Demonstrate knowledge of the key features of the histori-cal project, trajectory and history of the British Empire.

2. Describe and critically examine a variety of representa-tions of Empire in text and image with appropriate critical frameworks.

3. Explain, explore and appreciate the form and function of historical texts, the novel, poetry, travel writing, painting, sketch and cartoon.

4. Practice close reading strategies, analysis, discussion and argument.

5. Use critical approaches to various genres of text and im-age, including specifically genre and gender discourse, colonial discourse analysis and postcolonial theory.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 36Independent preparation for assessments 50Assessment: In-class writing exercise 2Total: 120

Dr J.C. Kuehn School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 1921 [email protected]

Dr J.C. Kuehn School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 1921 [email protected]

This course looks at textual and pictorial representations of the British contact with her various colonies, in particular India, Africa, the Middle East and Hong Kong. The focus is on the nineteenth century and the period known as “the New Imperialism”, although earlier texts are considered. Students are thus invited to learn about, and reflect critically upon, a particular period in history – which is also their own – by approaching it through historical texts and the creative arts.

The course is structured along the theme of the “reality” versus “representations” of the British Empire. Within the Common Core Curriculum, it invites students to tack-le an unfamiliar set of questions, texts and thoughts, and approach these academi-cally. Within the Humanities Area of Inquiry, the course will show students that the human experience and human representation of reality might be very different from “the truth”, and that knowledge and experience are always contextual.


The British Empire in Text and Image

Humanities

79



Humanities

80

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Assessment Tasks WeightingOral history project and group presentation 20 Essay writing 30Field trip and reflective blog writing 10Lecture participation 25Tutorial participation and performance 15


1. Describe and explain the major stage theories of devel-opment and alternative approaches to development in psychology, biology, sociology and anthropology, including their underlying assumptions and key concepts.

2. Analyze and discuss portrayal of human developmental stages in literature and the arts.

3. Critically examine the validity of the stage approach to de-velopment. Analyze and evaluate evidence for and against it, by synthesizing psychological, biological, sociological and anthropological perspectives.

4. Analyze and discuss the complexities and holistic nature of human development and the interconnectedness of cul-ture, societal change and human biology.

5. Demonstrate an ability to apply a broad perspective to achieve greater intercultural understanding of human de-velopment.

6. Critically reflect on how one’s own development has been shaped by multiple forces, including cultural values, the Internet age, and globalization.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 35Assessment: Group presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Field trip reflective blog writing

(incl preparation) 6Total: 128

Dr A.M. Lee Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9564 [email protected]

Dr C. CheungDepartment of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9578 [email protected]

Dr A.M. Lee Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2819 9564 [email protected]

Shakespeare observed that “one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages”. Many theories on different aspects of personhood, including person-ality, emotions, cognitions, and morality, also typically depict development as pro-gressing through stages. However, are life stages really distinct categories or are they social constructions created by humans to serve particular social purposes? What scientific evidence do we have that supports the life stage demarcations? If they are social constructions, what purposes do these constructions serve? How does culture and modernization impact on the lived experience of these stages? This course critically examines these issues and enables students to reflect on what has shaped us as individuals. Topics include:

(i) major psychological and biological theories of stages of development and maturation,

(ii) sociological and anthropological approaches to development, (iii) rites of passage, (iv) portrayals of development in the literature and the arts, (v) role of culture and modernization in shaping the developmental experiences of

individuals, and (vi) individual and social implications of different approaches to development.


Stages of Life: Scientific Fact or Social Fiction?


Journal PapersMarkstrom, C. A., & Iborra, A. (2003). Adolescent identity formation

and rites of passage: The Navajo Kinaalda ceremony for girls. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13(4), 399-425.

Nelson, L. J., Badger, S., & Wu, B. (2004). The influence of culture in emerging adulthood: Perspectives of Chinese college students. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 28(1), 26-36.

BooksChua, A. (2011). Battle hymn of the tiger mother. New York: Penguin

Press.Mendelson, E. (2007). The things that matter: What seven classic

novels have to say about the stages of life. New York: Anchor Books. [Selected chapters]

Sigelman, C. K., & Rider, E. A. (2012). Human development across the life span (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. [Selected chapters]

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class tests 45Tutorial discussions 25First paper 15Second paper 15


1. Analyze the formal elements (that is the appearance) of selected examples of works of art, explain the historical meaning of these works of art, and articulate how these works of art make meaning within their cultural context.

2. Demonstrate an awareness of underlying principles of artistic practices across cultures, that is explain how the concept of art is constructed within Europe and Asia.

3. Explain the processes through which art makes meaning vis-à-vis tradition and innovation.

4. Discuss the roles of artist-activists in different societies to challenge established conventions and explain how artist-activists engage with issues of ethics in art.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Reading / Self-study 100Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 15Total: 168

Dr R.L. Hammers School of Humanities (Fine Arts), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2612 [email protected]

Dr R.L. Hammers School of Humanities (Fine Arts), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2612 [email protected]

This course is about ideas that are related to art, art history and visual culture across cultural boundaries of “the East” and “the West.” It is designed to explore ideas about art, such as how art functions in various societies and its meanings. It will examine artistic traditions, the functions of art and its institutions such as pa-tronage, art market, and roles of the artist across cultures, and will challenge as-sumptions about separation of cultural realms into eastern and western areas. The course will explore key monuments and concepts that shaped artistic traditions, techniques, and media and continue to define today’s international visual environ-ment.

Art as a concept belongs to all cultures, and deploys similar strategies to create meaning. Through the application of linguistic theories, the course will look at strat-egies of art production and consider the meanings of certain works of art within specific cultural and historical situations. It aims to develop the skills of asking questions of a work of art and using historical knowledge along with some careful looking to answer these questions. Students will encounter works of art, not neces-sarily in chronological order, but connected together by common themes.

Art and Ideas: East and West

Selections from:

Addiss, S. (1989). The art of Zen: Paintings and calligraphy by Japanese monks, 1600-1925. New York: H. N. Abrams.

Barnet, S. (2005). A short guide to writing about art (8th ed.). Hong Kong: Pearson Longman.

Barthes, R. (1972). Mythologies (Selected and translated by Annette Lavers). New York: Hill and Wang. [Selections]

Chipp, H. B., Selz, P. H., & Taylor, J. C. (1968). Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) “Letters”. In Theories of modern art: A source book by artists and critics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Lazzari, M. R., & Schlesier, D. (2005). Exploring art: A global, thematic approach. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Lin, Y. (1967). The Chinese theory of art: Translations from the masters of Chinese art (pp. 140-43). London: Heinemann.

Liu, X., Kelley, J., & Asian Art Museum, Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture. (2006). The Three Gorges Project: Paintings by Liu Xiaodong. San Francisco, CA: Asian Art Museum, Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture.

Macy, L. W. (Ed.). (1998- ). Grove’s dictionary of art online. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics: The invisible art. New York: Harper Perennial.

Munroe, A., Yokohama Bijutsukan, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum., & San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (1994). Japanese art after 1945: Scream against the sky. New York: H. N. Abrams.

Schaarschmidt-Richter, I., Städtische Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, & Kokusai Kōryū Kikin. (2000). Japanese modern art: Painting from 1910 to 1970. Zurich: Edition Stemmle.

Wang, Y. (2000). Looking at Chinese painting. Tokyo: Nigensha.Wilkins, D. G., Schultz, B., & Linduff, K. M. (2005). Art past, art present.

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Humanities

81



Humanities

82

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Excerpts from:

Bauby, J. -D. (2007). The diving-bell and the butterfly. Hopkinton, MA: Vintage Books.

Charon, R. (2006). Narrative medicine: Honoring the stories of illness. New York: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 1, 3, 7, 9]

Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain. New York: Putnam.

Egnew, T. (2005). The meaning of healing: Transcending suffering. Annals of Family Medicine, 3(1), 255-262

Epsterin, P. R. (2005). Climate change and human health. New England Journal of Medicine, 353, 1433-1436.

Fadiman, A. (1997). The spirit catches you and you fall down. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Foucault, M. (1989). The birth of the clinic: An archaeology of medical perception. London: Routledge.

Gilman, S. L. (2008). Fat: A cultural history of obesity. Cambridge, UK: Polity.

Kluger, J. (2013, January 14). Polio and Politics. Time, 108 (1), 32-37.Micozzi, M. S. (Ed.). (2011). Fundamentals of complementary and

alternative medicine. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.Myers, D. G. (2013). Psychology (10th ed). New York: Worth Publishers.

[Chap. 12]Porter, R. (1997). Medicine: A history of healing. New York: Barnes &

Noble Books.Sacks, O. W. (1990). The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other

clinical tales. New York: Harper Perennial Library.Schwartz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice: Why more is less. New York:

ECCO.Southwell, G. (2008). A beginner’s guide to Descartes’s Meditations.

Malden, MA: Blackwell.Weiten, W., et al. (2011). Psychology applied to modern life: Adjustment in

the 21st century (11th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. [Chap. 1]Young, C., & Koopsen, C. (2005). Spirituality, health and healing: An

integrative approach. Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated.

Assessment Tasks WeightingDiscussion forum 10Reflection writing 30Small group tutorial participation 25Small group project 30In-class participation 5


1. Explain health as a multi-dimensional and dynamic con-cept, which necessarily integrates individual, societal, biomedical, spiritual, cultural and historical influences, and how this relates to health issues encountered in everyday life.

2. Assess the inter-relatedness of health perceptions and practices across cultures.

3. Discuss personal responsibilities towards achieving health in a rational way and how this contributes to the individual, community and global good.

4. Critically evaluate the meaning of health through the analy-sis of qualitative and quantitative health data, literary and artistic works and personal introspection.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 24Assessment: Reflection writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 34Assessment: Discussion forum 20Total: 132

Dr J.Y. Chen Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2855 0753 / 2518 5657 [email protected]

Dr W.Y. Chin Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2553 4817 [email protected]

Dr J.Y. Chen Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2855 0753 / 2518 5657 [email protected]

To examine health in its truest sense, one must explore beyond the limits of medi-cine to engage a much wider set of questions embracing social, cultural, political, economic, moral and spiritual aspects of human experience. The aim of this course is for students to gain greater insight into the multi-dimensional aspects of health and to develop a more holistic and humanistic appreciation of health in both a per-sonal and societal context. The course will encourage students to look critically at various models of health, to understand the complexities of health-related behav-iors and to appreciate the possible roles played by politico-social forces, cultural change and spiritual disorientation in shaping well-being. The humanistic aspects of health will be examined through an exploration of the winding journey from illness to healing, with illness often being the wake-up call for individuals to re-evaluate the way they approach life and thus inspire questions about self–awareness, self–actualization and spirituality.


From Health to Well-being



Humanities

83

Course will be offered four timesLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – First semester (Wed);

Section 3 – Second semester (Wed); Section 4 – Second semester (Wed)


Required Reading

Course Learning OutcomesStudy Load


Lau, J.Y.F. (2011). An introduction to critical thinking and creativity: Think more, think better. Noboken, NJ: Wiley.

Course notes will be provided.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 10Homework 30Group project 30In-class test 30


1. Demonstrate understanding of and identify a variety of distinct styles of argumentation and be able to make an informed judgment about when a claim is supported by evidence.

2. Support claims of their own with good reasons and explain why the reasons soundly or cogently justify the claims.

3. Collaborate and coordinate with others, in tutorial meet-ings, and in a group project involving the use of problem-solving skills and other critical thinking techniques.

4. Interpret and analyze statistical information, for example about health products, and apply this information to evalu-ate their effectiveness.

5. Apply critical thinking skills in assessing contemporary debates over such things as evolution, global warming, and race and intelligence.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Homework 16Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 12Total: 124

Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Each section will be taught by one of the following teachers:

Dr J.E. Wolff School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr T.E. O’Leary School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr G.A. Cook School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

First semester Dr J.E. Wolff School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Second semesterDr T.E. O’Leary School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the basic concepts and tech-niques of critical thinking as these apply to life in contemporary society. The course covers fundamental logical notions crucial to critical thinking, including the notions of argument, sound reasoning, and rationality. In addition, the course will cover so-cial, legal, consumer, and health issues, along with issues in the public understand-ing of science, medicine, and the environment. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding the role of critical thinking in scientific investigation and how critical thinking applies in philosophical investigations of the nature of value. The course will train students in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential to a well-rounded liberal education, and to life as a thinking citizen in contemporary so-ciety. The course dovetails with several aspects of a traditional humanities educa-tion, in particular the ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate information commu-nicated by political leaders, popular literature, advertising, and the news media.

Critical Thinking in Contemporary Society


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Humanities

84


Alloy, L. B., Riskind, J. H., & Manos, M. J. (2005). Abnormal psychology: Current perspectives. New York: McGraw-Hill. [Excerpt on behavioural, cognitive, and sociocultural perspectives, pp.75-104; The psychodynamic perspective, pp. 105-122]

Fillingham, L. A. (1993). Madness and civilization. In Foucault for beginners (pp. 26-58). New York: Writers and Readers Publishing.

Foucault, M. (1972, 2006). Experiences of madness. In The history of madness (pp. 108-115). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. [Excerpt]

Lin, K. M. (1981). Traditional Chinese medical beliefs and their relevance for mental illness and psychiatry. In A. Kleinman & Y. Y. Lin (Eds.), Normal and abnormal behavior in Chinese culture (pp. 95-111). Hingham, MA: D. Reidel.

Luchins, D. J. (2004). At issue: Will the term brain disease reduce stigma and promote parity for mental illnesses? Schizophrenia Bulletin, 30(4), 1043-1048.

Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On being sane in insane places, Science, 179 (4070), 250-258.

Watters, E. (2010). The mega-marketing of depression in Japan. The globalization of the American psyche (pp. 87-213). New York: Free Press. [Excerpt]

Yap, P. M. (2000). Mental diseases peculiar to certain cultures: A survey of comparative psychiatry. In R. Littlewood & S. Dein (Eds.), Cultural psychiatry and medical anthropology (pp. 179-196). New Brunswick, NJ: The Athlone Press.


1. Describe conceptions of mental health and mental illness.

2. Critically appraise the contributions and limitations of the various conceptions of mental health and mental illness.

3. Appreciate how certain mental health issues have been conceived and defined through a dynamic interplay of various biomedical, psychological, sociological and cultural perspectives.

4. Develop cultural sensitivity towards intercultural differ-ences in understanding and responding to issues in mental health and mental illness.


Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 20Reflection paper 50Video production 15Term paper 15

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Reading / Self-study 52Visit 3Video viewing 5Video presentations 3Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 6Assessment: Reflective report 6Assessment: Term paper 12Assessment: Video production 10Total: 130

Dr P.W.C. WongDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5029 [email protected]

Dr P.W.C. WongDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5029 [email protected]

Portrayed by mass media, there is an exaggerated link between mental illness and violence. Mental illness is often considered as an adversary that should be dealt with by medical professionals. Challenging this monopolized medical discourse on mental illness, this course aims to expand the students’ view to appreciate how mental illness has been psychologically influenced, socially constructed and policed, as well as culturally shaped. Coupling biochemistry’s knowledge of mental illness with self-reflections, students are expected to develop a critical and comprehensive understanding of mental illness and mental health. With the use of experiential ex-ercises, case studies, and film viewing, students will be further encouraged to scru-tinize mental health issues in their daily lives. As there is a growing number of indi-viduals challenged by mental illnesses both locally and internationally, students will have high chance of encountering an individual with mental illnesses in their social circles, workplaces or even family in the future. The development of a comprehen-sive and critical view towards mental illnesses will definitely prepare them to face this future challenge.

Journey into Madness: Conceptions of Mental Health and Mental Illness



Required Reading

Humanities

85


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Beardsley, J. (1998). Earthworks and beyond: Contemporary art in the landscape (3rd ed.). New York: Abbeville Press.

Goldsworthy, A. (1990). Andy Goldsworthy: A collaboration with nature. New York: H. N. Abrams.

Grande, J. K. (2004). Art nature dialogues: Interviews with environmental artists. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Graziani, R. (2004). Robert Smithson and the American landscape. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Lailach, M., & Grosenick, U. (2007). Land art. Köln; London: Taschen.Malpas, W. (2009). The art of Richard Long: Complete works. Kent, UK:

Crescent Moon Publishing.Smithson, R., Tsai, E., Butler, C. H., Crow, T. E., Alberro, A., Roth, M., et

al. (2004). Robert Smithson. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Tufnell, B. (2006). Land art. London; New York: Tate; Distributed in the U.S. by Harry N. Abrams.

Assessment Tasks WeightingLand Art case study report 20Land Art workshop 30Land Art public exhibition 30In-class assessments and reading responses 20


1. Critique the imbalanced situation between the contem-porary culture and the environment, and to challenge the contemporary attitude towards the treatment of the envi-ronment.

2. Demonstrate awareness of the urgency to address the dis-connectedness between culture and nature as a global is-sue, and be able to analyze the potential consequences on a world-wide level if we do not take the sustainability issue collectively as a serious matter.

3. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of a sus-tainable reciprocity between human culture and nature.

4. Apply their learnt “art and design” experience (via the “Land Art Workshop”) and the public engagement experi-ence (via the Land Art Exhibition) as part of their future communication strategies.

5. Re-define their own ways of sustainable living by evaluat-ing how others have attempted to restore the balance between human culture and the environment.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 18Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits / Land Art Design workshop 32Reading / Self-study 24Essay / Report writing 18Preparation for Land Art Public Exhibition 32Total: 136

Ms W.S. Mak Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 5654 [email protected]

Ms W.S. Mak Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 5654 [email protected]


Through the history of our civilization, humankind has been working with the environment both as a means for survival and as expressions of culture. It has always been a two-way relationship in har-mony. However, recently, such balance was tilted by our unsustainable way of living, and our current landscape reflects humankind’s abuse and mis-management towards the environment.

This course aims at exploring how different groups of people respond to such imbalance, and what they do to restore a healthy reciprocal relationship between human beings and nature. Initially, top-ics like the Garden City Movement in the late 19th century, and the emergence of the protection movement of “Cultural Landscapes” initiated by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 1992, will be discussed through lectures and seminars. Then, land art – an artistic expression of human culture and how we sculpt the land – will be explored as a more contemporary approach to restoring the balance between humans and nature. Initiated by some leading artists in the creative art industry as an artistic response to such issue, land art helps to manifest the reciprocal relationship between human culture and the environment, and hence to re-align people’s attitude, perception, and inter-pretation, towards nature. Besides lectures and seminars, the topic of land art will also be explored in the form of “Land Art Workshop + Exhibition”, in which students can learn how to express their environmental opinions through the creative process of making their own land art. The 4-day “Land Art Workshop” (during Reading Week, Oct 15-18 inclusive) will be conducted on a selected site in the Hong Kong landscape. It will start with field study to explore how human civilization integrates or challenges the relationship with the landscape of the selected site. Then, based on their findings, students will use creative medium to explore their environmental critique to the site. After the work-shop, students will prepare a Land Art Exhibition to communicate their creative works to the public, and present their works during the Opening of this exhibition (tentatively on a Saturday during No-vember).

Shaping the Landscape: A Quest for Harmony between Nature and the City



Required Reading

Humanities

86

Chan, C. L. W., & Chow, A. Y. M. (2006). Death, dying and bereavement: A Hong Kong Chinese experience. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Course Learning OutcomesCourse Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load


1. Describe and explain the fundamental knowledge, myths, attitudes, practices and ideological contradictions of death, dying and bereavement with a cultural sensitivity to the Chinese experience; and critically appraise the oppressive social norms, rituals, discourses and portrayals of death and dying in contemporary societies.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the emotional concerns, family issues and psychosocial aspects of death and dying on the individual level; and critically examine the inequality of access to care and services among vulnerable groups such as widows, minors, orphans, the poor and people with contentious diesase such as AIDS and other life-limiting infections.

3. Appraise the impact of death and loss on the societal level; and critically examine the future development of social policies, service provisions, education programs as well as the commercial industry on the management and com-modification of death and dying.


Assessment Tasks WeightingIndividual reflective log book 20Group project and audio-visual presentation 25Group project written report 25Take-home written examination 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Workshop / Visits 3Reading / Self-study 30Weekly individual reflective log book 12Assessment: Creative group project report writing 30Assessment: Creative group project presentation (incl preparation) 30

Assessment: Take-home written examination (incl preparation) 30

Total: 169

Professor C.L.W. ChanDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2093 [email protected]

Dr Amy Y.M. Chow Department of Social Work and Social Administation, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5530 [email protected]

Dr D.A. Palmer Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2051 [email protected]

Professor C.L.W. ChanDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2093 [email protected]


“If you are not aware of death, you will not be mindful of your practice, but will just spend your life meaninglessly, not examining what sorts of attitudes and actions perpetuate suffer-ing and which ones bring about happiness.” (Dalai Lama, 2002). “In confronting death how-ever, life takes on new meanings. In accepting death, we experience the fullness of life. It is like being reborn.” (David Kuhl, 2002).

The study of death and dying is concerned with questions that are rooted at the core of hu-man experience. Individuals who set out to increase their knowledge of mortality are embark-ing on life’s most important exploration, a constructive journey of personal discovery and spiritual awakening. Whilst acknowledging the finite nature of existence allows individuals to reflect upon the meaning of life for a more profound understanding of personhood, mortal-ity also plays a pivotal role in defining cultural beliefs, family values and social structures. This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of the major themes and theories on death and dying from a global viewpoint with a critical focus on the Chinese perspective. Through inter-active lectures, experiential workshops and creative group projects, students will be offered an opportunity to examine the psycho-socio-spiritual, economic, ethical and political issues of mortality through a range of cultural lenses. Such exploration will facilitate insights, reflections and personal growth for enhancing students’ capacity in dealing with the inevitability of loss, death, dying and bereavement.

The Last Dance: Understanding Death and Dying



4. Reflect on the meaning of life though a heightened awareness of death and an enhanced spiritual orien-tation; and create a more profound understanding of the “self” through an appraisal of personal beliefs, cultural ideologies and popular religions and philoso-phies on spirituality and immortality.

5. Develop a compassion for individuals, communities and the larger world as well as a commitment to activism, equity and social justice during those most vulnerable moments in the human experience; and challenge the hypocrisy of pricing human life and commercializing death in the modern era.

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



87

Selected articles from newspapers, books, magazines and websites, case studies and other materials designated as required reading for each lecture.

Assessment Tasks WeightingMeeting participation 20Essay / Report writing 25In-class quizzes 15In-class test 40


1. Use copyright and patent as examples to describe and explain the concepts and rationale of intellectual property rights, and their current impacts on the creation of works in arts and science.

2. Identify and analyze legal and ethical issues relating to creative works in daily life, both within and outside the uni-versity.

3. Describe and explain the impact of new technologies on creative work and on the ways people share ideas, views and information in modern society.

4. Critically analyze and assess whether the current re-sponses to issues of creativity and information sharing, for example legal interventions through copyright and patent, are beneficial or detrimental to society.

5. Formulate and communicate their independent views as to what is required to support and sustain a free, vibrant and creative society.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 25Assessment: In-class quizzes 4Total: 140

Dr K.K.H. Pun Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2186 [email protected]

Dr K.K.H. Pun Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 2186 [email protected]

Do we possess the right of ownership of our own creative work? How much is inno-vation worth? What is lost when members of society can freely exchange creative works produced by others, and what might be gained from such a circumstance? Where did the contemporary concept of “intellectual property rights” come from, and who are its defenders and opponents? Using copyright and patent as exam-ples, this course examines the issue of how new technologies have lent new inten-sity to the debate over creative works in the domains of science and art, and it asks how a legal concept such as copyright or patent in its current form could or should be used to support and sustain a free, vibrant and creative society. Drawing on their own experiences, this course invites students to analyze various real-life scenarios with a view to assessing critically whether the current intellectual property system promotes or impedes creativity. In this process, students are exposed not only to the legal arguments but also the broader moral and ethical issues, as well as the more abstract questions relating to the public interest of society via-a-vis the pri-vate interest in one’s own creative labour.

Creativity, Technology and Law



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

88

Mailer, N. (1948). The naked and the dead. New York: Rinehart.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIndividual essay 50Group project 50


1. Demonstrate awareness of the significance of war and combat in human history and society.

2. Describe and explain the relationship between mind and body central to the path of the warrior and the spiritual roots of fighting in different cultures.

3. Critically discuss the ethics of aggression and defense in different cultures and eras.

4. Discuss the relationship between gender and violence.


Dr U. Ansaldo School of Humanities (Linguistics), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2872 [email protected]



This course tackles the issue of fighting as a fundamental aspect of human nature as expressed through war, combat sports and random violence. In many cultures combat theories and techniques have evolved into organized systems of fighting such as warrior or military codes, combat systems or martial arts. Through an inter-disciplinary, critical analysis of conflict, violence and martial arts, students are led to reflect on the spiritual foundations, ethical codes, literary traditions and pervasive social functions that underlie fighting cultures. Some of the questions this course attempts to answer include: Why do humans fight? Why are males, rather than fe-males, predominantly involved in violent acts? How do different social groups jus-tify violence? How can the fighting instinct be controlled? Is today’s world a more or less peaceful place? If so, why?

Cultures of War: Making Sense of the Human Fighting Instinct



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

89

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup presentation 30In-class tests 35Journal writing 35


1. Appraise critical and aesthetic qualities of literary texts.

2. Produce critical analyses of literary texts.

3. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ideo-logical nature of narrative endings.

4. Analyze the ideological effects of particular kinds of end-ings.

5. Recognize and address alternative points of view left out in certain endings.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 60Preparation for tutorial discussions 10Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Journal writing 15Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 10Total: 140

Professor E.Y.L. Ho School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2761 [email protected]

Professor E.Y.L. Ho School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2761 [email protected]


The tag “happily ever after” seems transparently obvious. We read it and make automatic assumptions about what a good and happy end is, often not realizing how deeply encoded in endings are ideas about how people, societies and cultures should relate to one another. This is the key issue this course will engage in – the questioning of familiar assumptions about the good ending in genres such as fairy tales and comedies and, in the process, the identification of dominant ideological threads embodied in the good ending. Following on from this is the other funda-mental issue the course addresses – the possibilities of other kinds of endings rep-resenting alternative worldviews. As such, the course will also look at re-writings of endings as a means to represent marginal points of view. By introducing students to the ideological dimensions to the endings of texts, this course will encourage them to hone their analytical skills and bring a new awareness to representations of ideals with regards to human relationships and societies. The course will show how subtly literary and filmic texts may enforce specific world-views. As such, the politi-cal subtexts amidst the pleasures of the creative arts will be highlighted.

Happy Endings: How a Text Ends



Selected fairy tales from the Grimm Brothers and Charles Perrault.

Atwood, M. (1983). “Happy endings.” Murder in the dark. London: Cape. Also available from http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rebeccal/lit/238f11/pdfs/HappyEndings_Atwood.pdf

Brontë, C. (1847). Jane Eyre. From http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1260

Carter, A. (2006). The bloody chamber and other stories. London: Vintage.

Desy, J. (1993). “The princess who stood on her own two feet.” The Oxford book of modern fairy tales. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Also available from http://www.campaugusta.org/Partnering/Play_Serious/Stories/Princess_Who_Stood_on_Her_Own_Two_Feet.pdf

Required Reading

Humanities

90

How can architecture, as represented by an image, embody social, economic and cultural ideals and at times become an instrument of propaganda? In a rapidly changing and urbanizing world, it is critical to understand how we as a society de-velop and build the world around us. As human beings we each impact and contrib-ute to the development of the built world in some way. Governments, developers and even citizens have the ability to impact the built environment through support-ing, commissioning and appreciating what is built.

This course will introduce students to a broad range of architectural history through images generated by various media, disciplines and cultures. It will also serve to suggest what political and social ideologies are advanced through those images and designs. Students will consider the meanings behind various modes of repre-sentation and the impacts that those visions have had. They will be asked to reflect on the hidden meanings and agendas behind the images. Students are challenged to develop a new understanding of the relationship between graphic representation and the forces of economics, culture, technology and politics.



Banham, R. (1960). Theory and design in the first machine age. London: Architectural Press. [Chap. 2]

Cook, P. (2008). Drawing: The motive force of architecture. London: John Wiley and Sons. [Selected passages]

Frescari, M., Hale, J., & Starkey, B. (Eds.). (2007). From models to drawings: Imagination and representation in architecture. London: Routledge.

Hirst, P. (2005). Space and power: Politics, war and architecture. Cambridge: Polity Press. [Chap. 1]

Koolhaas, R., Bouman, O., & Wigley, M. (Eds). (2007, January 1). Volume 5: The architecture of power, Part I. Columbia University GSAPP/ Archis.

Le Corbusier. (2007). Vers une architecture. Los Angeles: Getty Publications. [Introduction]

Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space. Oxford: Blackwell. [Selected passages]

McGrath, B. (2007). Cinemetrics: Architectural drawing today. London: John Wiley and Sons. [Selected passages]

Rossi, A. (1982). The architecture of the city (D. Ghirardo & J. Ockman, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. [Selected passages]

Assessment Tasks WeightingWeekly journal / Scrapbook entries 30Short Paper 20Quizzes 20In-class test 30


1. Develop a critical understanding of the history of architec-tural representation and describe the power of drawing and design to the development of our built environment.

2. Explain and demonstrate the ways in which architectural drawings and models are used to describe space as well as convey ideas about culture and society.

3. Discuss the relationship of visual representation in archi-tecture and planning to aspects of politics, power and ideology in the real world.

4. Understand and identify the ways in which technological shifts impact the world we design and live in.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 11Reading / Self-study 40Journal / Scrapbook 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 12Assessment: In-class test 3Total: 130 Teacher(s)

Mr J.F. Carlow Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7957 [email protected]

Mr J.F. Carlow Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7957 [email protected]

Image, Architecture and Society: Finding Meaning in ArchitecturalRepresentation




Required Reading

Humanities

91


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Beard, A. (2007). Language play in English. In J. Maybin, N. Mercer & A. Hewings (Eds.), Using English. Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge.

Cook, G. (2000). Language play, language learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 1, 2, 3]

Crystal, D. (1998). Language play. London: Penguin. Maybin, J., & Swann, J. (2007). Everyday creativity in language:

Textuality, contextuality, and critique. Applied Linguistics, 28(4), 497-517.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup presentation 30Individual portfolio of language play examples 40Essay 30


1. Identify the linguistic, poetic, discourse, generic and con-textual features of language play, and their use in multi-modal and multilingual communication.

2. Describe and explain the semantic meanings of instances of language play in specific linguistic and sociocultural contexts, and in interaction with other modes of represen-tation such as image, sound and movements.

3. Interpret the functions and uses (e.g. psychological, social, cultural, interpersonal, ideological and pragmatic) of lan-guage play.

4. Explain and interpret the cross-cultural meanings and use of language play in multilingual settings where English is used alongside other language varieties.

5. Apply knowledge and understanding of the subject matter to create own examples of language play and reflect on their meanings and use.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 12Seminars 4Reading / Self-study 48Collecting examples of language play from local

semiotic landscapes, and surfing the Internet 24Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Total: 145

Dr J.C.M. Luk Division of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5304 [email protected]

Dr A.M.Y. Lin Division of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2784 [email protected]

Ms M.M. Lo Division of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2857 8608 [email protected]

Dr J.C.M. Luk Division of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5304 [email protected]


This course critically examines how people across different linguistic and cultural settings achieve mental pleasure through artful and skilful manipulation of language. By engaging students in critically examining language play as a form of socio-culturally and ideologically shaped language practice in multilingual and multicultural settings including Hong Kong and Asia where English often exists as a global language alongside other local languages, this course precisely addresses Theme III “Language, Communication and Society” of the Humani-ties Area of Inquiry (AoI). The course will focus on four key issues:

1. the formal aspects of language play that include the linguistic properties, poetic fea-tures, discourse features, and multimodal elements;

2. the generic and contextual manifestations of language play such as language play in lit-erary works, mass media, popular cultural artifacts, and interpersonal conversations;

3. the semantic and ideational meanings of language play; and

4. the psychological, social, interpersonal, ideological and pragmatic functions of language play as a form of communication. Teaching and learning activities include interactive lec-tures, student presentations and tutorials, workshops with guest speaker input, outside class reading, and experiential learning through the Faculty Online Learning Manage-ment System.

Language Play as Social Communication in Multilingual Settings




Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

92

Required Reading

Required Film Viewing


Dr P. Smethurst School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2766 [email protected]

Dr P. Smethurst School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2766 [email protected]

Assessment Tasks WeightingShort critical essay 35Environmental report 30Tutorial presentation, participation, and response 35

Activities Number of hoursLectures (incl in-class exercises) 18Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Tutorial participation 10Total: 140

A reader will be available containing extracts from a range of fiction and non-fiction.

These include extracts from poetry by Blake and Wordsworth, novels by Dickens, Hardy, Bruce Chatwin, Ian McEwan and Jeanette Winterson, and non-fiction by Raymond Williams, Barry Lopez and Jonathan Raban.

Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An inconvenient truth.


1. Demonstrate an awareness of the function of literary rep-resentation as both shaped by concrete situations and shaping responses to such situations.

2. Analyze and compare different conventions and strategies in the representation of place in literature and explain their significance in relation to environmental attitudes and val-ues.

3. Distinguish between different concepts and representa-tions of the environment and point out their historical rela-tionships to material and imaginary uses of places.

4. Identify key issues in eco-criticism and trace their histories across different cultural traditions.

5. Recognize distinct imaginary and institutional environ-ments constituted by literature and engage in arguments about their relevance to society.



Countries of the Mind: Texts that Shape the Environment

This course explores how literature informs the ways we understand, imagine and relate to our environment. Students will study extracts from literary texts and ex-plore how these reflect and construct generic concepts of place and space, and shape attitudes towards the environment. The course has historical and contem-porary segments. The former examines ways in which the countryside, wilderness and the city have been represented in and shaped by literature since ancient times. The latter focuses on how texts present contemporary issues of environmentalism, postmodernism and digital culture. As well as responding to literary texts and film, students will be asked to reflect on local environmental issues and consider these in the context of contemporary theories of globalization and environmentalism.

Required Reading

Humanities

93


Study Load



Teacher(s)

The modern metropolis – as an abstract idea and as an actual place – is not only the site of the most radical experiments of modernism but is itself an active subject in the imagination and actions of the avant-gardes. Beginning with an examination of the historical and theoreti-cal formation of the modern metropolis as a twentieth century phenomenon, this inter-dis-ciplinary comparative study examines how the intersection of architectural design, planning, technology, media and politics transformed the landscape of the city. Looking backwards from the global networked cities of the twenty-first century to the fin-de-siècle cities of the nine-teenth century that underwent the first onslaught of major metropolitan development such as Berlin, London, Paris, Vienna, New York, colonial New Delhi and concessionary Shanghai, the metropolis will be studied through various disciplinary lenses including art, architecture, plan-ning, sociology, history, literature and critical theory, with a focus on film. This course offers a cross-cultural perspective on the development and deployment of architectural and urban visions and how they aligned social relations, how they produce and reproduce the image of the city, their effect on the everyday work of building the cities and how they impact everyday life. The course will investigate the architecture, spaces, islands, cities and worlds – built or un-built – envisioned by individuals or groups as responses to the bombardment of the metro-politan experience.

Abbas, M. A. (1997). Hong Kong: Culture and the politics of disappearance. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

AlSayyad, N. (2006). Cinematic urbanism: A history of the modern from reel to real. New York; London: Routledge.

Boyer, M. C. (1992). The imaginary real world of cybercities. Assemblage, 18, 114-127.

Burdett, R., & Sudjic, E. (2007). The endless city. London: Phaidon. Callenbach, E. (1977). Ecotopia. Toronto; New York: Bantam Books.

[Excerpts] Calvino, I. (1972). Invisible cities (W. Weaver, Trans.). San Diego; New

York; London: Harcourt Brace & Co. [Excerpts] Campanella, T. J. (2008). The concrete dragon: China’s urban revolution

and what it means for the world. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Frisby, D. (2001). Cityscapes of modernity: Critical explorations. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Jackson, K. (1985). Crabgrass frontier: The suburbanization of the United States. New York: Oxford University Press.

Simmel, G. (1950). The metropolis and mental life (1903). In K. H. Wolff (Ed. & Trans.), The sociology of Georg Simmel (pp.409-424). New York: Free Press.

Ms E.M.F. SengDepartment of Architecture,Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 5717 [email protected]

Ms E.M.F. SengDepartment of Architecture,Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 5717 [email protected]

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation and reading responses 20Quizzes 10Workshops and reports 35Final project 35

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials (incl preparation) 16Workshops (incl preparation) 16Reading / Self-study 35Assessment: Quizzes 2Assessment: Workshop reports (incl preparation) 24Assessment: Final project (incl proposal) 30Total: 143


1. Appreciate and read the city through its diverse represen-tations.

2. Describe and interpret the implications of the cultural, architectural and urban theories behind the making of dif-ferent cities, and distinguish the different intentions and contexts that brought about different visions and revolu-tionary thought.

3. Employ relevant information from the case studies to criti-cally examine the limitations of the theories and formulate their own analytical thinking.

4. Critically apply the lessons drawn from the historical prec-edents to engage with global issues and adapt to local contexts, by articulating their intuitions and observations of the city through well-considered and impactful repre-sentations.

5. Develop a synthesized critique of their current urban envi-ronment, and to further appreciate the processes at work in a city, and re-formulate it from comparative and cross-cultural perspectives.

6. Re-think their urban environment, and to search out vision-ary possibilities and unique socio-political contexts govern-ing cities.

Metropolitan Visions: Modernity, Architecture and the City



Non-Permissible Combination:CCHU9037 Street Sense: The City and its Environment

94

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load


Certeau, M. de. (1984). The practice of everyday life. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [pp. xi-xxiv, 91-110]

Debord, G. (1994). The society of the spectacle. New York: Zone Books. [Chaps. I, II, VII]

Evans, R. (1971). Bentham’s Panopticon: An incident in the social history of architecture. Architectural Association Quarterly, 3, 335-39.

Evans, R. (1971). Translation from drawing to building and other essays. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. [pp. 54-91]

Foucault, M. (1965). Madness and civilization: A history of insanity in the age of reason. New York: Vintage Books, Random House. [pp. 3-64, 241-289]

Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. New York: Vintage Books.

Foucault, M. (1984). Space, knowledge, and power. In P. Rabinow (Ed.), Foucault reader (pp. 239-256). New York: Pantheon.

Foucault, M. (1986). Of other space, Diacritics, 16(1), 22-27. [Also reprinted in J. Ockman & E. Eigen (Eds.), Architecture culture, 1943-1968: A documentary anthology (1993). New York: Rizzoli.]

Jacobs, J. (1961). The death and life of great American cities. New York: Vintage Books. [pp. 1-238]

Lefebvre, H. (1990). Everyday life in the modern world. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books. [pp. 1-109, 194-206]

Popham, P. (1993). Introduction. In G. Girard & I. Lambot (Eds.), City of darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City. Haslemere, UK: Watermark Publications. [pp. 9-15]

Riegl, A. (1998). The modern cult of monuments: Its character and its origin. In M. Hays (Ed.), Oppositions reader. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. [pp. 621-651]

Sennett, R. (1976). The fall of public man. New York: Vintage Books. [pp. 1-63]

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class quizzes 25Tutorials 15Field visits and visual presentation of field projects 30Final project presentation and research report 30


Mr T. Zhu Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 2148 [email protected]

Mr T. Zhu Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 2148 [email protected]


1. Explain the key concepts in the social/spatial theories cov-ered; identify each theory’s specific context, strength and limitation; categorize and compare different theoretical concepts with given common criteria.

2. Use personal experience/examples to support, and per-sonal counter-experience/examples to criticize the key theoretical concepts covered.

3. Apply the learned theories to analyze how political power is produced and embedded in our living environment.

4. Propose various forms and possibilities of Spatial Practices that can be accomplished by the local people to improve their community toward a more just one.

This course explores the relationship between space, power and politics in the ur-ban environment from the Age of Enlightenment to the present time. Contrary to the conventional approach that sees space and architecture as merely passive re-flections of dominant political and economic forces, this course views them as ac-tive participants in the structuring of our daily lives and interaction with each other. It will investigate how political power is actually produced and embedded in our urban physical environment. The course will be organized into three parts. The first part will offer a general theoretical introduction about the relationship between space and power, the concept of space as a social product and the politics of peo-ple’s daily lives. The second part will deal with specific aspects of the space-power relationship in the actual urban environment, such as institutions, public/private di-chotomies, urban monuments, mass culture and the city of everyday life. The third part will include a series of case studies devoted to current debates about urban development with regard to issues concerning the politics of space in cities such as New York City, Beijing and Hong Kong.



Politics of Space

Required Reading




95



Teacher(s)

Dr G.J. HarfittDivision of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5729 [email protected]

Dr F. HylandDivision of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2783 [email protected]

Ms T. KempstonDivision of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5425 [email protected]

Dr G.J. HarfittDivision of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5729 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate and articulate appreciation and critical un-derstanding of the complex relationship between literary texts and human experience.

2. Apply and use relevant information from the course themes to make personal responses to texts through writ-ing and discussion tasks on the course.

3. Demonstrate critical thinking and literacy skills when ana-lyzing text and film interpretations of novels.

4. Describe and explain how literary texts and film texts reflect, shape and influence historical perspectives and cul-tural norms.

5. Display an appreciation of the contribution of literary texts to our everyday world in the ways they reflect on our own behaviour, experience and human development.

Assessment Tasks WeightingLiterary journal 30Group presentation on one of the 4 themes during tutorials 30Essay 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 48Literary journal 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Total: 144

Austen, J. (2007). Pride and prejudice. London: Penguin Popular Classics.

Fielding, H. (2001). Bridget Jones’s diary. New York: Picador.Shelley, M. (2007). Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus. London:

Penguin Popular Classics.Tan, A. (1991). The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Books USA.

(Extracts from these novels will be used in lectures and tutorials)

This course draws on the commonality of human experiences by exposing students to a range of novels and texts. These texts then act as a springboard for students to share experiences, make connections, form opinions, and develop linguistic and cultural awareness. Students will be exposed to different literary texts (print and non-print) organized under four universal themes: love and romance, family and culture, the emotions of conflict, and man’s relationship with the world. Coherence across these themes is achieved by one over-arching theme of “relationships” start-ing with love and tension in personal and family relationships. From the family, the focus shifts to a wider context and examines conflict between nations (war poems, protest songs) before focusing on man’s responsibility to himself and fellow man in the wider global context (technology, the environment etc.). Topics chosen for the lectures and tutorials will enable students to understand human relationships and the social fabric of human communities, to engage in critical, interpretive and ana-lytical exploration of human qualities and experiences, and appreciate the ways in which humans express their experiences through literature and arts. The course will include lectures, in-class discussions, visiting speakers, tutorials, as well as exposure to novels, films, visual texts, songs, poems, and short stories.

Reflecting on Human Experience through Literature

Required Reading

Humanities

96


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Banham, R. (1984). Environmental management. In Architecture of the well-tempered environment (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Certeau, M. de. (1984). Walking in the city. In The practice of everyday life (S. Rendall, Trans.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Corbin, A. (1988). The foul and the fragrant: Odor and the French social imagination. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Selections]

Foucault, M. (2002). The eye of power (1974), excerpt. In T. Y. Levin, U. Frohne & P. Weibel (Eds.), Ctrl [space]: Rhetorics of surveillance from Bentham to Big Brother. Karlsruhe, Germany: ZKM Center for Art and Media; Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Gissen, D. (2009). Subnature: Architecture’s other environments. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. [Chapters on dankness, smoke, gas and exhaust]

Jay, M. (1993). Downcast eyes: The denigration of vision in twentieth-century French thought. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [Selection]

Joseph, B. W. (1997). John Cage and the architecture of silence. October, 81, 80-104.

Khatchadourian, R. (2009, November 23). The taste makers. The New Yorker.

Korsmeyer, C. (1999). Making sense of taste: Food & philosophy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. [Selections]

Thompson, E. (2005). Sound of the city. Noise and noise abatement in the modern city. In M. Zardini (Ed.), Sense of the city: An alternate approach to urbanism. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers.

Zardini, M. (2005). The ground of the modern city and the preponderance of asphalt. In M. Zardini (Ed.), Sense of the city: An alternate approach to urbanism. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers.

Zardini, M. (2005). Toward a sensorial urbanism. In M. Zardini (Ed.), Sense of the city: An alternate approach to urbanism. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers.

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay / Report Writing 70Presentation 30


1. Identify and explain the impact of urban development on the human environment.

2. Analyze the role of urban development in determining the urban environment in terms of its effect on society.

3. Engage in debates on the role of urban development in determining the urban environment in terms of its effect on society.


Ms T.Y.C. Kee Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2143 [email protected]

Professor D.C.K. Hui Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture

Ms T.Y.C. Kee Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2143 [email protected]

Course Co-ordinator


The goal of this course is to give students an understanding of the rich and com-plex inter-relationship between contemporary urbanism and the environment. With Hong Kong as a laboratory, this course will explore the city as a series of distinct sensorial environments: light and dark, wet and dry, fragrant or noxious, hot or cool; each with its own complex relationships with civic society. How are the different en-vironments of the city created? Which technological innovations were most impor-tant in producing the urban environments in which more than 50% of the world’s population live today? What are the implications for society of public space in cities under different environmental conditions? The course introduces students to the historic origins and contemporary theories of the urban environment. Covering both the general trends in social and technological history that drive the development of cities, and specific examples in depth, this course encourages an understanding of the reciprocal relationship between technology and the environment. According to the United Nations Population Fund, 2008 marked the first time in human his-tory that more than half the world’s population, a sum of 3.3 billion people, lived in cities. The effects of this population shift are felt urgently in China, but are relevant and far reaching on a global scale. How has this intense urbanization affected the human environment, and how can future cities be planned for more healthy, pleas-ant and active spaces? Understanding this will be increasingly important to many fields of study.

Street Sense: The City and its Environments



Non-Permissible Combination:CCHU9034 Metropolitan Visions: Modernity, Architecture and the City

97

Required Reading


Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)


Study Load

Dr G. Biancorosso School of Humanities (Music), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5209 [email protected]

Dr G. Biancorosso School of Humanities (Music), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5209 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate a deep awareness of music and its roots in the body through the appraisal of various functions of the body in perceiving and making music.

2. Critically revisit the traditional separation of the mind and the body in the light of embodied nature of musical think-ing.

3. Illustrate an understanding of the intertwined nature of the relationship between biology and culture through the paradigmatic example of music.

4. Utilize a broad conceptual and perceptual toolkit for the appreciation of music as a creative art.

5. Integrate knowledge gained from multidisciplinary per-spectives and apply such knowledge to the experience of music in everyday life.


Assessment Tasks WeightingReflective journal 60Class/tutorial participation 10In-class tests 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Journal 36Total: 120

Extracts from:

Davidson, J. W. (2001). Music and the Body. In C. Blakemore & S. Jennett (Eds.), The Oxford companion to the body. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Davidson, J. W. (2005). Bodily communication in musical performance. In D. Miell, R. MacDonald & D. J. Hargreaves (Eds.), Musical communication (pp. 215-238). New York: Oxford University Press.

Gritten, A., & King, E. (Eds.). (2006). Music and gesture: New perspectives on theory and contemporary practice. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.

Hodges, D. A., & Sebald, D. C. (2011). Music in the human experience. New York: Routledge.

Hutcheon, L., & Hutcheon, M. (1996). Opera: Desire, disease, death. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. [pp. 48-59]

Johnson, M. (2007). The meaning of the body: Aesthetics of human understanding. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [pp. 243-247, 259-262]

Levitin, D. J. (2006). This is your brain on music: The science of a human obsession. New York: Dutton. [pp. 83-110]

Mason, D., & Wigmore, R. (2013). Voice. In Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. From http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com:80/subscriber/article/opr/t114/e7201

McCarthy, K. (2006). Not pretty girls? Sexuality, spirituality, and gender construction in women’s rock music. The Journal of Popular Culture, 39(1), pp. 69-94.

Miell, D., MacDonald, R., & Hargreaves, D. J. (Eds.). (2005). Musical communication. New York: Oxford University Press.

Palmer, A. (2000). Divas-- in their own words: Fifty sopranos and mezzo-sopranos talk about their voices and careers. Nottingham, UK: Vernon Press.

Potter, J. (2013). Singing. In The Oxford Companion to Music, Oxford Music Online. From http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com:80/subscriber/article/grove/music/25869

Rosen, C. (2002). Piano notes. New York: The Free Press.Sacks, O. (2007). Musicophilia: Tales of music and the brain. New York

and Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf. [pp. 248-258]Sandor, G. (1981). On piano playing: Motion, sound and expression. New

York: Schirmer Books.Straus, J. N. (2011). Extraordinary measures: Disability in music. New

York: Oxford University Press. [pp. 15-17, 26-29, 125-132, 136-138, 143-145]

Sudnow, D. (2001). Ways of the hand: A rewritten account. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Thompson, E. (2002). The soundscape of modernity. Architectural acoustics and the culture of listening in America, 1900-1933. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Thompson, W. F. (2009). Music, thought, and feeling: Understanding the psychology of music. New York: Oxford University Press. [pp. 151-181]

White, J. (1996). Teaching classical ballet. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.

Wakin, D. J. (2012, April 6). The Maestro’s mojo. The New York Times.Wollen, P. (1992). Singin’ in the rain. London: British Film Institute.Zatorre, R. (2005). Music, the food of neuroscience? Nature, 434,

312–15.

The course will illustrate the full extent of the role of the body in music making and listening. Our initial goal is to revisit the ear’s astonishing synthetic and analyti-cal powers in the context of a holistic view of music as the (literal) embodiment of sound. To this end, we will use the human body as a map for the topics covered in the semester. More than a mere gimmick, the idea of the body-as-map will help the students grasp the rationale that guides our choice of topics while at the same providing a clearly defined conceptual anchor for their tutorials, readings, and as-signments. The repertory will mingle the familiar with the less familiar. Many of our case studies will be drawn from the vocal and instrumental repertories of the West-ern Classical Tradition, Opera, and Musical Multimedia. There will also be significant forays into early musical practices as well as dance, religious, and popular music of other traditions.

Whether performed, danced or listened to, music is an appealing starting point for challenging the old, rigid separations between nature and culture on the one hand, and body and mind on the other. Music and the Human Body aims to make good on this premise by examining the fluid and extraordinarily productive relationship be-tween physiology, psychology, and culture as exemplified by a wide range of types of musical behaviour.

Music and the Human Body



Required Reading

Humanities

98


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Donnan, H., & Magowan, F. (2010). The anthropology of sex. New York: Berg.

Foucault, M. (1990). The history of sexuality. New York: Vintage Books.Phillips, K., & Reay, B. (2002). Sexualities in history: A reader. New York:

Routledge.


1. Describe and explain the ways in which human sexuality (the ways we think and talk about it, as well as the way we experience and express it) contributes to our sense of self, and intersects with other facets of self.

2. Describe, compare and contrast the ways in which broader culture has in different times and places shaped sexual discourse, experience and expression (and related facets of self), as well as in turn being shaped by changing discours-es, and ways of experiencing and expressing sexuality.

3. Identify the facets of broad contemporary culture which reflect and/or shape our modern discourse, experience and expression of, sexuality, and which may (for better or worse) reflect and shape our sexualities in the short-to-mid term future.

4. Evaluate the extent to which there is a homogenization of human sexuality in our modern world, and analyze the ef-fects of any such homogenization.


Assessment Tasks WeightingQuestions for reflection 25Reflective journal 25Contribution in tutorials 25Small group web presentation 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 60Studying movies, audiofiles etc 8Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 18Assessment: Reflective journal 18Assessment: NOTE: Participation slips will be completed

in lecture, and will therefore not imply additional workload hours 0

Total: 140 Dr S.J. WinterDivision of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2859 1901 [email protected]

Dr M.M.H. WanDepartment of Law, Faculty of Law📞 3917 4349 [email protected]

Dr W.C.W. WongDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2518 5650 [email protected]

Professor S.J. AndrewsFaculty of Education


This course looks at relationships between sexuality and culture, bringing in speak-ers from the Faculties of Education, Arts, Humanities and Law, and drawing upon a range of writers and thinkers on sexuality, upon real events and their coverage in the media, and upon creative works from the world of fine art, literature, music and film. First of all we examine sexuality (that range of experiences and expressions of ourselves as sexual beings) as an aspect of our humanity. We look at the part that sexuality plays in the human condition, paying attention to the ways in which sexu-ality can intersect with other aspects of what we believe it is to be human. We then look at the ways in which, historically, different cultures have reflected and shaped not only the ways people have thought and talked sexuality, but also how they have experienced and expressed sexuality. We look, for example, at how sexuality has been described and portrayed in the creative and performing arts. We examine how, in our own increasingly complex, technological and globalized world, culture both reflects and shapes contemporary ideas, experiences and expressions of sexu-ality. We ask how the study of the relationships between sexuality and culture at other times and in other places can inform our contemporary thinking about sexu-ality.

Sexuality and CultureCourse Code // CCHU9039

Non-Permissible Combination:CCHU9007 Sexuality and Gender: Diversity and SocietyCCHU9015 Sex and Intimacy in Modern Times

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

99


Everett, D. (2012). Language: The cultural tool. New York: Pantheon. Jackendoff, R. (2012). A user’s guide to thought and meaning.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.Pinker, S. (1994). The language instinct. New York: W. Morrow and

Co. Samson, G. (2005). The “language instinct” debate. London:

Continuum.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation and assignments/discussions 20Brief review of literature 20Poster, group presentation and/or debate 30Writing assignment 30


1. Appreciate the nature vs. nurture debate in language, and demonstrate awareness of the presence of the nature vs. nurture debate in other disciplines.

2. Identify the basic issues regarding human beings’ ability to acquire knowledge of language.

3. Compare and contrast the various behaviorist, nativist and social interactionist views on human beings’ ability to ac-quire knowledge of language.

4. Use relevant information to critically evaluate the argu-ments that support or challenge the various hypotheses.

5. Support their own views regarding the different theories of language acquisition by drawing relevant linguistic, cogni-tive, and philosophical evidence.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 42Total: 134

Dr O.S.C. LamSchool of Humanities (Linguistics), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2758 [email protected]


Language is an indispensable part of human experience, and yet, the ability to con-struct linguistic structures to make oneself understood and to interpret correctly the structures that others have produced is, almost always, taken for granted. The understanding of this course description is, in fact, made possible by a number of highly complex linguistic/cognitive processes in our mind. A fundamental question that arises, then, is how we human beings come to have this ability to possess and apply knowledge of language. How is it possible to obtain knowledge of language? Is language unique and specific to human beings? What are the stages of language acquisition? There are a number of different hypotheses regarding how human be-ings obtain knowledge of natural language. On the “nature” side, researchers ar-gue that human beings are born with the ability to acquire and process language. Proponents on the “nurture” side, however, think that our ability to use language is learnt, much like how our other cognitive and intellectual abilities are learnt. In this course, students will be taken through a critical survey of these hypotheses, and consider what the various views tell us about the nature of the human mind. This course is of relevance and interest to anyone who uses language.

Human Language: Nature or Nurture?



Dr O.S.C. LamSchool of Humanities (Linguistics), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2758 [email protected]

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

100

Introductory reading: Easton, A. (1996). What is women’s studies? In T. Cosslett, A. Easton

& P. Summerfield (Eds.), Women, power and resistance (pp. 1-12). Philadelphia: Oxford University Press.

Purvis, J. (2004). Women’s history today. History Today, 54(11), 40-42.

In addition, students will be set one weekly required reading. This reading will be a short paper or book chapter (max. 20 pages). The readings will be used in the tutorials.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup tutorial leadership 20Reflection writing 20Project 60

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Group tutorial leadership 10Assessment: Individual tasks 50Total: 134



1. Explain the social and cultural construction of gender ste-reotypes at different historical points.

2. Analyze the consequences of such constructions on wom-en’s status and input.

3. Examine women’s resistance and agency at different times and in different global contexts.

4. Assess how the historiography relates to women’s position today.

Dr S.J. Aiston Division of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5426 [email protected]

Dr S.J. Aiston Division of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2241 5426 [email protected]


Should women be educated? And what should they be educated for? Are women more likely than men to be mad? Should they have access to birth control? And how should they dress? Should they have the right to vote and enter politics?

This course explores women’s struggle for empowerment, across time, space, and culture. In the diverse societies of East and West, North and South, women have been viewed as “other”— that is foreign to the “masculine” world of thinking, de-bate, and civil duty.

Women have had to fight for equality. Feminism emerged as a movement to defend women’s rights and this work remains important in many societies today.

The course considers the way in which religion, science and philosophy has posi-tioned women as “other” and explores women’s experiences in areas of life such as politics, education, health, and fashion. Centrally, we will discuss those “thinking” women who set out to challenge and resist limitations on how they could live their lives as women. Modern day “thinking” women will bring our journey to a conclu-sion.

“Thinking” Women: Their Oppression and Resistance


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Humanities

Key readings:Cooper, D. E. (Ed.). (1997). Aesthetics: The classic readings. Oxford;

Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers. [Chaps. 5, 13, 14]Turner, M. (Ed.). (2006). The artful mind: Cognitive science and the

riddle of human creativity. New York: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 3, 7]

More readings will be selected from up-to-date journal articles, magazine articles, Internet resources, newspapers, excerpts of music concerts, dance performances, drama performances, art exhibition etc.

Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in lectures and tutorials 10Quiz 10Reflection writing 20Essay 20Project 40


1. Analyze the intersection of anthropological, neuroscientific, psychological and aesthetic philosophical theories as they influence understanding of arts as a way of knowing.

2. Articulate the value of engaging the arts as a means of knowing as it promotes creativity, imagination, subjective awareness and multileveled interpretations.

3. Recognize the various ways in which the arts can be used to increase awareness of global issues and concerns, foster interpersonal relationships and facilitate self-actualization.

4. Demonstrate increased awareness and critical understand-ing of the world, others, and self, as a result of direct par-ticipation in the process of individual and/or group creative arts expressions.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 4Reading / Self-study 30Individual reflective log 14Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: Quiz (incl preparation) 20Total: 164

Dr R.T.H. Ho Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 0506 [email protected]

Dr J.S. Potash Centre on Behavioral Health, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 2831 5199 [email protected]

Dr R.T.H. Ho Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 0506 [email protected]


Understanding human existence and the world is broader than scientific compre-hension. In every culture and moment of history, expression of the human experi-ence is based as much in literal and verbal discourses as it is in the arts. Visual arts, music, dance, drama, poetry, and literature have provided imagery to document, explore and understand life. The symbolic and multiple meanings conveyed through both viewing and creating art offers enormous space in which imagination and cre-ativity can be cultivated for knowledge. A guiding question throughout this course is, “How do the creative arts increase our ability to know more about the world, others, and ourselves?” Beginning with the roots of art expression in ritual settings offers an approach to seeing art as innate to the human experience, particularly in bringing order, making meaning and transforming the ordinary. This same urge to create allows us to appreciate the arts for expressing emotion, sharing thoughts, and reflecting on attitudes. As such, the arts serve as a vehicle for enhancing an empathic and intimate understanding of others and oneself. Engaging in creative arts offers unlimited access to unique, non-verbal, and sometimes unconscious con-tent of human experience, thereby promoting world, other and self-understanding.

Creative Arts as a Way of Knowing



102

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – Second semester (Wed) Humanities


Study Load

Alissa, I. (1995). The illusion of reality or the reality of illusion – Hallucinations and culture. British Journal of Psychiatry, 166, 368-373.

Bainbridge, D. (2009). Teenagers: A natural history. London: Portobello.Bottino, A., & Laurentini, A. (2010). The analysis of facial beauty: An

emerging area of research in pattern analysis. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 6111, 425-435.

Cobb, M. (2006). The egg & sperm race: The seventeenth-century scientists who unravelled the secrets of sex, life and growth. London: Free Press.

Cross, J. F., & Cross, J. (1971). Age, sex, race, and perception of facial beauty. Developmental Psychology, 5(3), 433-439.

Hrabosky, J. I., Cash, T. F., Veale, D., Neziroglu, F., Soll, E. A., Garner, D. M., et al. (2009). Multidimensional body image comparisons among patients with eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, and clinical controls: A multisite study. Body Image, 6(3), 155-163.

Jefferson, Y. (2004). Facial beauty – Establishing a universal standard. International Journal of Orthodontics, 15(1), 9-22.

Miller, K. J., Gleaves, D. H., Hirsch, T. G., Green, B. A., Snow, A. C., & Corbett, C. C. (2000). Comparisons of body image dimensions by race/ethnicity and gender in a university population. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 27(3), 310-316.

Patnaik, V., Rajan, S., & Sanju, B. (2003). Anatomy of “A beautiful face & smile”. Journal of the Anatomical Society of India, 52(1), 74-80.

Powell, N., & Humphreys, B. (1984). Proportions of the aesthetic face. New York: Thieme-Stratton.


1. Compare the way pictures are captured by a camera with the perception we acquire through sight.

2. Analyze how images can be digitally manipulated to influ-ence our perceptions.

3. Differentiate when it comes to beauty, the subjective from the objective.

4. Critically debate the value-system of a society based on outward appearance.


Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay 40In-class presentation 20Class discussion 30Literature review 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Movie viewing 4Finding materials from the Internet/magazines,

newspapers or books 10Assessment: Short essay (formative) 6Assessment: Dissertation 20Assessment: Photo essay 16Total: 132

Professor D.S.H. Wong Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 3962 1413 [email protected]

Professor G.C.F. Chan Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2255 4091 [email protected]

Dr M.M. Marcet Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2817 5085 [email protected]

Professor D.S.H. Wong Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 3962 1413 [email protected]

We use vision as a means to illustrate that perception depends on the interaction of body and mind. The course will cover the following topics: (i) “Seeing is believing” – Our eye can be easily fooled and sometimes we see what we want to or expect to see. Under this topic, we will learn how we see and explore the nature of illusion, delusion and hallucination; (ii) “Can we trust our eyes?” – This looks at digital pho-tography and photojournalism. We will examine how a picture tells a story and find out how our perception can be manipulated to influence our perception; and (iii) “Looking at you, looking at me” – Popular culture can objectify our bodies and en-dorse a value system that is based on self-image and physical attractiveness. The way we see ourselves and others affects the way we think, feel and behave.


Vision: The Science and Art of Perception

Required Reading

Humanities

103



Teacher(s)

Study Load





Dr M. Perez-MilansDivision of English Language Education, Faculty of Education📞 2219 4343 [email protected]



1. Describe and explain the origin and development of differ-ent popular cultural genres from the perspectives of major critical cultural theories.

2. Describe and explain with specific examples the roles played by both the linguistic and non-linguistic modes of communication such as visuals, sounds, music, colours and moving images in the construction of multimodal popular cultural texts from both local and global contexts.

3. Interpret and formulate arguments about the ideological functions and impact of different popular cultural genres in contemporary social life in both local and global cultural contexts.

4. Explain and interpret the significance and impact of popu-lar culture on one’s own worldviews and beliefs regarding different social issues and social groups (e.g., related to race, class, gender, sexuality, religious persuasions, etc.).

5. Apply knowledge and understanding of the theories and analytical tools learnt to conduct critical analysis of popu-lar cultural texts.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup presentation 30Individual portfolio 70

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 12Seminars 4Reading / Self-study 50Collecting examples of popular culture genres 12Assessment: Individual portfolio 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Total: 148

Popular culture is a powerful source of fun, excitement, fantasies, desires as well as social controversies. It propagates and circulates cultural and subcultural im-ages and texts, encourages communal identities and affiliations, but also underlines social divisions and prejudices. It is embedded in our increasingly global capital-ist consumption culture, and constructs notions and stereotypes of race, gender, class, sexuality, physical dis/ability, different religious persuasions and so on. We are immersed in popular culture in our everyday life often without having a chance to critically reflect on how our own sense of self and our ways of seeing things and relating to others are implicitly shaped by the many popular cultural texts that we consume pleasurably (e.g., TV dramas, movies, fiction, pop music, on-line games, youtube videos). This course is designed to arouse students’ interest in taking a critical, fresh look at what seems familiar, ordinary and innocent by drawing on con-cepts and analytical tools from cultural studies and critical discourse analysis to re-think and re-examine what has been taken for granted in our pleasurable everyday consumption of popular culture. Guest speakers from the popular cultural industries will be engaged to provide insider perspectives on the making of popular cultural texts.

Fairclough, N., Mulderrig, J., & Wodak, R. (2011). Critical discourse analysis. In T. A. van Dijk (Ed.), Discourse studies: A multidisciplinary introduction (2nd ed.). London: SAGE.

Kress, G. R., & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design (2nd ed.). London; New York: Routledge. [e-book version available through HKU library website]

Storey, J. (2003). Cultural studies and the study of popular culture (2nd ed.). Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press.

Critical Readings of Popular Culture

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

104


Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay / Report writing 40In-class presentation 20Quizzes 20Participation in lectures and tutorials 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Quizzes (incl preparation) 4Total: 148




What is the role of the press in a modern society, and are there minimum standards that you as a citizen can expect from the press? What is the relationship between the press, the public and government in different societies? Has the growth of so-cial media made the traditional press increasingly irrelevant as a forum for spread-ing information and opinions?

These are some of the challenging questions that this course will examine. The course aims to help students become better citizens by allowing them to develop a critical understanding of the different theories of the press and its functions, look-ing at institutional, governmental and business constraints on the press in different countries in the region, and looking at new models of citizen journalism and social media and the impact they might have on the relationship between the press, the public and government.

The course will expose students to different theoretical frameworks for understand-ing the functions of the media in democratic and authoritarian societies, the con-cept of the public sphere and its role in the formation of public opinion, and the role of public opinion in governance.

They will use these concepts to assess the performance of the media by critically analyzing media reports and assessing their quality.

Christians, C. G., Glasser, T. L., & McQuaid, D. (2009). Normative theories of the media: Journalism in democratic societies. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. [Selected chapters]

Gillmor, D. (2004). We the media: Grassroots journalism by the people, for the people. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly. [Selected chapters]

Habermas, J. (1989). The structural transformation of the public sphere: An inquiry into a category of Bourgeois society (T. Burger, Trans.). Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

Lippmann, W. (1922/1965). Public opinion. New York: Free Press. [Chap. 1]

Schudson, M. (2003). The sociology of news. New York: W. W. Norton. [Selected chapters]


1. Critically evaluate various theories on the role of press in society.

2. Apply this understanding to critically examine news re-ports in the press.

3. Demonstrate understanding of how the public sphere is constituted in different societies.

4. Understand the relationship between the press, public opinion and public policy.

5. Evaluate the quality of information appearing in social me-dia and other new forms of information exchange.

Humanities

The Press, the Public and the Public Sphere



Education in the critical faculty is the only education of which it can be truly said that it makes good citizens.

William Graham Sumner

Global Issues

106



Study Load


http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccgl9001

Teacher(s)First semesterDr A.H.J. Magnan-Park School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8212 [email protected]

Dr W.L.M. Yee School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2869 [email protected]

Dr F.Y.W. Law School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2765 [email protected]

Dr E.C.M. Yau School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5110 [email protected]

Second semesterDr E.C.M. Yau School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5110 [email protected]

Dr F.Y.W. Law School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2765 [email protected]

Dr A.H.J. Magnan-Park School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8212 [email protected]

Dr W.L.M. Yee School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2869 [email protected]

Course Co-ordinatorFirst semesterDr A.H.J. Magnan-Park School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8212 [email protected]



1. Review the multi-faceted nature of globalization by acquir-ing new knowledge about Hong Kong cinema in the global context.

2. Identify key concepts that illustrate the interconnected re-lationship between the global scene and local lives through analysis of cinematic texts and film-institutional practices.

3. Articulate the complexity of identity issues in a global world through discussions of filmic texts and filmmakers’ experiences.

4. Communicate effectively in oral and written forms through their analyses and discussions of cinematic and cultural texts.

Assessment Tasks WeightingFilm report 20 Group presentation (with report) 25 Final essay 40 Tutorial participation 15

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Film viewings 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 13Total: 158

Course Code // CCGL9001

Hong Kong Cinema through a Global Lens

In an age where cross-cultural interactions and global traffics are frequent, Hong Kong cinema cannot be regarded merely as a local cinema. It is an interesting site where complex global processes can be traced. Flows of capital, film personnel, technologies, ideas and creativity are vibrantly circulating inside and outside the cultural industry of filmmaking, resulting in phenomena such as transnational co-productions and cross-cultural co-operations. These dynamic processes are inflect-ed in characterization, plot development, and space-time configurations on Hong Kong screens. This course takes students on an interdisciplinary exploration of the local-global interactions from a variety of approaches. With a selection of Hong Kong films, the course aims to help students attain a thorough understanding of the two-way relationship between the local, popular entertainment and the global film scene by investigating the major questions concerning globalization. Film crit-ics and scholars will be invited to conduct guest lectures.


Selections From:

Chan, F. (Director). (1997). 香港製造 [Made in Hong Kong].Chan, G. (Director). (1994). 精武英雄 [Fist of legend]. Chan, J. (Director). (1998). 我是誰? [Who am I?] Chan, P. (Director). (2005). 如果．愛 [Perhaps Love]. Chan, P. (Director). (2007). 甜蜜蜜 [Comrades: Almost a love story].Chang, C. (Director). (2004). 新獨臂刀 [The new one-armed swordsman]. Cheung, M. (Director). (1987). 秋天的童話 [An autumn’s tale]. Chow, S. (Director). (2004). 功夫 [Kung fu hustle] Chung, C. W. (Director). (2004). 天下第一拳 [King boxer (Five fingers of death)]. Hui, A. (Director). (1990). 客途秋恨 [Song of the exile].To, J. (Director). (1999). 鎗火 [The mission]. Tong, S. (Director). (1995). 紅番區 [Rumble in the Bronx].Tse, B. (Director). (2009). 麥兜響噹噹 [McDull: Kungfu Kindergarten]. Wong, K. W. (Director). (1994). 重慶森林 [Chung King express].

Required Reading

Selections from:

Cheung, E. M. K. (2009). Fruit Chan’s Made in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [Chap. 2]

Chu, Y. W. (2004). Introduction: Globalization and Hong Kong film industry. In E. M. K. Cheung & Y. W. Chu (Eds.), Between home and world (pp. 2-15). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.

Collier, J. (2007). The Noir East: Hong Kong filmmakers’ transmutation of a Hollywood genre? In G. Marchetti & S. K. Tan (Eds.), Hong Kong film, Hollywood and the global cinema (pp. 137-145). London: Routledge.

Corrigan, T. (2005/2011). A short guide to writing about film. New York: Longman.Desser, D. (2005). Making movies male: Zhang Che and the Shaw Brothers martial

arts movies, 1965-1975. In L. K. Pang & D. Wong (Eds.), Masculinities and Hong Kong cinema (pp. 17-34). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Erens, P. (2000). Time, memory, and the construction of identity in Song of the exile. Cinema Journal, 39(4), 43-59.

Ford, S. (2008). Mabel Cheung Yuen-Ting’s An autumn’s tale. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Fore, S. (1997). Jackie Chan and the cultural dynamics of global entertainment. In S. H. Lu (Ed.), Transnational Chinese cinemas: Identity, nationhood, gender (pp. 239-262). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Fore, S. (2001). Life imitates entertainment: Home and dislocation in the films of Jackie Chan. In C. M. E. Yau (Ed.), At full speed: Hong Kong cinema in a borderless world. Minneapolis, MN; London: University of Minnesota Press. [Excerpt from pp. 133-137]

Li, C. T. (1996). Popular cinema in Hong Kong. In G. Nowell-Smith (Ed.), The Oxford history of world cinema (pp. 701-711). New York: Oxford University Press.

Liu, J. J. Y. (1967). The Chinese knight errant. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Lo, K. C. (2001). Transnationalization of the local in Hong Kong cinema of the

1990s. In C. M. E. Yau (Ed.), At full speed: Hong Kong cinema in a borderless world. Minneapolis, MN; London: University of Minnesota Press. [Excepts from pp.262-265, 270-275]

Magnan-Park, A. H. J. (2011). Restoring the transnational from the abyss of ethnonational film historiography: The case of Chung Chang Wha. The Journal

of Korean Studies, 16(2), 249-284.Marchetti, G. (2001). Jackie Chan and the black connection. In M. Tinkcom & A.

Villarejo (Eds.), Keyframes: Popular cinema and cultural studies (pp. 137-158). London: Routledge.

Pang, L. K. (2007). Jackie Chan, tourism, and the performing agency. In G. Marchetti & S. K. Tan (Eds.), Hong Kong film, Hollywood, and the new global cinema (pp. 206-218). London: Routledge.

Sima, Q. [Ssu-ma, Ch’ien]. (1968). Records of the grand historian of China (B. Watson, Trans.). New York: Columbia University Press.

Teo, S. (2007). Director in action: Johnnie To and the Hong Kong action film. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [Excerpts]

Teo, S. (2008). Promise and perhaps love: Pan-Asian production and Hong Kong-China interrelationship. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 9(3), 341-358.

Teo, S. (2010). Film and globalization: From Hollywood to Bollywood. In B. S. Turner (Ed.), The Routledge international handbook on globalization studies (pp. 412-428). New York: Routledge.

Yau, C. M. E. (2001). Introduction: Hong Kong cinema in a borderless world. In C. M. E. Yau (Ed.), At full speed: Hong Kong cinema in a borderless world (pp. 1-28). Minneapolis, MN; London: University of Minnesota Press.

Yue, A. (2010). Ann Hui’s Song of the exile. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Global Issues

107

Required Reading / Films


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 58Cultural tour 6Assessment: Essay / Report writing 32Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8Assessment: Mid-term test (incl preparation) 12Total: 150

Assessment Tasks WeightingTest 20Term essay 40Presentation 30Tutorial participation, discussion, presentations 10

Dr M.M. Szeto School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2868 [email protected]

Dr M.M. Szeto School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2868 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the relation of Hong Kong culture to issues of globalization and culture.

2. Interpret local and cross-cultural texts and case studies on globalization and culture.

3. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the inter-connectedness of the cultural and economic aspects of globalization.

4. Examine and critique issues of globalization from a range of different theoretical perspectives.

5. Critically question and reflect on mainstream values and assumptions about globalization, particularly in the local context of Hong Kong.

6. Apply critical theories to respond creatively to issues of globalization that are observable in local communities or comparable foreign cases.

Globalization has become the keyword to signify the profound changes common to contemporary human experience. This course provides an interdisciplinary and critical analysis of the impact of globalization on Hong Kong culture. We start by asking: What is culture? What are the important global cultural trends that Hong Kong also participate in and contribute to? What aspects of globalization are rel-evant to the study of Hong Kong culture? How can postcolonial Hong Kong culture offer new ways to understand the relation between the colonial past and the pre-sent global world order? How can we understand the global-local cultural dynamics that drives Hong Kong into the future? What will we learn about Hong Kong culture if we adopt new critical and self-reflective perspectives? The course introduces key concepts and theories of globalization by focusing on cultural analyses and criti-cal cultural responses to globalization. Particular emphasis is placed on the creative media, transnational cultural industries and global cultural phenomena relevant to everyday Hong Kong experience. This includes the analysis of Hong Kong’s partici-pation in global cultural trends like the creation of cultural districts, the changing emphasis on cultural industries, the conditions of cultural production and consump-tion, the proliferation of urban redevelopment framed in terms of cultural heritage preservation and tourism, as well as the transformations in our everyday experience due to global cultural trends like the Disneyization and McDonaldization of society, new technologies of video and internet gaming and other new media phenomena.

Bryman, A. (2004). The disneyization of society. London; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers.

Community Cultural Concern (2009, Oct 9). Preserving Edinburgh Place as a monument. Hong Kong: Heritage Watch.

Engelhardt, R. (2002). The management of world heritage cities: Evolving concepts, new strategies. Review of Culture, 17-25.

Giroux, H. A. (1999). The mouse that roared: Disney and the end of innocence. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. [pp. 63-81, 83-121]

Harvey, D. (2000). From managerialism to entrepreneurialism: The transformation in urban governance in late capitalism. In M. Miles, I. Borden & T. Hall (Eds.), The city cultures reader (pp. 50-59). London; New York: Routledge.

Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. [Selected chapter and excerpts]

Mommaas, H. (2004). Cultural clusters and the post-industrial city: Towards the remapping of urban cultural policy. Urban Studies, 41(3), 507-532.

Picker, M. (Director). (2001). Mickey Mouse monopoly. [Film]Ritzer, G. (2004). The McDonaldization of society. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Pine Forge Press. [Chap. 1]Spurlock, M. (Director). (2004). Super size me. [Film]Szeto, M. M. & Chen, Y. C. (2011). Mainlandization and neoliberalism with

post-colonial and Chinese characteristics: Challenges for the Hong Kong film industry. In J. Kapur & K. Wagner (Eds.), Neoliberalism and global cinema: Capital, culture, and Marxist critique. New York: Routledge.

Williams, R. (1985). Keywords: A vocabulary of culture and society (Rev. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. [Selected keywords]

Williams, R. (2000). Culture is ordinary. In G. Bradford et al. (Eds.), The politics of culture: Policy perspectives for individuals, institutions, and communities. New York: New Press: Distributed by W. W. Norton.

First semesterDr A.H.J. Magnan-Park School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8212 [email protected]



Course will be offered twiceLecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Sat); Section 2 – Second semester (Wed)


Hong Kong Culture in the Context of Globalization

Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9026 Think Global, Act Local: You, Hong Kong, and the World

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

108 http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccgl9003



1. Analyze how epidemics have shaped the modern world.

2. Demonstrate an awareness of globalization’s role in facili-tating the spread of disease.

3. Reflect upon and critically consider the value of historical knowledge in meeting current global health challenges.

4. Use a historically-informed approach to critically examine contemporary ideas about contagion.

Study Load

Assessment: 100% courseworkAssessment Tasks WeightingContinual assessment and task-focused activities 35Online portfolio 15Course project 50


Extracts from:

Bashford, A., & Hooker, C. (2001). Contagion: Historical and cultural studies. London: Routledge.

Crosby, A. W. (2003). The Columbian exchange: Biological and cultural consequences of 1492 (30th anniversary ed.). Westport, CT: Praeger. [Chaps. 1, 6]

Crossley, P. K. (2008). What is global history? Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity.

Farmer, P. (1999). Infections and inequalities: The modern plagues. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Garrett, L. (1995). The coming plague: Newly emerging diseases in a world out of balance. New York: Penguin.

Harrison, M. (2012). Contagion: How commerce has spread disease. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Hays, J. N. (1998). The burdens of disease: Epidemics and human response in western history. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Le Roy Ladurie, E. (1981). A concept: The unification of the globe by disease. The mind and method of the historian (pp. 28-83). (S. Reynolds & B. Reynolds, Trans.). Brighton, UK: Harvester Press.

Mazlish, B., & Iriye, A. (2005). The global history reader. New York: Routledge.

McNeill, W. H. (1976). Plagues and peoples (1st ed.). Oxford: Blackwell.Price-Smith, A. T. (2009). Contagion and chaos: Disease, ecology, and

national security in the era of globalization. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Rosenberg, C. E. (1992). Explaining epidemics and other studies in the history of medicine. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.

Wald, P. (2008). Contagious: Cultures, carriers, and the outbreak narrative. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Wolfe, N. (2011). The viral storm: The dawn of a new pandemic age. London: Allen Lane.

Dr R.S. Peckham School of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7048 [email protected]

Dr R.S. Peckham School of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7048 [email protected]


How have epidemics shaped the modern world? In what ways has globalization contributed to the spread of disease? And how can historical awareness help us meet the challenges of the present and reconsider the relationship between the local and the global? This course addresses these critical issues from a number of perspectives, mapping the intertwined histories of globalization and infection from fifteenth-century European conquests of the “New World” to the present. The course explores the economic, political and social processes that have contributed to the rise of global epidemics, including: early modern transoceanic exchanges, the slave trade to the Western hemisphere, global conflicts and epidemics, imperial re-sponses to contagion, the rise of global health agencies after WWII, and emergent twenty-first-century animal-to-human infections such as SARS and avian flu in Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa. Within this broad scope, the course engages with a number of fundamental questions: How and under what conditions did the “uni-fication of the world by disease” come about? What challenges to global security does this infectious interconnectedness pose? What potential might globalization offer in helping to contain epidemics? How, and with what consequences, has the past shaped the way we think about contagious outbreaks today?

Contagions: Global Histories of Disease

Required Reading

Global Issues

109


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Cardoso, F. H., Gaviria, C., & Zedillo, E. (2009, February 23). The war on drugs is a failure. The Wall Street Journal.

Giddens, A. (2003). Runaway world: How globalization is reshaping our lives. New York: Routledge.

Held, D. (1997). Globalization and cosmopolitan democracy. Peace Review, 9(3), 309-314.

Held, D. (2011, October 17). From the American Century to a cosmopolitan order. openDemocracy. From http://www.opendemocracy.net/david-held/from-american-century-to-cosmopolitan-order

Helleiner, E. (2005). The evolution of the international monetary and financial system. In J. Ravenhill (Ed.), Global political economy (pp. 152-175). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hitchcock, W. I. (2003). The struggle for Europe: The turbulent history of a divided continent, 1945-2002. London: Profile.

Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S. (2001). Power and interdependence (3rd ed.). New York: Longman.

Mazower, M. (2012). Governing the world: The history of an idea. London: Allen Lane.

Naím, M. (2003). The five wars of globalization. Foreign Policy, 134, 28-37. Nicholson, M. (2002). International relations: A concise introduction (2nd

ed.). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. O’Neill, S. (2011, June 17). How Mexico can win the drug war, Colombia’s

way. Council on Foreign Relations. From http://www.cfr.org/mexico/mexico-can-win-drug-war-colombias-way/p25298 [Originally published on Bloomberg.com]

Pettis, M. (2013). The Great rebalancing: Trade, conflict, and the perilous road ahead for the global economy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Rawlins, A. (2011, December 13). Mexico’s drug war. Council on Foreign Relations. From http://www.cfr.org/mexico/mexicos-drug-war/p13689

Wolf, M. (2004). Why globalization works. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Primary source documents (UN Charter, ICC Statute, NATO Treaty, etc.).Newspaper articles because up-to-date examples will be used in the lectures and tutorials.


1. Compare, explain, and differentiate the basic concepts, terminology, modes, and mechanisms of governance at the global level.

2. Apply conceptual and theoretical frameworks to explore the factors, conditions, and processes which impact on the way governance is administered.

3. Evaluate and critically reflect on how democratic forms of governance are challenged by globalization.

4. Appraise the limitations of strictly national forms of gov-ernance and the need for cooperation among diverse stakeholders on a global level.

Assessment Tasks WeightingShort reading assignments 25Research proposal and outline for the essay 10Essay 35Small-group tutorial presentation 10In-class assignment 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Proposal writing 30Assessment: Small-group presentation (incl preparation) 5Assessment: In-class assignment 1Assessment: Weekly reading assignments 15Total: 127


Dr C.R. Vogt School of Modern Languages and Cultures (European Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8046 [email protected]

Dr C.R. Vogt School of Modern Languages and Cultures (European Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 8046 [email protected]


How can global problems and issues be solved when there is no global govern-ment? This issue-driven course explores how the world is likely to be governed in the 21st century.

We will examine some of the most important issues and challenges facing the world today: conflicts and global security; the development of the global economy; and the impacts of organized crime, migration, economic crises, and diseases on social stability and the wellbeing of societies. The course elucidates how these challenges are being addresed by a growing variety of actors, some of which are beyond the control of nation-states.

The aim is to raise your awareness of the risks globalization poses to state-based governance in general and democracy in particular. The course illustrates the con-nection between global developments (which often impact on individual societies but can no longer be controlled by them) and the need to bring about effective decision-making arrangements. But how accountable, transparent, and open are these new governance mechanisms? We will analyze the interplay of state-based and international institutions, regimes, and agreements, as well as the emerging im-pact of private and non-state actors. The aim is to critically reflect on the evolution of global governance and the potential erosion of democracy.

Governance and Democracy in the Age of Globalization


Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9006 Asian Regional Governance in an Age of Globalization

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

110

Dr C.R. LykinsDivision of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education,Faculty of Education📞 2241 5428 [email protected]

Dr C.R. LykinsDivision of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education,Faculty of Education📞 2241 5428 [email protected]


1. Critically analyze the concepts of poverty and develop-ment and how they are used in various contexts.

2. Examine the strategies used by individuals and organiza-tions, including nations, multilateral agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals, to reduce poverty and pro-mote sustainable development.

3. Develop an actionable plan to help reduce poverty and/or promote sustainable development.


Study Load

Assessment Tasks WeightingCase study preparation 20Challenge Project portfolio 80

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Out of class experiences 8Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Portfolio 32Total: 120

Brautigam, D. (2009). The dragon’s gift: The real story of China in Africa. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Collier, P. (2007). The bottom billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Collins, D. (2009). Portfolios of the poor: How the world’s poor live on. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Easterly, W. (2006). The white man’s burden: Why the West’s efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good. New York: Penguin Press.

Postiglione, G. A. (2009). Dislocated education: The case of Tibet. Comparative Education Review, 3(4), 483-512.

Postiglione, G. A., Jiao, B., & Goldstein, M. (2011). Education in the Tibetan autonomous region: Policies and practices in rural and nomadic communities. In J. Ryan (Ed.), Education reform in China. London: Routledge.

Sachs, J. (2005). The end of poverty: Economic possibilities for our time. New York: Penguin Press.

Sen, A. (2001). Development as freedom. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

UNESCO. (2011). EFA Global Monitoring Reports. Paris: UNECO. From http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/ [Executive summaries]

This course examines the ways in which poverty and development affect the lives of people around the world, with a special focus on the lives of young people. What are the challenges faced by young people living in poverty? What actions can indi-viduals and organizations take to help young people better meet these challenges? We examine these questions in the context of current debates over international development as well as case studies of organizations involved in the fight against poverty.

Poverty, Development, and the Next Generation: Challenges for a Global World




Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9025 The Political Economy of Growth and Poverty in the World

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

111

Study Load




Dr C.J. Richardson Department of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2393 [email protected]

Dr I.J. SohnDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4372 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of the nature, challenges, re-sponses and consequences of East Asia’s globalization.

2. Compare and contrast regional institutions across Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East in the context of globalization.

3. Critique global and regional governance from multiple per-spectives.

4. Demonstrate communication skills and leadership for the improvement of the human condition.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass participation and weekly discussion questions 15Tutorial discussion 15Essay 30In-class test 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 35Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 30 Total: 151

This course examines the Challenges of Global Governance theme of the Global Is-sues AoI. Understanding of globalization challenges in the East Asian context and East Asia’s institutional responses offers a useful strategy to explore this issue. Tak-ing a historical approach and using key theoretical perspectives, students will learn how the East Asian region has been coping with an unprecedented level of inter-dependence and how Asian regional governance has evolved into its current forms. The course also explores the dynamics of regional institutional governance from a comparative perspective and the relationship between regional governance and global governance in the process of globalization.

Acharya, A. (2010). Democracy or death? Will democratization bring greater regional instability to East Asia? The Pacific Review, 23(3), 335-358.

Baldwin, R. E. (2006, March). Managing the noodle bowl: The fragility of East Asian regionalism. CEPR Discussion Papers.

Beeson, M. (2005). Rethinking regionalism: Europe and East Asia in comparative historical perspective. Journal of European Public Policy, 12(6) 969-985.

Bergsten, C. F. (2007, March). China and economic integration in East Asia: Implications for the United States. Policy Briefs in International Economics. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Caballero-Anthony, M. (2007, June). Nontraditional security and multilateralism in Asia: Reshaping the contours of regional security architecture? Policy Analysis Brief. The Stanley Foundation.

Cossa, R. A. (2008). Security dynamics in East Asia. In D. Shambaugh & M. Yahuda (Eds.), International relations of Asia (pp. 317- 338). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Curley, M., & Thomas, N. (2004). Human security and public health in Southeast Asia: The SARS outbreak. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 58(1), 17-32.

Kang, D. C. (2010). Hierarchy and legitimacy in international systems: The tribute system in early modern East Asia. Security Studies, 19(4), 591-622.

Park, J. (1997). APEC and ASEAN: The future of Asian environmental regionalism. Environmental Politics, 6(3), 162-167.

Park, J. J. (2011). The US-led alliances in the Asia-Pacific: Hedge against potential threats or an undesirable multilateral security order? The Pacific Review, 24(2), 137-158.

Park, J. S. (2005, Autumn). Inside multilateralism: The Six-party talks. The Washington Quarterly, 28(4), 75-91.

Sohn, I. (2005). Asian financial cooperation: The problem of legitimacy in global financial governance. Global Governance, 11(4), 487-504.

Terada, T. (2006, May). Forming an East Asian Community: A site for Japan−China power struggles. Japanese Studies, 26(1), 5-17.

Tuli, V. (2006, August). Regional cooperation for Asian energy security. RIS Discussion Papers, No. 112.


Asian Regional Governance in an Age of Globalization

Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9004 Governance and Democracy in the Age of Globalization

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)Global Issues

112

Study Load


Beck, U., & Beck-Gernsheim, E. (2009). Global generations and the trap of methodological nationalism for a cosmopolitan turn in the sociology of youth and generation. European Sociological Review, 25(1), 25-36.

Collin, P., & Burns, J. (2009). The experience of youth in the digital age. In A. Furlong (Ed.), Handbook of youth and young adulthood: New perspectives and agendas (pp. 283-290). London: Routledge.

Falk, R. (1994). The making of global citizenship. In B. Steenbergen (Ed.), The condition of citizenship (pp. 127-140). London: Sage.

Juris, J. S., & Pleyers, G. H. (2009). Alter-activism: Emerging cultures of participation among young global justice activists. Journal of Youth Studies, 12(1), 57-75.

Kaufman, N. H., Rizzini, I., Wilson, K., & Bush, M. (2002). The impact of global economic, political, and social transformations on the lives of children: A framework for analysis. In N. H. Kaufman & I. Rizzini (Eds.), Globalization and children: Exploring potentials for enhancing opportunities in the lives of children and youth (pp. 3-18). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Mills, M., Blossfeld, H. -P., & Klijzing, E. (2005). Becoming an adult in uncertain times: A 14-country comparison of the losers of globalization. In H. -P. Blossfeld (Ed.), Globalization, uncertainty and youth in society (pp. 423-441). Oxford: Routledge.

Nilan, P., & Feixa, C. (2006). Introduction: Youth hybridity and plural worlds. In P. Nilan & C. Feixa (Eds.), Global youth? Hybrid identities, plural worlds (pp. 1-13). London: Routledge.

Turner, B. S., & Khondker, H. H. (2010). Globalization: East and West. London: Sage. [Chap. 2]

Tyyska, V. (2005). Conceptualizing and theorizing youth: Global perspectives. In H. Helve & G. Holm (Eds.), Contemporary youth research: Local expressions and global connections (pp. 3-14). Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.

Weenink, D. (2008). Cosmopolitanism as a form of capital: Parents preparing their children for a globalizing world. Sociology, 42(6), 1089-1106.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project and presentation 30Group report 30Field visit reports 20Participation in tutorials and discussion forum (Moodle) 20


1. Demonstrate awareness, as “young people” themselves, of the interconnectedness of the world.

2. Critically assess how globalization influences different as-pects of young people’s daily lives.

3. Analyze the proactive and positive role youth can play in the changing world.

4. Propose how young people as global citizens can and should respond to transformations brought about by glo-balization.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 4Reading / Self-study 40Participation in discussion forums (Moodle) 8Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Total: 146

Dr E.W.H. Chui Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2074 [email protected]

Dr E.W.H. Chui Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2074 [email protected]

This course facilitates students as “young people” to be more aware of the intercon-nectedness of the world and to critically assess how globalization influences differ-ent aspects of young people’s daily lives. It also analyzes the proactive and positive role youth can play in the changing world, and provides students with an oppor-tunity to propose how young people as global citizens can and should respond to transformations brought about by globalization. Various social issues or specific ar-eas of youth global trends such as consumerism, transnationalism, cosmopolitanism and digitalism that confront young people in their everyday life will be examined in a systematic manner. By doing so, students will critically evaluate what global citizenship should entail in order to reduce inequality and promote care for human rights as well as human dignity in today’s global community.



Youth in a Global World

Global Issues

113



Teacher(s)

Study Load

Assessment: 100% courseworkAssessment Tasks WeightingGroup YouTube project / presentation 40Second Life experiential portfolio 30In-class test 20Tutorial critical reflections and discussion 10


1. Differentiate and integrate the key theories, concepts and issues relating to globalization and ICT.

2. Apply key concepts and theories framing the interface of globalization and ICT to their everyday experiences.

3. Demonstrate a keen understanding of the interconnected-ness of the world by critically evaluating films, websites, video clips, Internet media, and other sources.

4. Explore and apply a multi-cultural perspective of global citizenship and the duties and responsibilities associated with global membership.

5. Express a critical understanding of the digital divide de-bate and understand how both the “haves” and “have nots” of technology are simultaneously benefited and limited by ICT.



Dr M.C. Adorjan Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8532 [email protected]

Dr A.C.H. Yu Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8482 [email protected]

Dr M.C. Adorjan Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8532 [email protected]


As evidenced by a wide range of fundamental social, cultural, political and eco-nomic transformations, the world today is becoming increasingly globalized. Within this environment, it is essential that we examine how Information and Communica-tion Technology (ICT) is directing and redefining what it means to live in a “global society”. The melding of technology and globalization has become the touchstone of the new millennium and it is impossible to discuss the impact and significance of one without the other. In short, these dual revolutions are shaping each other and, through combined forces, directing the way we live, learn, work and socialize.

This interdisciplinary course examines how ICT allows for high-speed global ac-cess – making it possible to instantly connect to anyone and anywhere – and how this immediate access has created a nexus of social, cultural, economic and politi-cal implications for everyone. The course offers students an opportunity to critically evaluate not only how globalization and ICT have revolutionized the way we live, but also how this new environment uniquely situates them to, in turn, direct many of these changes. Within this context, the course will ask: What kind of global so-ciety are we heading toward? Who should participate in deciding the future? How will the “big” decisions be made and by whom? The course also requires students to reflect critically on their own uses of technology and how today’s Net Generation is confronted with global technologies that are, at once, both constraining and em-powering. As such, students will be inspired to not only broaden their interest and understanding of globalization, but develop a position as informed global citizens and articulate the impact of technology on all human endeavors.

Cybersocieties: Understanding Technology as Global Change

Required Reading

Required Websites

Boyd, D. (2008). Why youth (heart) social network sites: The role of networked publics in teenage social life. In D. Buckingham (Ed.), Youth, identity, and digital media (pp. 119-142). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. [Also available from http://www.danah.org/papers/WhyYouthHeart.pdf]

Gottschalk, S. (2010). The presentation of avatars in Second Life: Self and interaction in social virtual spaces. Symbolic Interaction, 33(4), 501-525.

Lewis, J., & West, A. (2009). “Friending”: London-based undergraduates’ experience of Facebook. New Media & Society, 11(7), 1209-1229.

Qiang, X. (2011). The battle for the Chinese Internet. Journal of Democracy, 22(2), 47-61.

Selwyn, N. (2004). Reconsidering political and popular understandings of the digital divide. New Media & Society, 6(3), 341-362.

Wood, N., & Ward, S. (2010). Stigma, secrets, and the human condition: Seeking to remedy alienation in PostSecret’s digitally mediated environment. Symbolic Interaction, 33(4), 578-602.

Yar, M. (2006). Political hacking. Cybercrime and Society (pp.45-62). London: Sage.

Anonymous and the global correction (Aljazeera, 2011, February 16)http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/02/201121321487750509.htmlChina tries to stamp out “Jasmine Revolution” (A. Chang, The Washington Times, 2011, February 20)http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/20/china-tries-stamp-out-jasmine-revolution/?page=allCyberspace when you’re dead (R. Walker, The New York Times, 2011, January 5)http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/magazine/09Immortality-t.html?_r=1Difference is the norm on these dating sites (K. Barrow, The New York Times, 2010, December 27)http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/28dating.html?_r=1Facebook rescue highlights “ongoing struggle” (ABC News, 2009, September 8)http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-08/facebook-rescue-highlights-ongoing-struggle/1421180A girl’s nude photo, and altered lives (J. Hoffman, The New York Times, 2011, March 26)http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/us/27sexting.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=homepage&src=meThe Great Firewall of China (G. R. Barme & S. Ye, Wired, 1997, June)http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.06/china.htmlHacking for free speech: A new breed of “hacktivists” takes on Internet censorship (C. Sprigman, FindLaw, 2003, June 24)http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary/20030624_sprigman.htmlHow Second Life affects real life (K. Dell, Time, 2008, May 12)http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1739601,00.htmlJihad vs. McWorld (B. R. Barber, The Atlantic, 1992, March)http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1992/03/jihad-vs-mcworld/3882/Tell-all generation learns to keep things offline (L. M. Holson, The New York Times, 2010, May 8)http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/fashion/09privacy.html?emc=eta1Trapped girls update Facebook instead of calling cops (ABC News, 2009, September 9)http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-07/trapped-girls-call-for-help-on-facebook/1420352WikiLeaks and hacktivist culture (P. Ludlow, The Nation, 2010, October 4)http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/7669895/771113000/name/Wikileaks.pdfWorld wakes up to digital divide (J. Wakefield, BBC News, 2010, March 19)http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8568681.stmThe world is flat (T. L. Friedman, 2005, May 16) [Video]http://video.mit.edu/watch/the-world-is-flat-9145/

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

114



Study Load


Chan, C. S. (2009). Creating a market in the presence of cultural resistance: The case of life insurance in China. Theory and Society, 38(3), 278-302.

Diawara, M. (1998). Toward a regional imaginary in Africa. In F. Jameson & M. Miyoshi (Eds.), The cultures of globalization (pp. 103-124). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Klein, N. (2000). No logo: Taking aim at the brand bullies. New York: Picador. [Chap. 6]

Mittelman, J. H. (2004). Whither globalization? The vortex of knowledge and ideology. London; New York: Routledge. [pp. 89-98]

Pun, N. (2005). The social body, the art of discipline and resistance. Made in China: Women factory workers in a global workplace (pp. 77-108). Durham, NC: Duke University Press; Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Ritzer, G. (2006). An introduction to McDonaldization. In G. Ritzer (Ed.), McDonaldization: The reader (2nd ed., pp. 4-24). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

So, A. Y. (1990). Social change and development: Modernization, dependency, and world-systems theories. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. [pp. 17-23, 33-37, 91-93, 104-109, 169-171, 180-199]

Steger, M. B. (2009). Globalization: A very short introduction. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. [pp. 1-16, 71-80]

Trent, B. (1998). Media in a capitalist culture. In F. Jameson & M. Miyoshi (Eds.), The cultures of globalization (pp. 230-246). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Watson, J. L. (1997/2006). Golden arches east: McDonald’s in East Asia. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. [pp. 1-38]

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Reading / Self-study 50Preparing materials and questions for discussion 12Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Quizzes (incl preparation) 6Total: 146

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup presentation and tutorial participation 40Group project 40Quizzes 20

Professor T.L. Lui Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8531 [email protected]

Mr G.P.F. Wong Deparment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2054 [email protected]

Professor T.L. Lui Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8531 [email protected]


1. Appraise different cultures outside their own world.

2. Analytically engage in the current debates over culture and globalization within and outside the academic circle.

3. Evaluate the pros and cons of the current globalizing forces and attempt to think of better alternatives for the problematic arenas.


“Culture and globalization” has drawn increasing attention from journalists and scholars of different disciplines. Today, even economists are interested in “culture” and its impacts on economic practices. This course on one hand discusses and ana-lyzes how culture matters in the global diffusion of the market economy, and how the globalizing modern capitalist practices affect local cultures, and on the other hand examines whether economic globalization homogenizes or diversifies cultures at the local and global scales, and evaluates if the processes increase or reduce hu-man freedom and choice. This course will explore these issues through a perusal of different topics, such as work and labor in multi-national corporations, the Mc-Donaldization of social and cultural sphere of life, local consumption habits and patterns, and the global discourse of media and fashion.

Local Cultures and Global Markets

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


115


Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project report 40Group presentation and tutorial participation 40Field visit report 20

Study Load

Giulianotti, R. (1999). Football: A sociology of the global game. Cambridge: Polity Press.

King, A. (2002). The end of the terraces: The transformation of English football in the 1990s (Rev. ed.). London; New York: Leicester University Press.

LaFeber, W. (2002). Michael Jordan and the new global capitalism (Expanded ed.). New York: W. W. Norton.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Fieldwork / Visits (incl field visit and writing up

observation notes) 8Reading / Self-study (incl preparations for lectures

and tutorials) 60Assessment: Report writing (incl research and

data collection) 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Total: 146 Professor T.L. Lui

Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8531 [email protected]

Mr G.P.F. Wong Deparment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2054 [email protected]

Professor T.L. LuiDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8531 [email protected]


1. Identify and analyze the impacts of globalization on social life (sports culture being an example) in the contemporary world.

2. Relate global changes to their daily experience.

3. Apply the basic concepts and theoretical perspectives to an analysis of the impacts of globalization in our social life.

4. Connect the basic concepts and theoretical perspectives to an analysis of a selected topic on sports culture under global capitalism in their group project report.

5. Cooperate in groups to produce a presentation and dem-onstrate appropriate presentation skills.

This course introduces students to an analysis of how global capitalism has brought various sports games into a global sports culture since the mid 19th century and from the 1980s onwards has turned such a global sports culture into a new kind of global business. Global capitalism is the driving force of the growth and spread of a global sports culture. Yet, it has also restructured the nature of our sports culture. Increasingly, our sports games have been turned into “theatres of dreams”, being spectacles of global consumption. The latter are further intertwined with nationalist projects of identity building. The main objectives are to help students examine con-temporary sports culture critically and from different perspectives, understand the impacts of global capitalism on contemporary social life, and relate them to their personal experiences through an analysis of lively examples of spectator sports such as soccer and basketball.



Sports Culture under Global Capitalism


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

116

Required Reading

Required Websites



Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingClass participation 12Quizzes and short writing assignments 18Group research project 35In-class test 35

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 44News and documentary viewing 8Assessment: Essay / Report writing 34Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 12Total: 132

Professor Y.Y. ChanJournalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4000 [email protected]

Professor Y.Y. ChanJournalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4000 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate basic understanding of the global media sys-tem, in light of contending political, cultural and economic paradigms.

2. Demonstrate basic understanding of the role of technol-ogy in the development of the global media system.

3. Identify and demonstrate basic understanding of the mechanisms by which governments, and business interests influence the framing of news.

4. Demonstrate basic understanding of the role of and impact of social media on the global dynamics of information flow and exchange.

5. Demonstrate an awareness of the emergence of “new voices” in the global media.

6. Demonstrate understanding of the issues of freedom of ex-pression, privacy and transparency in relation to the global media.

In this course, students will examine the role of the globalized news media in shap-ing perceptions of global and local realities, the extent to which the growing ac-cess to information from around the globe fosters information sharing and citizen participation in public affairs. The course will also consider the extent to which an increasingly globalized and fragmented media system impacts on power balances in information flow, domestic information production and dissemination. Does me-dia globalization simply amount to the triumph of capitalist consumerism and the media values and institutions associated with the western model of economic and social development? Is there a developing “culture war” between “Eastern” and “Western” media institutions and values? What is the role of Hong Kong, China and Asia in providing their own narratives in the global media? In a multipolar cultural world, how could citizens contribute to the global conversation on local and global issues? The course will also reflect on critical media-related values such as the free-dom of expression, privacy and transparency.

Media in the Age of Globalization


Selections from:

Bennett, W. L. (2011). News: The politics of illusion (9th ed.). New York: Pearson/Longman.

Bremmer, I. (2013). Every nation for itself: Winners and losers in a G-zero world. New York: Penguin.

Chan, J. M., Lee, C. C., Pan, Z., & So, C. Y. K. (2002). Global media spectacle: News war over Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

MacKinnon, R. (2012). Consent of the networked: The world-wide struggle for Internet freedom. New York: Basic Books

Schiffrin, A., & Kircher-Allen, E. (2012). From Cairo to Wall Street: Voices from the global spring. New York: New Press.

Seib, P. (Ed.). (2012). Al Jazeera English: Global news in a changing world (1st ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Tumbler, H. (2008). Journalism: Critical concepts in media and cultural studies. New York: Routledge.

Students are expected to read widely and stay up to date on current events and major news developments in Hong Kong, China and globally. Selections from newspapers, magazines, business school case studies, website references, and other teaching resources will be prepared using up-to-date sources for classes.

Digital Wildfires in a Hyperconnected World http://reports.weforum.org/global-risks-2013/risk-case-1/digital-wildfires-in-a-hyperconnected-world/

Framing the News: The Triggers, Frames and Messages in Newspaper Coverage, A Study of the Project for Excellence in Journalismhttp://www.journalism.org/node/445

Free Speech Debate, University of Oxfordhttp://freespeechdebate.com/en/

Mapping Digital Media, by Open Society Foundations http://www.mediapolicy.org

Required Reading


117

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingJournal writing: Critical reviews of films 40Group debate 20Group presentation 20Examination 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study: Course textbook reading 12 Additional and optional course readings 12 Final exam preparation 3

Journal writing and critical reviews of films 30Film viewing 16Group presentation preparation and research 8Debate preparation 5Assessment: Examination 2Total: 122

Brown, L. R. (2000). Challenges of the new century. State of the world 2000: A Worldwatch Institute report. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. [pp. 3-21]

Dryzek, J. S. (2005). The politics of the earth: Environmental discourses. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51-58.

Note: Additional readings, including contemporary news articles, may be added to the required reading list during the semester. Documentary and fictional films (eight films in total) will be selected based on a class vote in the first week of the semester.


Teacher(s)


1. Identify the stakeholders and their basic strategies in envi-ronmental politics and communication.

2. Explore media news programs, framing and agenda set-ting, especially in the environmental area.

3. Critically analyze media events, fiction films and documen-taries related to environmental issues.

4. Describe and explain environmental NGOs’ media and communication strategies.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the concepts, practices and dilemmas of environmental journalists.

6. Demonstrate an awareness of sustainable practices in cor-porate and consumer behavior.

7. Demonstrate understanding of and sensitivity to the core values and ethical stances regarding social, economic and environmental sustainability.

8. Demonstrate understanding of the complex relationship of sustainability, information society, and social media.

Dr M. SukosdJournalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5071 [email protected]

Dr M. SukosdJournalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5071 [email protected]

In the 21st century, environmental problems (including global warming, widespread pol-lution, the shortage of fresh water, the mass extinction of animal and plant species, and genetic modification) move ever higher on the agenda of national and international poli-tics. At the same time, we all gather information about these issues from the media (the Internet and social media, television, the press, radio), documentary films and movies. Taking a communication perspective, this course focuses on how the media present en-vironmental issues and conflicts.

First we explore different versions of environmentalism and related social movements. Then we focus on environmental communication: the concepts of media framing, agen-da setting, campaigns, newsworthiness, news construction, and media events. We also discuss movies and documentaries with environmental themes, and the social impact they may have. Special attention is paid to communication strategies of environmental NGOs (e.g., Greenpeace), environmental journalism, and how social media are used for environmental activism. We also address issues related to sustainability, consumption and the media. The course also features the screening of American, British and Chinese films with environmental themes. Class topics include environmental problems and the power of the media; concepts of mass media; concepts in political ecology; environmen-tal discourses; media and the environment; communication strategies of environmental NGOs; green politics and green political parties. We end the course by considering the question: is information society sustainable?

Media, Politics and the Environment



Global Issues

118

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load




This course provides, against the background of some of the most significant glob-al problems and concerns, an introduction into some of the main moral issues in in-ternational affairs, such as ethical universalism vs. particularism and cultural relativ-ism; the (real or perceived) tension between nationalism or patriotism on the one hand and cosmopolitanism on the other; global distributive justice; moral issues in the context of pollution and climate change; individual responsibility in a global context; and the (real or perceived) tension between human rights and internation-al (criminal) law on the one hand and national sovereignty/self-determination on the other. At the end of the course, students should have an overview of some of the most important debates about global ethics and be able to make use of some of the most advanced philosophical theories in assessing the issues involved.

Brock, G. (2009). Global justice: A cosmopolitan account. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 5, 8]

Jones, C. (1999). Global justice: Defending cosmopolitanism. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 5-7]

Singer, P. (2002). One world: The ethics of globalization. New Haven, CT; London: Yale University Press. [Chaps. 1-5]

The United Nations General Assembly. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. From http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

Assessment Tasks WeightingTerm essay 70Tutorial participation 30


1. Describe and explain some of the main global problems and some of the main theories about global justice intend-ed to tackle these problems.

2. Relate and apply these theories to specific cases and is-sues and to different phases in the development of the international order.

3. Demonstrate an awareness of how normative debates can be connected with, affected by and impact upon political agendas.

4. Identify certain advantages and limitations of the respec-tive theories.

5. Form an informed opinion and support it by argument.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 100Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Total: 149

Dr U.B. Steinhoff Department of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1927 [email protected]

Dr U.B. Steinhoff Department of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1927 [email protected]


Thinking about Global Ethics

Required Reading

Study Load



Teacher(s)

This course will introduce students to historical and contemporary perspectives of globalization and migration. There will be twelve lectures comprising three themes. In the first theme, Past and Present: Globalization and Migration as Historical Phe-nomena, human flows will be introduced in their historical contexts, including the impact of developments such as capitalism, colonialism and the emergence of na-tion states. The second theme, Migration: Forms, Causes and Social Issues, intro-duces the typologies of migratory flows and the barriers to these movements. The third theme, Global Governance and Civil Society, provides a framework for under-standing migration from the individual level to the national level, and of relations between states. Students will be introduced to inter-governmental bodies and the agreements/conventions that regulate human flows, and the civil society move-ments for migrant populations.

Allerfeldt, K. (2010). “And we got here first”: Albert Johnson, national origins and self-interest in the immigration debate of the 1920s. Journal of Contemporary History, 45(1), 7-26.

Castles, S., & Miller, M. J. (2009). International migration before 1945. The age of migration: International population movements in the modern world (4th ed., pp. 79-95). Basingstoke, UK; New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Davis, M. (2001). Late Victorian holocausts: El Niño famines and the making of the third world (pp. 1-59). London; New York: Verso. [Preface, A note on definitions & Chap. 1]

Hsia, H. C. (2004). Internationalization of capital and the trade in Asian women: The case of foreign brides in Taiwan. In D. D. Aguilar & A. E. Lacsamana (Eds.), Women and globalization (pp. 181-229). Amherst, NY: Humanity Books.

Martin, P. L. (1999). Guest worker policies: An international survey. In A. Bernstein & M. Weiner (Eds.), Migration and refugee policies: An overview (pp. 45-83). London; New York: Pinter.

Nyíri, P., & Saveliev, I. R. (2002). Globalizing Chinese migration: Trends in Europe and Asia. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate. [2 selected chapters]

Parnwell, M. (1993). Forms of population movements in the Third World. In Population movements and the Third World (pp. 29-70). London: Routledge.

Pecoud, A. (2009). The UN convention on migrant workers’ rights and international migration management. Global Society, 23(3), 333-350.

Teschke, B. (2002). Theorizing the Westphalian system of states: International relations from absolutism to capitalism. European Journal of International Relations, 8(1), 5-48.

Vink, M. (2003). “The world’s oldest trade”: Dutch slavery and slave trade in the Indian Ocean in the seventeenth century. Journal of World History, 14(2), 131-177.

Wells, S. (2002). The journey of man: A genetic odyssey. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 30Group projects 30In-class tests 40


1. Demonstrate understanding of human and social develop-ments in the movement of people across time, and articu-late differences with its current forms in globalization.

2. Demonstrate understanding of how seemingly far-off phe-nomena such as wars, famines, the dispossession of people or corruption in governance can have an effect on urban centers and urban lives.

3. Identify types of human flows, and objectify their causes, motivations, nature, issues and debates in discourses of globalized human flows.

4. Demonstrate understanding of the role of development and trade in producing surplus labor and dispossessed populations who migrate, and engage with the moral and political discourses shaping people flows across borders.

5. Participate as active members of a diverse global commu-nity through exposure to issues of development and links that they will be encouraged to explore in their assign-ments.

6. Engage in intensive group activities with their classmates in seeking solutions to existing problems in human flows.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 72Group projects; collective research, presentations 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: In-class tests (incl preparation) 12Total: 160

Dr A.S.C. Sim Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2058 [email protected]

Dr A.S.C. Sim Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2058 [email protected]


Globalization and Migration

Global Issues

119



Global Issues

120


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Several newspaper, popular science, business school case studies, website references, and other teaching resources will be prepared using up-to-date sources for each class session. Extensive use will be made of FAOSTAT, an agricultural production database from the United Nations.

Assessment Tasks WeightingQuizzes / Participation 10Proposal / Outline for essay 5In-class test 50Group project and presentation 35

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Seminars 6.5Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 12Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 60Assessment: In-class test 1.5Total: 156

Professor H. Corke School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0314 [email protected]


Professor H. Corke School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0314 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the Green Revolution and its relation-ship to future improvements in agriculture through bio-technology.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the critical issues facing China’s struggle to feed itself.

3. Discuss critically the fundamental relationships among en-ergy supply, energy cost, and food production.

4. Use newly developed skills to critically read, analyze and interpret media reports on food supply related topic.

5. Demonstrate investigative skills by preparing an in-depth group investigation (resulting in a 30 minute presentation) using library databases and FAOStat production data.

Continuing human population increases, competition for water supplies, and con-cern about energy prices have led to profound pessimism about long-term food supplies. Already a billion people go hungry every day. This course offers an in-depth look at key issues in global food sufficiency, food production, food distribu-tion, prospects and constraints. You will develop an integrated technical, economic and political understanding of the global food supply crisis. You will be equipped to understand and appreciate media reports related to this issue in your lives as in-formed and influential citizens. Topics covered will include: global food production and population trends; the special problem of China, the world’s biggest producer and consumer of food; the Green Revolution; alternative agricultures; meat produc-tion; agriculture as an energy-intensive business; water and agriculture; and biofu-els.

Feeding the World



Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9017 Food: Technology, Trade and Culture /CCGL9041 You, Food and the City: Local and Global Food Networks

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 10Short critical reports 10Project development 10Project outcome and presentation 30In-class test 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Seminars 6Reading / Self-study 30Research and development of project 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 10Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 48Assessment: In-class test 2Total: 152

Professor H. CorkeSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0314 [email protected]


Dr J.S.C. LeungFaculty of Science📞 2241 5433 [email protected]

Professor H. CorkeSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science📞 2299 0314 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the origin, production, and process-ing of a range of key food materials and food products.

2. Outline the history of global trade in selected food com-modities and products, showing an understanding of how this impacted economic development and cultural change.

3. Apply formal methodologies from sensory science to evaluating the organoleptic properties of food products.

4. Appreciate the massive changes in the dietary culture of a “global city” such as Hong Kong over the past 30 years.

5. Demonstrate the ability to investigate a topic within the subject matter of the course, and apply new methodolo-gies and paradigms to summarize and present the results.

Why do we eat what we eat? Where does the food come from? What makes for “desirability” or sensory quality in food? How and why did global trade develop around the production and shipping of food? What are the historical roots of the modern-day globalized food industry? This course will offer an in-depth look at key issues in the economic history of global trade in food, in processing foods for opti-mum quality, and the development of markets for new products. Examples will be drawn from commodities – such as salt, sugar or spices; major beverages – such as wine or coffee; and newly globalized products – such as pizza or chocolate. The major themes of the course are:• The historical development of food commodity trading• The globalization of food preferences• The definition, development and spread of “new” products• The understanding of some basic underlying technology/science in the pro-

duction and processing of major foods.

Pomeranz, K., & Topik, S. (2006). The world that trade created: Society, culture, and the world economy, 1400 to the present (2nd ed.). Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Food: Technology, Trade and Culture

Global Issues

121http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccgl9017


Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9016 Feeding the World /CCGL9041 You, Food and the City: Local and Global Food Networks

Global Issues

122

Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load

Berle, A. A., Jr. (1932). For whom corporate managers are trustees: A note. Harvard Law Review, 45(8), 1365-1372.

Bowen, H. R. (1953). Social responsibilities of the businessman. New York: Harper & Row. [Selections]

Coase, R. (1960). The problem of social cost. The Journal of Law and Economics, 3, 1-44.

Dodd, E. M., Jr. (1932). For whom are corporate managers trustees? Harvard Law Review, 45(7), 1145-1163.

Drucker, P. F. (1999). Management challenges for the 21st century. New York: HarperBusiness.

Friedman, M. (1970, September 13). The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits. The New York Times Magazine.

Hardin, G. (1968). The tragedy of the commons. Science, 162(3859), 1243-1248.

Hardin, G. (1998). Extensions of “The tragedy of the commons”. Science, 280(5364), 682-683.

Hiltzik, M. (2009, December 31). Peter Drucker’s revolutionary teachings decades old but still fresh. Los Angeles Times.

Olson, M. (1971). The logic of collective action: Public goods and the theory of groups. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Selections]

Ostrom, E., Burger, J., Field, C. B., Norgaard, R. B., & Policansky, D. (1999). Sustainability − Revisiting the commons: Local lessons, global challenges. Science, 284(5412), 278-282.

Pigouvian Tax. In Wikipedia. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigovian_tax

Sheldon, O. (1923). The philosophy of management. London: Pitman. [Selections]

Stigler, G. (1971). The theory of economic regulation. Bell Journal of Economics and Management Science, 3, 3-18.

Assessment Tasks WeightingWritten paper 50Examination 50


1. Demonstrate a heuristic understanding of economic con-cepts relevant to analyzing CSR issues.

2. Understand, analyze and critically interpret cases and ex-amples of issues in corporate social responsibility using the relevant economic concepts.

3. Reflect upon the interactions between economic and po-litical dimensions of corporate social responsibility issues and their moral dilemmas.

4. Understand, analyze and critically interpret and reflect upon the relationship between issues of corporate social responsibility affecting businesses and its broader relation-ship with the nature of society and duties of citizenship.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Preparation for tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Written paper 30Assessment: Examination 2Total: 140

Professor R.Y.C. WongSchool of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1122 [email protected]

Professor R.Y.C. WongSchool of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1122 [email protected]


In this course, the idea that corporations have social responsibility beyond maximiz-ing shareholder value is examined from two competing perspectives. The market failure conception sees corporate behavior as voluntary responses to market fail-ures that are not adequately corrected by state action alone and is therefore com-plementary to the market. Students study the central arguments of Peter Drucker on why businesses should embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on their communities, environment, consumers, employees, and all other members of the public sphere. The government failure conception of corporate social respon-sibility sees it as a reaction to an interventionist state captured by interest groups. Milton Friedman and George Stigler made the case that in a free society the prima-ry, if not sole, social responsibility of corporations is to maximize profits. Social ac-tion is seen as advocacy for special interests that have conflicting loyalties to local, national and global constituencies. Their actions are viewed as misguided and worst as advancing special interests that are socially harmful to the broader social inter-est. Through the study of examples, the course examines the adequacy of these two conceptions in explaining the behavior of corporations. Students examine well known issues like, global warming, pollution, contagious diseases, public security, consumer product safety, employee satisfaction, and the extinction of animal spe-cies.


Corporate Social Responsibility


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Bhagwati, J. (2004). In defense of globalization. Auckland: Oxford University Press.

Stiglitz, J. E. (2003). Globalization and its discontents. New York: W. W. Norton.


Assessment Tasks WeightingExamination 30Tutorials 20Group project presentation 25Group project report 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study / Preparation for tutorials 50Assessment: Group report writing 18Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 18Assessment: Examination 2Total: 122

Dr Y.F. Luk School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1050 [email protected]

Dr B. Chung School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1034 [email protected]

Dr Y.F. LukSchool of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1050 [email protected]


1. Discuss the economic, social, institutional, technological and other underlying forces that drive globalization.

2. Apply basic economic concepts to understand the eco-nomic benefits and costs of globalization.

3. Analyze the pros and cons of economic globalization on different stakeholders from multiple perspectives, such as economic, social, and political economy.

4. Evaluate the impact of economic globalization on the con-flict between nations, social classes, and how international organizations mitigate or aggravate such conflicts.

5. Demonstrate a sense of global citizenship and social re-sponsibility.

Globalization is a buzzword that means different things to different people. This course is about the economic dimensions of globalization. It refers to the integra-tion of national economies into the world economy through trade, investment, fi-nance, technological transfer and labor movement. Globalization has created not only winners and losers but also new economic issues for humankind. The costs and benefits of globalization to individuals, firms, and governments are intertwined and complex. The aim of this course is to provide a clear roadmap for students to understand the economic issues and challenges of globalization and how the latter affect the interests of various stakeholders in the world economy.

Economic Globalization: Issues and Challenges

Global Issues

123



Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9022 Globalization in Question: Human and Economic Consequences

124

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Lecture Time // First semester (Wed)Global Issues

Ghosh, A. (2010, March 25). Climate, trade and global governance in the midst of an economic crisis. Briefing at a public hearing on global governance, European Parliament, Brussels.

Hardin, G. (1968). The tragedy of the commons. Science, 162(3859), 1243-1248.

Hardin, G. (1998). Extensions of “The tragedy of the commons”. Science, 280(5364), 682-683.

Najam, A., & Halle, M. (2010, May). Global environmental governance: The challenge of accountability. Sustainable Development Insights. The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-range Future, Boston University.

Sax, J. (1971). Defending the environment: A strategy for citizen action. New York: A. Knopf. [Selections]

Siebert, H. (2008). Economics of the environment: Theory and policy. Berlin; New York: Springer. [Selections]

Assessment Tasks WeightingTerm paper 50Participation in tutorials / group discussions 20Group project: Produce and present a PowerPoint 30


1. Describe and explain the institutional framework of eco-nomic globalization and how it affects the environment.

2. Critically evaluate previous and current international efforts to address environment issues at a global level in the light of the concepts introduced in the course.

3. Contribute actively to solving global environmental issues.


Professor B.F.C. Hsu Department of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 8064 [email protected]


Globalization is a process under which economies, societies, and cultures are in-tegrated through a worldwide network. Environmental protections together with other shared objectives in the face of globalization pose fundamental challenges to humankind in the 21st century and need to be addressed. In this course, stu-dents will develop an understanding of environmental issues arising from economic globalization and how they are addressed by global governance and international conventions. Course topics include: (i) Theoretical framework from a layperson’s perspective – externality, the tragedy of the commons, Coase Theorem and public good; (ii) Pollution, deforestation, hazardous substances, and climate change; (iii) Globalization: economic, political, and legal dimensions; (iv) Global governance: in-ternational conventions and treaties on environment; (v) Trade and environment: WTO Agreement and environmental protection; (vi) Regulating the environment: law and policy, tax, and economic incentives.

Environment, Globalization, and the Law



Global Issues

125



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Brown, F., & Hall, D. (2006). Tourism and welfare: Ethics, responsibility, and sustainable well-being. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing. [Chap. 5]

Cole, S., & Morgan, N. (2010). Tourism and inequality: Problems and prospects. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing. [Chap. 4]

Cook, R. A., Yale, L. J., & Marqua, J. J. (2010). Tourism: The business of travel. Upper Saddle Rver, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. [Chaps. 7, 11, 12]

Crouch, G. I., Perdue, R. R., Timmermans, H. J. P., & Uysal, M. (Eds.). (2004). Consumer psychology of tourism, hospitality, and leisure (Vol. 3). Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing. [Chap. 5]

Dogan, H. Z. (1989). Forms of adjustment: Sociocultural impacts of tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, 16, 216-236.

Font, X., & Buckley, R. C. (2001). Tourism ecolabelling: Certification and promotion of sustainable management. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.

Goeldner, C. R., & Ritchie, J. R. B. (2012). Tourism: Principles, practices, philosophies (12th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. [Chaps. 1, 14]

Gössling, S. (2002). Global environmental consequences of tourism. Global Environmental Change, 12, 283-302.

Griffin, T., & DeLacey, T. (2002). Green Globe: Sustainability accreditation for tourism. In R. Harris, et al. (Eds.), Sustainable tourism: A global perspective. London: Routledge.

Mill, R. C., & Morrison, A. M. (2009). The tourism system. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt. [pp. 29-39; Chaps. 2, 14]

Pizam, A., & Mansfeld, Y. (Eds.). (1999). Consumer behavior in travel and tourism. New York: Haworth Hospitality Press. [Chap. 12]

Rogerson, J. M., & Sims, S. R. (2012). The greening of urban hotels in South Africa: Evidence from Gauteng. Urban Forum, 23(3), 391-407.

Tao, T. C. H., & Wall, G. (2009, June). A livelihood approach to sustainability. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 14(2), 137-152.

Warnken, J., Bradley, M., & Guilding, C. (2005). Eco-resorts vs. mainstream accommodation providers: An investigation of the viability of benchmarking environmental performance. Tourism Management, 26, 367-379.

Wilkinson, P. F., & Murray, A. L. (1991). Centre and periphery: The impacts of the leisure industry on a small town (Collingwood, Ontario). Society and Leisure (Loisir-et-Société), 14(1), 235-260.


Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial presentation and participation 20Issue papers 20Field visit report 30In-class quiz 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: In-class quiz (incl preparation) 10Total: 120


Dr T.C.H. TaoDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2841 [email protected]

Dr Y.P. LiDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2837 [email protected]

Dr T.C.H. TaoDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2841 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain theories of globalization, and apply them to an understanding of the social, economic and po-litical organization of the international tourism system.

2. Comprehend and evaluate the changing relationships be-tween states, civil society and markets, and their influence on the relations of power and inequality in international tourism.

3. Use relevant information about globalization to evaluate the influence of international tourism on economic devel-opment, employment, migration and notions of citizenship in global society.

4. Identify and devise effective strategies to regulate process-es of tourism development that are compatible with no-tions of social justice and fair trade, particularly in poorer regions and states.

5. Apply intellectual skills with particular emphasis on the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of ideas, concepts and theories relevant to the study of globalization and tourism.

The issue of whether globalization is beneficial remains controversial, particularly because globalization policies are often examined without consideration of their interactions with key sectors of economy, notably tourism. Tourism is arguably the world’s largest industry and has been considered as an economic development op-tion by many developing countries. However, it is questionable whether income generated through tourism can bring marginalized communities increased eco-nomic independence and life standards. This course aims to use tourism as a lens to explore key issues of globalization and economic development and how tourism, a global phenomenon, influences local people’s lives. Course objectives are to 1) introduce the concepts relevant to tourism and globalization; 2) apply theoretical frameworks to the analysis of contemporary issues of the globalization of tourism, and the complex relationships that link local, regional, national and international processes and patterns of tourism development; 3) explore the dynamic relation-ship between the forces of globalization, transnational tourism corporations, and the state and civil society in the context of tourism; and 4) assess critically the eco-nomic, political and social ramifications of the systemic sources of power and in-equality which are reflected in and sustained by international tourism, for all actors involved in the international tourism system.

Globalization and Tourism

Global Issues

126


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Required Reading


Course BookLechner F. J., & Boli, J. (Eds.). (2008). The globalization reader (3rd

ed.). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. (Newer edition is also acceptable.)

Further, a course pack with key readings will be made available to students.

Cran, W., & Barker, G. (Directors). (2003). Commanding heights: The battle for the world economy. (Three films based on the book by Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw; includes interviews with world leaders from twenty countries, such as Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Lee Kuan Yew). PBS.


1. Differentiate various theories of globalization; establish their own vision of the pros and cons of globalization.

2. Diagnose and critique the challenges of a free-market system, including the provision of social services (such as health and education), and issues related to consumerism and the environment.

3. Examine and differentiate the impact of globalization in various areas of the world, and relate them to mass con-sumption, economic growth and the protection of the environment, both globally and locally.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project 30Review of a film or a novel 30Examination 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 12Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 12Total: 132

Professor G.A. Postiglione Division of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2859 2526 [email protected]

Dr E.J. Jackson Division of Policy, Administration and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education📞 2219 4195 [email protected]



This course demonstrates how globalization affects developing and industrialized countries in various areas of the world. It enables students to develop a broader perspective of the global interconnectedness of modern societies. The course is di-vided into three parts. First, it offers a theoretical overview and definitions of what globalization is, how it started, and how it affects present modes of production and consumption. Second, it discusses how the existing global governance system (including the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization) can address new challenges under globalization, including economic slowdown, job creation, and environmental degradation. The third part, case studies, investigates concrete examples of how development in various regions has been influenced by globalization and by international institutions. The case studies in particular focus on developing countries in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The intellectu-al underpinning of the course is based on the interpretation of three main economic frameworks, namely, the communist theories of Karl Marx, the free market approach of Adam Smith, and the social liberalism proposed by John Maynard Keynes.

Globalization in Question: Human and Economic Consequences



Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9019 Economic Globalization: Issues and Challenges

Global Issues

127




Teacher(s)

Study Load

Required Reading

Assessment Tasks WeightingResearch project and written paper 30Group project 20Examination 20Group debates / Presentations 15Quizzes 10Class participation 5

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Group debates 12Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 10Total: 120

Ms D. Weisenhaus Journalism and Media Studies Centre,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4006 [email protected]

Mr M. Kajimoto Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4005 Email: [email protected]

Ms D. Weisenhaus Journalism and Media Studies Centre,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4006 [email protected]



1. Describe and explain the history and global development of the Internet with its myriad impacts on the daily per-sonal lives of individuals around the world.

2. Identify and analyze the prevailing practices of institutional and individual Internet users, including those who have created changes or controversies in society.

3. Understand and appraise fundamental ethical and legal principles, including areas such as freedom of speech, pri-vacy, defamation, copyright and obscenity, and how they affect Internet users.

4. Analyze how key local and transnational regulatory de-velopments, including in Greater China, are changing the nature and use of the Internet worldwide.

5. Apply knowledge to increase users’ online literacy and thus enhance comprehension and effective use of the Internet.

Excerpts from:

Castells, M. (2007). Mobile communication and society: A global perspective: A project of the Annenberg Research Network on international communication. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Diebert, R. (Ed.). (2008). Access denied: The practice and policy of global Internet filtering. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Lessig, L. (2009). Code 2.0. New York: Basic Books. Nakamura, L. (2008). Digitizing race: Visual cultures of the Internet.

Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Palfrey, J., & Gasser, U. (2008). Born digital: Understanding the first

generation of digital natives. New York: Basic Books. Solove, D. (2008). The future of reputation: Gossip, rumor and privacy

on the Internet. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Thussu, D. K. (2007). News as entertainment: The rise of global

infotainment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Zittrain, J. (2009). The future of the Internet and how to stop it. New

Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

This course will explore the history and global impact of the Internet, how it is re-shaping individual and mass communications worldwide and how these globalizing changes affect the personal, social, cultural and economic aspects of the daily lives of its users. Course elements will also provide an overview of how Internet users are affected by growing efforts internationally to control the Internet in the wake of moral controversies such as cyberbullying, hate speech and sex photo scandals, as well as the objectives and strategies of key stakeholders in those efforts. A criti-cal examination of the duties and responsibilities of users as global citizens within ethical and legal frameworks will enhance students’ abilities to assert their rights, to respect those of others and to build on their capacity to promote quality dialogue and critical reflection of important topics.


Internet, Media and Society

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



128

Abley, M. (2003). Spoken here: Travels among threatened languages. London: William Heinemann.

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay 50Group project 50


1. Demonstrate an awareness of linguistic diversity in human history.

2. Critically examine the discourse of linguistic endangerment and revitalization and its foundations.

3. Identify and explain the challenges that modernity poses to diversity.

4. Demonstrate critical evaluation of the politics of diversity in multilingual societies, in particular educational policies.

5. Describe and discuss the relationship between language and identity at the individual and societal level.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 40Independent research and fact-finding tasks 15Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 5Total: 129



This course critically examines the issue of endangered languages, with particular focus on the role of globalization, ethnic identity and language policies in the life and death of languages. Since ancient times, population movements, war and trade have affected the ways in which different languages have fared. Western coloniza-tion of many parts of the world brought about drastic changes in the ecology of languages, in particular a dramatic decrease in diversity. The distribution of lan-guages in the world today reveals that 78% of humans today express themselves in one of 85 large languages, while the remaining groups of humans speak over 5,000 different minor languages. Why is there such an imbalance? The fact that a few global languages represent modern and powerful nations while thousands of small languages usually represent indigenous and marginalized groups leads to a discourse of endangerment in which a threatened language requires “saving” or re-vitalization efforts. Others argue that the demands of modernity and globalization challenge this view. Who is right? In this course students are led to a deeper exami-nation of the political, cultural and educational forces that shape the destiny of lan-guages, so as to be able to more insightfully discuss the tension between preserva-tion and modernization of human cultural heritage in modern society.

The Life and Death of Languages: Diversity, Identity and Globalization



Required Reading

Global Issues

129


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. (2012). Why nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity, and poverty. New York: Crown Business.

Banerjee, A. V., & Duflo, E. (2011). Poor economics: A radical rethinking of the way to fight global poverty. New York: PublicAffairs.

Bhagwati, J. (2006). In defense of globalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Collier, P. (2007). The bottom billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 1-5]

Cowen, T., & Tabarrok, A. (2013). Modern principles of economics (2nd ed.). Worth Publishers. [Chaps. 24, 25, 26]

De Soto, H. (1989). The other path: The invisible revolution in the Third World. New York: Harper & Row. [Chaps. 1, 3, 5, 6]

Ravallion, M. (2011, February 14). Awareness of poverty over three centuries. From http://www.voxeu.org

Robinson, J., & Acemoglu, D. (2011, June 8). Morishima Lecture on “Why nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity and Poverty.”

The London School of Economics and Political Sciences, UK. Rodrik, D. (2000, Winter). How far will international economic

integration go? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(1), 177-186.Rodrik, D. (2012, July 11). The new global economy’s “relative” winner.

Project Syndicate. From http://www.project-syndicate.org Sala-i-Martin, X., & Pinkovskiy, M. (2010, January 22). Parametric

estimations of the world distribution of income. From http://www.voxeu.org

Sala-i-Martin, X. (2003). Growth and the world distribution of income. [PowerPoints]

Sala-i-Martin, X. (2003). The world distribution of income. [PowerPoints]

Assessment Tasks WeightingWritten paper 50Examination 50


1. Understand, analyze and critically interpret key economic concepts and ideas through applying them to quantitative data on growth and poverty across the world and over time.

2. Understand, analyze and critically interpret and reflect upon interacting economic and political dimensions of growth and poverty.

3. Understand, analyze and critically interpret and reflect upon the outcomes for growth and poverty comparing so-cialist versus capitalist economies and open versus closed economies through the study of cases and examples in history.

4. Understand, analyze and critically interpret and reflect upon the relationship between issues of growth and pov-erty and its broader relationship with human development.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 72Preparation of case/data analysis for tutorials 12Assessment: Written paper 30Assessment: Examination 2Total: 152


Professor R.Y.C. Wong School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1122 [email protected]

Professor R.Y.C. Wong School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1122 [email protected]



Globalization has been criticized for failing to bring prosperity for all and blamed for the poverty that has continued to exist, if not worsened. This course examines the empirical evidence for these claims. It develops and applies economic concepts to understand how growth and poverty as development outcomes are affected by the economic and political processes within and among nations. The role of trade, migration, capital flows, and technology are studied as global market processes that affect growth and poverty. The behavior of the state in promoting develop-ment, regulating economic activities, and as an agent for corporate and special in-terest groups is examined critically for its affects on growth and poverty.

The course helps students to: • gain an understanding of why some nations succeed to grow and others re-

main poor; • learn why prosperity within and across nations is not equally shared; • understand the interplay of the state and the market in affecting growth and

poverty; and • attain a critical appreciation of why different individuals and groups support or

oppose globalization.

Students are introduced to examples of how political processes in one nation can impact development outcomes in another nation. They study how political process-es interacting with economic processes at local, national, and global levels can lead to great variations in development outcomes.

The Political Economy of Growth and Poverty in the World


Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9005 Poverty, Development, and the Next Generation: Challenges for a Global World

Required Reading

Global Issues

130


Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)


Study Load

Brune, N., & Garrett, G. (2005). The globalization Rorschach test: International economic integration, inequality, and the role of government. Annual Review of Political Science, 8, 399-423.

Davis, D. E. (2005). Cities in global context: A brief intellectual history. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 29(1), 92-109.

Edwards-Jones, G., et al. (2008). Testing the assertion that “local food is best”: The challenges of an evidence-based approach. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 19(5), 265-274.

Faulconbridge, J. R., & Muzio, D. (2012). Professions in a globalizing world: Towards a transnational sociology of the professions. International Sociology, 27(1), 136-152.

French, H. (2000). “Sharing the air”. Vanishing borders: Protecting the planet in the age of globalization. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. [Chap. 6]

Hassard, J., Morris, J., & McCann, L. (2012). “My brilliant career?” New organizational forms and changing managerial careers in Japan, the UK, and USA. Journal of Management Studies, 49(3), 571-599.

Lejano, R., & Stokols, D. (2013). Social ecology, sustainability, and economics. Ecological Economics, 89, 1-6.

Luo, X., & Shen, J. (2012). The making of new regionalism in the cross-boundary metropolis of Hong Kong-Shenzhen, China. Habitat International, 36, 126-135.

Oosterveer, P., & Sonnenfeld, D. A. (2012). Food, globalization and sustainability. New York: Earthscan. [Excerpts from Chapters 2 and 3]

Sachs, J. S. (2008). Economics for a crowded planet. New York: Penguin Group. [Excerpts]

Spilerman, S. (2009). How globalization has impacted labour: A review essay. European Sociological Review, 25(1), 73-86.

Stiglitz, J. (2003). Dealing with debt: How to reform the global financial system. Harvard International Review, 25(1), 54-59.

United Nations Environment Programme. (2004). Why Take a Life Cycle Approach? Paris: UNEP.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2008). Globalization for Development: The International Trade Perspective. New York and Geneva: United Nations. [Excerpts]

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2011). Development-led Globalization: Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Development Paths. New York and Geneva: United Nations. [Excerpts]

Wackernagel, M., & Rees, W. E. (1996). Our ecological footprint: Reducing human impacts on the Earth (New Catalyst Bioregional Series). Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers. [Section I]

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass participation 10Group presentation 15Individual presentation 5Problem sets 20Written reflection 10Examination 40


1. Explain the way global trade and the global financial sys-tem works and describe the impact economic globalization has had on labor migration, consumption, carbon economy and sustainable development.

2. Reflect on and discuss the ways you and Hong Kong impact and are impacted by the global economy and envi-ronment.

3. Identify actions that could be taken to remedy negative impacts you might have on the world.

4. Distinguish and weigh trade-offs of different courses of action to ameliorate negative impacts or enhance positive impacts.

5. Choose some small (or large) actions to take to contribute to sustainable development.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Problem sets (incl preparation) 14Assessment: Written reflections 5Total: 138

Professor B.S. TangDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4897 [email protected]

Dr R.P. LejanoDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2546 1049 [email protected]

Professor B.S. TangDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4897 [email protected]



The catchphrase, “Think global, act local”, has become widespread in the last two decades, as global connections have vastly expanded while the local context is increasingly recognized to be crucial in efforts to improve the world. Given the in-creasing complexity and interconnectedness of the contemporary world, it is impor-tant for each of us to understand how we are linked to the multitude of people and places in it, and what impacts our actions have on them. This course covers several key aspects – trade, consumption, labor, professionalism, the carbon economy, fi-nance, and sustainable development – in the context of Hong Kong and the world. In each topic we connect examples from lives in Hong Kong to the rest of the world. We will also introduce related academic theories to understand how changes in our lives in Hong Kong can change the world. Students who have taken the course should be able to answer both “big” questions related to the global economy as well as seemingly “simple” questions about everyday life, about the consequences of actions.

Think Global, Act Local: You, Hong Kong, and the World


Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9002 Hong Kong Culture in the Context of Globalization

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Global Issues

131



Friman, H. R. (Ed.). (2009). Crime and the global political economy. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Maltz, M. D. (1976). On defining “organized crime”: The development of a definition and a typology. Crime and Delinquency, 22(3), 338-346.

Naaim, M. (2005). Illicit: How smugglers, traffickers and copycats are hijacking the global economy. New York: Doubleday.

Robinson, J. (1998). The laundrymen. London; New York: Pocket Books.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 10Presentation 25In-class assessments 30Research essays 35


1. Demonstrate an understanding of the literature on the il-licit global economy and its linkages to transnational crime in the global era.

2. Appraise the constraints, dilemmas and quandaries facing nation-states and international institutions in their dealings with the illicit activities in the globalized age and reflect upon the challenges posed for global democratic govern-ance.

3. Critically question and reflect upon existing ethical judg-ments about illicit activities and their actual functionality in host societies.

4. Comprehend the tensions between state actions and crimi-nal entrepreneurship and the ambiguous moral areas of state-sanctioned illegal covert activities.

5. Identify the implications of global criminal activities and how they relate to the Hong Kong society and in turn how local criminal activities have worldwide repercussions.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Documentary video viewing 12Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: In-class assessment (unseen paper) 2Total: 135


Dr V.E.L. TeoSchool of Modern Languages and Cultures (Japanese Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5925 [email protected]

Dr V.E.L. TeoSchool of Modern Languages and Cultures (Japanese Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5925 [email protected]

Globalization has provided expansionist opportunities for less-than-honest entre-preneurs, criminal organizations and outlawed radical groups worldwide. Illicit and illegal flows of goods, services, information, money and even people cross national borders each day. These flows represent the shadowy side of globalization and signify a real if understudied dimension of the global economy – that of the illicit world political economy. This course introduces students to this facet of globaliza-tion that pertains to organized crime, radical terrorist cells and covert groups. The course first provides the students with a conceptual and theoretical introduction. It then goes on to present an empirical survey of various activities within the illicit world political economy in relation to globalization. By inviting students to consider selected case studies on the trafficking and trade of illicit goods such as weaponry, drugs, credit card numbers and human organs, as well as illicit services such as money laundering and counterfeiting, students are encouraged to reflect on how these activities are intricately linked to their local lives, and the opportunities and challenges these issues present for global governance and economic development of the societies they live in.

Criminal Organizations, Clandestine Globalization and the Illicit World Political Economy

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

132

Study Load


The following cases and reading materials will be assigned. The list will be updated as deemed appropriate.

Chakravorti, B. (2010). Letting no serious crisis go to waste: Innovation and entrepreneurship after the Great Recession. Harvard Business Multimedia CDROM.

Mathis, J., Tuzzolino, F., & Ramaswamy, V. (2011). Global financial crises and the future of securitization. Harvard Business School Case.

Moss, D., & Bolton, C. (2011). Fighting a dangerous financial fire: The federal response to the crisis of 2007-2009. Harvard Business School Case.

Narayanan, V. G., Ferri, F., & Brem, L. (2010). The credit crisis of 2008: An overview. Harvard Business School Case.

Pill, H., Di Tella, R., & Schlefer, J. (2008). Financial crisis in Asia: 1997-1998. Harvard Business School Case.

Roscini, D., Schlefer, J., & Dimitriou, K. (2011). The Greek crisis: Tragedy or opportunity. Harvard Business School Case.

Rotembery, J. J. (2008). Subprime meltdown: American housing and global financial turmoil. Harvard Business School Case.

Segel, A. I., & Creo, B. (2010). Understanding the credit crisis of 2007-2008. Harvard Business School Background Note.

Steil, B. (2009, March). Lessons of the financial crisis (Council Special Report No. 45). Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Council on Foreign Relations.


Assessment Tasks WeightingClass participation and tutorial discussions 10Homework and case summaries 20Group project and presentation 20Individual report on group project 20Take-home test 30


1. Describe the socio-economic background and the possible causes for the financial crisis and explain how the crisis through the different financial and economic channels can reinforce itself and affect other economies in the world.

2. Formulate critical questions and reflections regarding is-sues of economic development against an understanding that very often our efforts to respond to one problem might lay the foundations for the next.

3. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of the various govern-ment policies for the rescue of the faltering economy and assess how these policies in one country can impact others in the global economy.

4. Demonstrate understanding that the elimination of crises, if possible at all, is very costly and hence why crises will almost certainly recur.

5. Assess how the current crisis will form and shape the future path of growth and development for the global economy.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 50Video viewing 10Assessment: Individual report on group project 10Assessment: Group presentation of group project 20Assessment: Case summaries and homework 20Assessment: Take-home test 4Total: 150

Dr K.S. Tse School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2857 8636 [email protected]

Dr K.S. Tse School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2857 8636 [email protected]


As a subprime mortgage crisis that started in America in 2008, the crisis speedily mutated into a “systemic risk” threatening the financial system of every advanced and emerging economy. The financial contagion quickly exacerbated the impact of the crisis by transmitting the financial shocks through the interlinked financial mar-kets to the whole global economy.

Sooner than expected, millions of people in America, Europe and even China lost their jobs and fell into poverty. Almost overnight the entire investment banking in-dustry worldwide was wiped out. The crisis that started out in America has turned into the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Understanding the Financial Crisis aims to bring to students an exploratory account of the crisis and an understanding of the conceptual underpinnings of the issues that lie at the heart of it. The course will focus on how the current financial crisis began, how it developed, how the different countries dealt with it with their own politico-economic means and measures, what are the effects on people, and what is its implication for the global economy, and its broader ramifications for our soci-ety.

Understanding the Financial Crisis


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


133

Selected chapters from: Hisrich, R. (2010). International entrepreneurship: Starting, developing,

and managing a global venture. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Isenberg, D. (2007, June 5). Bert Twaalfhoven: The successes and

failures of a global entrepreneur. Harvard Business Review. [Case study]

Landes, D., Mokyr, J., & Baumol, W. (Eds.). (2010). The invention of enterprise: Entrepreneurship from ancient Mesopotamia to modern times. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Salkowitz, R. (2010). Young world rising: How youth technology and entrepreneurship are changing the world from the bottom up. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Westhead, P., Wright, M., & McElwee, G. (Eds.). (2011). Entrepreneurship: Perspectives and cases. London: FT Prentice Hall.


Assessment Tasks WeightingClass contribution 30Case summaries and reports 30Project 20In-class tests 20


1. Assess the global market and evaluate business and social opportunities from a novel point of view concurrent with the technological trends.

2. Develop the awareness and understanding for the relevant social factors in different cultural environments.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the social media tools in reaching different market segments and promoting social equality and justice.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits / Guest speaker 5Reading / Self-study 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Group project 20Assessment: Class discussion 10Assessment: In-class test (incl preparation) 5Total: 122 Dr Y. Zheng

School of Business, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1026 [email protected]

Dr Y. Zheng School of Business, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1026 [email protected]

This course introduces entrepreneurship from historical, global, and social perspec-tives. It aims to provide a basic understanding of entrepreneurship and to guide students to embrace the fundamental changes occurring in both the business com-munities and society. Students will learn about the history of entrepreneurship in ancient civilizations, which will help students develop an objective and balanced view on entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the course brings in the modern elements by examining the evolution of entrepreneurship with the proliferation of information technology and economic globalization. This is important for motivating students to deepen their understanding about entrepreneurship and its connection with global phenomena. Lastly, students will be guided to think about entrepreneurship in the context of social enterprise. It is particularly relevant to acknowledge ways to leverage successful business models to address social and environmental concerns. The course links historical and societal interests with business strategies, which have critical implications far beyond profitability.

Entrepreneurship: Global and Social Development



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Global Issues

134

Study Load


Farrar, J., & Dugdale, A. (1990). Introduction to legal method (3rd ed.). London: Sweet & Maxwell. [Chap. 1]

Franklin, D. P., & Baun, M. J. (Eds.). (1995). Political culture and constitutionalism: A comparative approach. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. [Introduction, Conclusion]

Fukuyama, F. (2011). The origins of political order. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. [pp. 245-289]

Grimm, D. (2011). Levels of the rules of law on the possibility of exporting a Western achievement. European-Asian Journal of Law and Governance, 1(1), 5-11.

Li, B. (2000, April). What is rule of law? Perspectives, 1(5). Published by the Overseas Young Chinese Forum. From http://www.oycf.org/Perspectives2/5_043000/Contents.htm

Lloyd, D. (1981). The idea of law. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. [Chap. 6]

Scholte, J. A. (2005). Globalization: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillian. [Chap. 1]

Tai, B. (1994). The rule of law and the accessibility of lawyers. In R. Wacks (Ed.), In fear of China? Lawyers and the public interest. Hong Kong: Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong.

Tai, B. (2007). Developing an index of the rule of law: Sharing the experience of Hong Kong. Asian Journal of Comparative Law, 2, 89-109.

Tay, A. E.-S. (2007). “Asian values” and the rule of law. In P. Costa & D. Zolo (Eds.), The rule of law: History, theory and criticism. Dordrecht: Springer.

Terence, H., & Osinsky, P. (2006) Globalization of law. Annual Review of Sociology, 32, 447-70.

Tamanaha, B. (2004). On the rule of law: History, politics, theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Chaps. 3, 4, 5]

Walker, G. de Q. (1988). The rule of law: Foundation of constitutional democracy. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press. [Chap. 1]

Assessment Tasks WeightingWorksheets 50Performance in tutorials 15Portfolio and research paper 35


1. Demonstrate understanding of the basic concepts of law, the Rule of Law and globalization.

2. Describe the evolution of the principle of the Rule of Law in western societies and explain the impact of globalization in influencing the developmental path of the Rule of Law in non-western societies.

3. Illustrate the different levels of the Rule of Law and the in-stitutions needed to achieve the goals of each of the levels and the cultural conditions for each of the levels.

4. Compare and analyze different methods used in ascertain-ing the level of the Rule of Law attained by a political com-munity.

5. Review the multi-dimensional relationships between law and globalization.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Electronic portfolio 45Assessment: Worksheets 12Assessment: Research paper 30Total: 157

Mr B.Y.T. Tai Department of Law, Faculty of Law📞 3917 2937 [email protected]


Course will be offered twice Lecture Time // Section 1 – First semester (Wed); Section 2 – Second semester (Wed)

The footprint of the Rule of Law, as an ideology of law, can be found throughout the world in almost all domestic jurisdictions as well as international governance bodies. The Rule of Law can be expressed as different levels depending on the ulti-mate goals in introducing the Rule of Law in a society. With a different goal, the de-mands on the legal institutions to implement the Rule of Law are also different.

Understanding the Rule of Law as different levels also provides a framework to un-derstand how the Rule of Law is being globalized. For non-western societies aiming to develop the Rule of Law, owing to their different historical, political, economic, social and cultural contexts, the specific level of the Rule of Law that they aim to sustain or achieve and the form and manner of the legal institutions operating to implement the Rule of Law may be different from western societies. The develop-ment of the Rule of Law in these societies also does not necessarily follow the same sequence as in the West.

This course aims to explore the developmental processes of the Rule of Law in dif-ferent societies under globalization.



Rule of Law in a Globalizing World

Required Reading


Global Issues

135

Study Load




Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay 25Group multimedia presentation 25Group debate 20In-class test 30


Teacher(s)





1. Describe and explain the technological development of nuclear, chemical and biological WMD and their application in conflicts.

2. Identify and evaluate the relationship between WMD producers and proliferators and how globalization has im-pacted these relationships.

3. Evaluate key components of recent nuclear test ban trea-tises and describe what type of technology is used for compliance monitoring.

4. Discuss how proliferation networks of nuclear, chemical and biological WMD differ and how non-state actors seek to acquire WMD.

5. Identify and analyze potential worst-case WMD attack sce-narios and develop appropriate response strategies.

Weapons of mass destruction (WMD), i.e. nuclear, chemical and biological, com-prise the most destructive and lethal weapons ever developed by humankind. Given that these weapons pose a severe threat to the survivability of humanity, increasing our understanding of their development, deterrent potential, reduction and more recently, the threat posed by proliferation networks as well as terrorist groups is of utmost importance. This course will start with the historical development of WMD and will be followed by a discussion of the underlying physical principles involved in WMD technology as well as biological and medical effects of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destructions. We will then draw students’ attention to the political and philosophical aspects of weapons of mass destruction, the current spread of WMD technology and non-proliferation treaties that aim to regulate and reduce WMD proliferation. We will also take a close look at the evolution of WMD proliferation networks, the emergence of nuclear terrorism and the consequences of terror-networks acquiring WMD materials. Finally, we will end this course with an important question: can the world move towards the complete disarmament of all WMD and would such a goal be desirable?

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Science, Proliferation and Terrorism

Allison, G. (1997, October). Nuclear dangers: Fear increases of terrorists getting hands on “loose” warheads as security slips. The Boston Globe.

Bethe, H. A. (1950). The hydrogen bomb. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 6, 99.

Blix, H. (May 27, 2010). Can we move toward a nuclear weapon-free world? Hertog Global Strategy Initiative Nuclear Summer Seminar. Columbia University, New York. [Video]

Brittain, D. (2007). Hong Kong’s response to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack [Whitepaper]. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Hospital Authority.

Graham, B., Talent, J., et al. (2008). World at risk: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism. New York: Vintage Books.

Hafez, M. M., & Rasmussen, M. J. (2012). Terrorist innovations in weapons of mass effect, Phase II (Workshop Report, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School).

Kistiakovsky, G. (1978). The folly of the neutron bomb. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 34, 27.

Meshik, A. P. (2005). The workings of an ancient nuclear reactor. Scientific American.

Moltz, J. C., Orlov, V. A., & Stulberg, A. N. (Eds.). (2004). Preventing nuclear meltdown: Managing decentralization of Russia’s nuclear complex. Aldershot, UK; Burlington, VT: Ashgate.

Nelson, R. W. (2003). Nuclear bunker busters, mini-nukes, and the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Physics Today, 56, 32.

Sagan, C. (1983). Nuclear winter: Global consequences of multiple nuclear explosions. Science, 222, 1283.

Schwartz, S. I. (1998). Atomic audit: The costs and consequences of U.S. nuclear weapons since 1940. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Thompson, S. L., & Schneider, S. H. (1986). Nuclear winter reappraised. Foreign Affairs, 62, 981.

Tucker, J., & Walker, P. (2009, April). Getting chemical weapons destruction back on track. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. From http://www.thebulletin.org

Zhao, L.F., Xie, X.B., & Wang, W. M. (2012). Yield estimation of the 25 May 2009 North Korea nuclear explosion. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 102, 2.

Required Reading


136


Teacher(s)


Study Load


Excerpts from:

Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at large: Cultural dimensions of globalization. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

Augé, M. (2008). Non-places (2nd English language ed.). London; New York: Verso.

Colquhoun, A. (1997). The concept of regionalism. In G. B. Nalbantoglu & C. T. Wong (Eds.), Postcolonial space(s). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

De Blij, H. J. (2009). The power of place: Geography, destiny, and globalization’s rough landscape. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Jarzombek, M., Vikramaditya, P., & Ching, F. D. K. (2011). Globalization takes command. In A global history of architecture (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Koolhaas, R. (1995). The generic city: Guide, 1994. In J. Sigler (Ed.), Small, medium, large, extra-large: Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau. New York: Monacelli Press.

Koolhaas, R. (2001). The regime of ¥€$. In C. Davidson (Ed.), Anything. New York: Anyone Corp.; Cambridge, MA; London: MIT Press.

Koolhaas, R. (2002). Junkspace. In A. Mikayke & H. U. Obrist (Eds.), Bridge the gap? Kitakyushu, Japan: Center for Contemporary Art (CCA).

MacCannell, D. (1992). Empty meeting grounds: The tourist papers. London: Routledge.

Martin, R. (2009). Financial imaginaries: Toward a philosophy of the city. In W. S. W. Lim (Ed.), Collection of essays on Asian design culture. Singapore: Select Books.

McLuhan, M., & Powers, B. R. (1989). The global village: Transformations in world life and media in the 21st century. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sassen, S. (2000). Geographies and countergeographies of globalization. In C. Davidson (Ed.), Anymore. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 30Mid-term test 20Quizzes 10Group project and presentation 40


1. Define the important characteristics of the various eco-nomic, political, sociological, cultural and urban forces of globalization, and identify critical theories that had influ-enced the development of architecture and the city.

2. Analyze the viability of various theories of globalization, and how different architectural and urban manifestations of globalization had enhanced the lives of its inhabitants, while incurring implied or hidden costs to society. Evaluate how each of the case studies were carried out, and how improvements may be made for the future.

3. Demonstrate awareness towards the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the making of our cities, espe-cially in light of the dissolving of conventional boundaries for improved global connectivity, for better tolerance of differences in our society, and for a more socially and environmentally sustainable approach towards our built environment.

4. Identify the broad literature that surrounds the concept of globalization, and its impact on our built environment.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 8Film screening and discussion 4Reading / Self-study 54Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 36Assessment: Quizzes 3Assessment: Mid-term test 2Total: 143

Mr H.K. Wee Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4620 [email protected]

Mr H.K. Wee Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4620 [email protected]

This course aims to examine how the condition of globalization reveals itself in ar-chitecture and the urban environment. In our immediate surroundings, it would benefit us greatly if we can grasp how the buildings that we inhabit are made and how they function. With an improved understanding of the various forces at play in the shaping of our human-made environment, we should be encouraged to think of ways to support a healthier kind of citizenry participation in the making of our buildings in the era of globalization. Paul Ricoeur described a condition of “universal civilization” that encapsulates a scientific spirit and consumer culture. Today, we are perhaps operating universally under the effects of globalization, aided in no small part by the advent of the information age as well as a more liberal flow of capital and labor. This course will seek the architecture and city we live in as a barometer that measures these effects – appraising specifically the qualities and identities of buildings and districts built or transformed as a result of globalization. By under-standing the innovative and co-operative forms that have emerged, as well as re-sistances of local practices to external forces, we will be better equipped to cope with these global forces. This course will examine ten types of buildings and envi-ronments in our cities, ranging from shopping malls and airports, to theme parks and other familiar environments.


Globalization and Architecture


137

Course Co-ordinator

Required Reading

Teacher(s)Course Learning Outcomes

There is no single text for the course, and even the required readings (below) are merely part of the input students will be asked to make. A key part of the learning during the course will take place through student exploration. To this end, they will be asked to consult a series of websites.

Barnett, M. N., & Weiss, T. G. (Eds.). (2008). Humanitarianism in question: Politics, power, ethics. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Barnett, M. N. (2010). The international humanitarian order. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Barnett, M. N. (2011). Empire of humanity: A history of humanitarianism. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Required WebsitesStudents will be required to consult a series of websites, notably from the perspective of the country selected for specialist study. The main websites are as follows:

Amnesty International - http://www.amnesty.org/AusAID - http://ausaid.gov.au/Pages/home.aspxBill & Melinda Gates Foundation - http://www.gatesfoundation.org/BRAC - http://www.brac.net/CARE International - http://www.care-international.org/Carter Center - http://www.cartercenter.org/index.htmlCatholic Relief Services - http://www.catholicrelief.org/Caux Round Table - http://www.cauxroundtable.org/CSR Asia - http://www.csr-asia.com/Council on Foreign Relations - http://www.cfr.org/Danish Refugee Council - http://www.drc.dk/home/DFID (UK) - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-

for-international-developmentECHO (EU) - http://ec.europa.eu/echo/about/index_en.htmGlobal Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - http://www.globalr2p.org/Global Citizen - http://www.globalcitizen.org/Global Fund - http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/Global Humanitarian Assistance - http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.

org/Global Witness - http://www.globalwitness.org/Human Rights Watch - http://www.hrw.org/International Committee of the Red Cross - http://www.icrc.org/eng/International Crisis Group - http://www.crisisgroup.org/IMF - http://www.imf.org/external/index.htmInternational Rescue Committee - http://www.rescue-uk.org/Lutheran World Relief - http://lwr.org/site/c.dmJXKiOYJgI6G/b.6319053/

k.BDBF/Home.htmMédecins Sans Frontières - http://www.msf.org/Norwegian Refugee Council - http://www.nrc.no/OCHA - http://www.unocha.org/OECD DCD-DAC - http://www.oecd.org/dac/#Open Society Foundations - http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/Oxfam - http://www.oxfam.org/Physicians for Human Rights - http://physiciansforhumanrights.org/ReliefWeb - http://reliefweb.int/Save the Children - http://www.savethechildren.org/United Nations - http://www.un.org/UNDP - http://www.undp.org/UNESCO - http://www.unesco.org/UN Global Compact - http://www.unglobalcompact.org/UNHCR - http://www.unhcr.org/UNICEF - http://www.unicef.org/UN Watch - http://www.unwatch.org/UN World Food Programme - http://www.wfp.org/USAID - http://www.usaid.gov/WHO - http://www.who.intWorld Bank - http://www.worldbank.org/World Vision - http://www.worldvision.org/


1. Describe and understand humanitarian intervention through an awareness of both historical development and territorial reach.

2. Use the relevant information about humanitarian interven-tion to analyze and explain the issues of principle and practice it generates.

3. Demonstrate an awareness of ways forward for humanitar-ian intervention in the complex circumstances of the con-temporary world.

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in lectures and tutorials 20Term paper 30Examination 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 100Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Examination 2Total: 156

Professor I.M. Holliday Department of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4666 [email protected]

Professor I.M. Holliday Department of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4666 [email protected]

The course takes a very broad understanding of humanitarian intervention, looking not only at states but also at international NGOs and the aid business, and not only at aid but also at other forms of political action. It focuses on the emergence of humanitarian intervention, its contemporary nature, success and failure, moral chal-lenges, and ways forward. It requires students to select one developing country for in-depth study, both to deepen their learning and to build a platform for compara-tive analysis. It examines dilemmas generated notably by great power politics, by the tension between state sovereignty and global humanitarian action, by resource constraints in a world of potentially limitless need, and by issues of authentic coun-try ownership. It explores these issues both through overview analysis in lectures, and through real-world case studies in seminars. In classroom discussion, students’ country expertise will be very much in the lead.



Dilemmas of Humanitarian Intervention

Global Issues

138

Required Reading

Study Load


Bacon-Shone, J., & Bolton, K. (2008). Bilingualism and multilingualism in the HKSAR: Language surveys and Hong Kong’s changing linguistic profile. In K. Bolton & H. Yang (Eds.), Language in society in Hong Kong (pp. 25-51). Hong Kong: Open University of Hong Kong Press.

Bolton, K. (2002). The sociolinguistics of Hong Kong and the space for Hong Kong English. In K. Bolton (Ed.), Hong Kong English: Autonomy and creativity (pp. 29-56). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Crystal, D. (2000). The prescriptive tradition. In P. Eschholtz, A. Rosa & V. Clark (Eds.), Language awareness: Readings for college writers. (3rd ed., pp. 116-121). Boston: Bedford / St Martin’s.

Gupta, A. F. (2010). Singapore Standard English revisited. In L. Lim, A. Pakir & L. Wee (Eds.), English in Singapore: Modernity and management (Asian Englishes Today.) Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Jenkins, J. (2009). World Englishes: A resource book for students (2nd ed.). London; New York: Routledge. [Units A1, A3, A4, A5, B3, B6, B7, B8, C1, C7, C8]

Kachru, B. B. (1985). The alchemy of English: The spread, functions, and models of non-native Englishes. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press. [Chaps 1, 2]

Li, D. C. S., & Tse, E. C. Y. (2002). One day in the life of a purist. International Journal of Bilingualism, 6(2), 147-203.

Li, D. C. S. (2009). Towards “biliteracy and trilingualism” in Hong Kong (SAR): Problems, dilemma and stakeholders’ views. In L. Lim & E. Low (Eds.), Multilingual, globalizing Asia: Implications for policy and education (AILA Review 22) (pp. 72-84). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Lim, L. (2009). Beyond fear and loathing in SG: The real mother tongues and language policies in multilingual Singapore. In L. Lim & E. Low (Eds.), Multilingual, globalizing Asia: Implications for policy and education (AILA Review 22) (pp. 52-71). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Lim, L. (2013). Kaduva of privileged power, instrument of rural empowerment? The politics of English (and Sinhala and Tamil) in Sri Lanka. In L. Wee, R. Goh and L. Lim (Eds.), The politics of English: South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific (pp. 61-80) (Studies in World Language Problems.) Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Milroy, J., & Milroy, L. (Eds.). (1999). Authority in Language: Investigating Standard English (3rd ed.). London; New York: Routledge. [Chap. 1]

Assessment Tasks WeightingWebsite/blog and learning reflection 30In-class presentation 10Tutorial participation 30Classwork and learning reflection 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 48Fieldwork and data analysis 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Website/blog (report writing) 20Assessment: Learning reflection 2Assessment: In-class quizzes 2Total: 134



Teacher(s)


1. Recognize and discuss the important sociolinguistic issues involved in the appropriation of a global language such as English in contemporary local multilingual Asian contexts.

2. Creatively apply sociolinguistic knowledge to language is-sues observed and identified, and define and illustrate the roles and values that English and other local languages have, in the local, everyday context of Hong Kong, and compare and contrast these to other Asian situations like Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, China.

3. Explain and analyze sociolinguistic phenomena and issues both to academic peers as well as to the wider non-linguis-tic, non-academic community, in an intelligent, interesting and accessible mode and manner.

4. Appraise and respond to the views and presentations of others as found in published texts as well as in class.

5. Identify and evaluate the sociolinguistic issues and chal-lenges in the local context that are important for sustain-ability with a view to making intelligent, significant and responsible contributions to the community.

Dr L.L.S. Lim School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2871 [email protected]

Dr L.L.S. Lim School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2871 [email protected]

Dr K.H.Y. Chen School of English, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 4474 [email protected]

What fundamental issues – social, cultural, political, ideological – confront all communi-ties when a global language is transplanted to a new locale, specifically a multilingual, Asian context? Focusing on the global language par excellence, English, with particular attention to the situation of Hong Kong, but also drawing on settings elsewhere in the region, such as Singapore and India, where English is even more established and local-ized, and mainland China, where the presence of English is burgeoning, this course has three main thrusts:

1. the social and linguistic consequences for the positioning of English when it en-counters other languages, such as Cantonese, including the spread of multilingual-ism, the emergence of code switching/mixing practices, the evolution of New Eng-lishes, and the occurrence of language shift;

2. the challenges that these pose for the concepts of language norms and standards and the notion of the native speaker of English, and the implications that this has for issues of identity and the ownership of language; and

3. the dilemmas faced in the management of such New Englishes and multilingual practices in language policy and education, the challenges encountered in the lib-eration of such codes in popular culture, including e-communication and pop mu-sic, as well as the commodification and commercialization of global languages.



English as a Global Language in Asian Contexts

Required Reading

Global Issues




Study Load


DiStefano, L., Lee, H. Y., & Cummer, K. (2011). Heritage: A driver of development – Hong Kong style urban conservation. Presented at the 17th ICOMOS General Assembly and Scientific Symposium, November 27-December 2, 2011, Paris.

Lee, H. Y., & DiStefano, L. (2002). The story of changing village life in the New Territories. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.

Loh, L. (2007). Conveying the spirit of place. In R. A. Engelhardt & M. H. Unakul (Eds.), Asia conserved: Lessons learned from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (2000-2004) (pp. 9-12). Bangkok: UNESCO.

Lung, D., DiStefano, L., Lee, H. Y., & Wong, D. T. Y. (2007). Interpreting the significance of heritage sites. In R. A. Engelhardt & M. H. Unakul (Eds.), Asia conserved: Lessons learned from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (2000-2004) (pp. 21-27). Bangkok: UNESCO.

UNESCO. (1972). UNESCO World Heritage Convention Text. From http://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext

UNESCO. (2002). World heritage in young hands. Italy: UNESCO. [The World Heritage Convention, pp. 40, 42-44, 46, 48, 50-53, 57, 59; World Heritage and the Environment, pp. 126-129, 132-135, 140-141]

UNESCO. (2011). The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. From http://whc.unesco.org/en/guidelines

UNESCO-ICCROM. (2006). Introducing young people to the protection of heritage sites and historic cities (2nd ed., pp. 7-10). Amman: UNESCO-ICCROM. [Unit 1: Concepts in cultural heritage]

UNESCO and Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Macao. (2007). Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Training and Certification Programme for UNESCO World Heritage Sites (4th ed.). Macao: IFT and UNESCO. [Unit 1: The Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide, p. 3; Unit 2: Understanding UNESCO World Heritage Sites, pp. 3-14; Unit 3: Protecting and Managing Cultural Heritage, pp. 8-9]

Widodo, J. (2007). Contributing to the community’s cultural continuum. In R. A. Engelhardt & M. H. Unakul (Eds.), Asia conserved: Lessons learned from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (2000-2004) (pp. 46-50). Bangkok: UNESCO.

Note: A core reader detailing required weekly readings and two glossaries will be uploaded and made accessible to students on Moodle at the start of the semester. Weekly readings will be specific to the lecture topic that week and will include one or more short articles and selected short readings from a variety of sources. Student will be required to read these materials in preparation for the tutorials.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial, lecture and field trip participation 30Weekly blog and field trip reports 40Final project presentation 20In-class impromptu quizzes 10


1. Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and appreciation that the world’s cultural and natural heritage belongs to all of us and demonstrates an understanding and awareness that we have a duty to help safeguard it for future generations.

2. Distinguish and explain the framework behind the identifica-tion, protection and preservation of World Heritage Sites, the inscription process, criteria used to justify the inclusion on the World Heritage List, and the vital process of World Heritage Conservation.

3. Identify and articulate key World Heritage issues and introduce students to different lines of intellectual inquiry across a range of academic subjects.

4. Apply fundamental skills in the identification and interpretation of natural and cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, and be able to critically examine and evaluate the values of architectural and cultural theories.

5. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of World Heritage Sites as a testimony to peace, human rights, democracy, and the importance of racial non-discrimination, tolerance, and re-spect for all people and their cultures.

6. Demonstrate critical thinking and reflective learning by examin-ing World Heritage issues in the context of Hong Kong’s natural and cultural heritage conservation and its related challenges.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 30Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Group report presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Weekly blog and written reports 30Total: 150

Teacher(s)

Professor D.P.Y. Lung Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2147 [email protected]

Dr L. DiStefano Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 1101 [email protected]

Dr H.Y. Lee Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7952 [email protected]

Professor D.P.Y. Lung Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2147 [email protected]


World Heritage sites belong to all the people of the world, irrespective of the territory where the sites or the people are located. Yet, you may ask, how can a World Heritage site in Europe “belong” equally to people in Asia? How does World Heritage relate to us?

This course will introduce students to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World Heritage List, which identifies, protects and preserves cultur-al and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. The course will provide a conceptual framework of how heritage sites should be understood in the contemporary context of the world we live in. Students will develop a broad perspec-tive and a critical understanding about what constitutes a World Heritage site, why and how these sites should be identified and related issues spanning across a wide range of academic disciplines: environment and life sciences, history, anthropology, archaeology, architecture and urban planning.

There has been a sharp rise in interest to identify, learn and better understand Hong Kong’s natural and cultural heritage. By recognizing the need to identify and conserve our heritage, we can pass on what we have to future generations, and more importantly, encourage sus-tainable development in Hong Kong for the future. By understanding what constitutes World Heritage, students will be able to have a holistic understanding of natural and cultural heritage in Hong Kong and develop an informed awareness of the challenges associated with heritage conservation in our city.

World Heritage and Us

Required Reading




140

Banks, F. E. (2007). The political economy of world energy: An introductory textbook. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte Ltd.

Toossi, R. (2009). Energy and the environment: Sources, technologies, and impacts (2nd ed.). Irvine, CA: VerVe Publishers.

Assessment Tasks WeightingVideo production 20Media portfolio and reflective writing 20Term paper 25In-class test 20Tutorial participation 15


1. Explain and debate the principles of globalization and sus-tainable development as these apply at the global, regional and local levels.

2. Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of energy systems as a key determinant of societal sustainability, globally and locally.

3. Appreciate the inter-connectedness between sustainable development, aspects of energy production and consump-tion, and the globalization process.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of key environmental im-pacts of contemporary energy systems and the potential contribution of technological developments in energy sup-ply systems and their costs and benefits and role in green development.

5. Demonstrate an understanding of basic components of the skill sets required to analyze energy/sustainability issues.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 6Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Group project presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Media Portfolio 20Total: 160

Teacher(s)

Pofessor D.Y.C. LeungDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 7911 [email protected]

Pofessor D.Y.C. LeungDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering📞 2859 7911 [email protected]

Professor P.R. Hills The Kadoorie Institute📞 2859 2720 [email protected]

Dr W.W.Y. Law The Kadoorie Institute📞 2857 8647 [email protected]

The course explores the relationships between energy, globalization and sustain-ability at the global, regional and local levels. It examines how the globalization process affects energy supply and use, and how energy systems affect economies, societies and our environment. The course discusses different energy resources, such as fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable energy, and how these are developed and managed within processes of globalization and how their production and use impact on the environment. The course explains some of the key sustainability chal-lenges confronting contemporary societies, such as climate change, and how these are being tackled. Case studies of countries in Asia, North and South America and Europe are used to illustrate how the processes of globalization, energy system de-velopment and sustainability interact, the problems that arise, and how countries develop strategies and policies to manage these problems.

Energy Futures, Globalization and Sustainability



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load




Ms M.A. Cate Christ Division of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 2145 [email protected]

Ms M.A. Cate Christ Division of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 3917 2145 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain historical and contemporary net-works, operations and principles of food production, distri-bution and disposal and to begin to articulate the relation-ship between local and global systems.

2. Identify prevailing ideas and philosophies and evaluate the extent to which these influence, and are influenced by, everyday practices, and the landscape, infrastructure and architecture of urban environments and communities.

3. Apply skills in critical thinking, analysis, integration, dia-gramming, mapping, writing, presentation and working with others.

4. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of local food issues, their relation to global food process and form a critical voice/position with regard to these issues and their relation to a more sustainable food system.

Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in tutorials/group discussions 30Writing assignments 30Group project and presentation 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 14Tutorials 12Workshop / Visits 14Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Group project presentation (inlc preparation) 48Assessment: Writing assignments 8Total: 144

Belanger, P. (2007). Landscapes of disassembly: Emerging waste economies and industrial ecologies. Topos, 60, 83-91.

Cockrall-King, J. (2012). Food and the city: Urban agriculture and the new food revolution. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Estabrook, B. (2011). Tomatoland: How modern industrial agriculture destroyed our most alluring fruit. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2012). The state of food insecurity in the world 2012. From

http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i3027e/i3027e00.htmJensen, D., & Roy, M. Food: An Atlas. 2013. From http://www.guerrillacartography.net/home.htmlPollan, M. (2009). Food rules: An eater’s manual. New York: Penguin

Books.Steel, C. (2008). Hungry city: How food shapes our lives. London:

Chatto & Windus. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. (2013). GAIN Report: Hong Kong

retail foods 2013. From http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Retail%20Foods_Hong%20Kong_Hong%20Kong_5-1-2013.pdf

What is food? Where does it come from? How does it get to us? Where does it go when we dispose of it and its packaging? What is the sustainable future of local, ur-ban, and global food networks?

This course aims to engage students in a discussion about their relationship to food both as urban and global citizens. The course introduces central issues concerning networks of food supply, distribution and demand through a series of urban case studies, with a special focus on Hong Kong. The aim of the course is to increase students’ awareness and understanding of the local and global impacts of their eve-ryday food choices. The course will examine past and present local, regional, and international food networks and their environmental, cultural and physical effects. Tracking backward from consumption to distribution to production, the course will introduce texts, graphic documentation, and case studies which explore, theorize, and explain contemporary discussions on food issues and sustainability, including environmental and health impacts, food security, urban agriculture and other initia-tives to create a more sustainable, equitable and food secure future for the city.

You, Food and the City: Local and Global Food Networks


Non-Permissible Combination:CCGL9016 Feeding the World /CCGL9017 Food: Technology, Trade and Culture

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



142



The Evolution of Civilization


Professor P.C. ShamCentre for Genomic Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2831 5425 [email protected]



1. Demonstrate an understanding and awareness of the vari-ous domains of human progress.

2. Describe and explain the basic principles of evolutionary theory as a model for human progress.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of how trade and speciali-zation are central to human advancement.

4. Apply knowledge and understanding of evolutionary theo-ry, psychology, and the scientific method to solving several societal problems.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass discussion 30Group presentation 30Blog contribution 30In-class quizzes 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 64Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Blog contribution 20Total: 140

Ridley, M. (2010). The rational optimist: How prosperity evolves. New York: Harper.

This course will draw on economics, evolutionary theory, and psychology to address the key issues:

1. How did humans go from relatively isolated tribal life to an increasingly coop-erative, interconnected, globalized world?

2. How can our knowledge of human nature and past progress be used to help solve major societal challenges?

The theme of this course is that natural selection is a useful framework for under-standing how humans have progressed from subsisting in relatively isolated groups to where individuals are highly specialized in their productive efforts and highly in-tegrated with the entire world through globalization. The course will explore how this progression may be the result of genetic selection, but likely more the result of selection acting on ideas, or memes, rather than genes, but in an analogous manner.

Through an understanding of human evolution, the origin of economic development will be explored. Combined with the psychological perspective of understanding the individual, we attempt to shed light on how complex civilization has come into existence. Lectures will ask one or two main scientific questions and then focus on answering them, showing the types of evidence that can be used to address the question and the logical progression of ideas.

All things in the world are linked together, in one way or another. Not a single thing comes into being without some relationship to something else. Keiji Nishitani

http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccch9001

China: Culture, State & Society

144


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Course Code // CCCH9001

Assessment Tasks WeightingQuizzes 20Tutorial, lecture and field trip participation 30Project presentation 20Final essay 30

Professor W.J. WangDepartment of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2548 1274 [email protected]

Professor W.J. WangDepartment of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture📞 2548 1274 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of how physical patterns dis-played in Chinese architecture and landscape were related to thoughts, values, technology as well as ways of life in Chinese culture.

2. Explore ways of critical analysis on the relationship be-tween Chinese built forms and landscape, as well as their ideas and social-economical contexts behind.

3. Demonstrate understanding of how Chinese architecture and landscape are transformed over time, influenced by changes of thoughts, values, technology, and society in large.

4. Apply the knowledge on the ways in which traditional buildings and landscape respond to and shape cultural values and physical forms in the modern world.


By looking into the physical significance of Chinese architecture, cities and land-scapes, this course introduces theories and principles of Chinese houses and gar-dens. Through the study of Chinese houses and their settings in a city, it brings out the daily life and social fabric for a Chinese man under Confucian influence. Through the study of Chinese gardens and the literati ideas behind the making of garden, landscape and painting, it introduces the artistic profile for a Chinese intel-lectual under the influence of Daoism. The course investigates how geography, so-ciety and economy, as well as aesthetic and ideology, shape the traditional physical environment in China. It deals with explorations of form and space, technology and material, as well as the ways in which these architectural attributes affect life pat-terns and values in a traditional society. The course particularly addresses how the culture profile was manifested in the architecture and urban spaces during the late Ming – an era of unique aesthetic orientation cultivated from a distinct stage of so-cial and economic development in Chinese history.

Boyd, A. C. H. (1962). Chinese architecture and town planning: 1500 B.C.-A.D. 1911. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Chinese Academy of Architecture. (1986). Classical Chinese architecture (2nd ed.). Hong Kong: Joint Publishing Co.

Han, P. T. (1992). The story of Chinese landscape design: External forms and internal visions. Taipei: Youth Cultural Enterprise Co.

Keswick, M. (1986). The Chinese garden: History, art & architecture (2nd rev. ed.). London: Academy Editions.

Knapp, R. G. (1989). China’s vernacular architecture: House form and culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Knapp, R. G. (1999). China’s living houses: Folk beliefs, symbols, and household ornamentation. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Liang, S., & Fairbank, W. (1984). A pictorial history of Chinese architecture: A study of the development of its structural system and the evolution of its types. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Luo, Q., & He, P. (Eds.). (1999). Gu cheng jin xi: Zhongguo min jian sheng huo fang shi [Living heritage: Vernacular environment in China]. Xianggang: Yong ming tang.

Wu, N. I. (1963). Chinese and Indian architecture: The city of man, the mountain of god, and the realm of the immortals. New York: George Brasiller.

Chinese House and Garden: Architecture, Landscape, and Material Culture


145http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccch9002


Teacher(s)



Study Load

Required Reading

Professor A.G.O. Yeh Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4893 [email protected]

Dr F. ZhangDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2857 8598 [email protected]

Dr R.C.K. Chan Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2277 [email protected]

Professor R.L.H. Chiu Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2727 [email protected]

Professor A.G.O. Yeh Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2219 4893 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of the evolution and moderni-zation of Chinese cities in the past three decades.

2. Identify important issues and challenges facing contempo-rary Chinese cities.

3. Identify possible solutions to address these problems and challenges and investigate their implications for the sus-tainability of Chinese cities.

4. Identify key problems of a Chinese city based on its urban development history and current conditions.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project and presentation 50Reflective journal 10Semi-open book examination 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 24Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 20Total: 150


Ma, L. J. C., & Wu, F. (2005). Restructuring the Chinese city: Changing society, economy and space. London; New York: Routledge.

Wu, F., Xu, J., & Yeh, A. G. O. (2007). Urban development in post-reform China: State, market, and space. London; New York: Routledge.

Chinese Cities in the 21st Century

This course provides students with an understanding of the evolution and driving forces of urban development in major Chinese cities in the last three decades; helps them to develop an appreciation of the rapidly changing urban landscapes in Chi-nese cities; and exposes them to the key issues and challenges facing these cities in the 21st century. The topics covered include urban economic development, hous-ing, transport, urban sustainability and planning.


146

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 48Class discussion and debates (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 60Total: 160

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass discussion / Online discussion 10Tutorial participation / Debate 30Response essays 30Term essay 30

Dr S.F. TangSchool of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 4293 [email protected]

Dr S.F. TangSchool of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 4293 [email protected]


1. Describe major events and figures of the Self-strengthen-ing Movement and the Hundred Days’ Reforms of 1898.

2. Review the leading ideas of the May Fourth Movement and appraise their significance.

3. Compare and discuss the major claims made by anti-traditionalism and conservatism on Chinese tradition.

4. Identify respectively the Confucian and the modern under-standing of person, and evaluate their compatibility.

5. Analyze the central ideas of human rights and democracy, and evaluate their compatibility with Confucianism.

This course introduces students to the intellectual history of modern China. It also inquires into the compatibility of modernity and traditional Chinese thought, in par-ticular Confucianism. The course addresses two fundamental issues. On the one hand is the issue of China’s responses to the modern world. The course traces the changes and development of China’s intellectual world since the second half of the nineteenth century to the twentieth century. The survey does not aim to be com-prehensive but picks out certain major trends of thought such as iconoclasm and conservatism. On the other hand is the issue of the compatibility of modernity and traditional Chinese thought. Students will examine the “essence of Chinese culture” and its relevance to the modern world. Particular attention will be paid to the re-lation between Confucianism and certain key ideas of modernity such as human rights, democracy and liberalism.

Bell, D. (2006). Beyond liberal democracy: Political thinking for an East Asian context. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. [Chap. 6]

Chow, T. (1960). The May Fourth Movement: Intellectual revolution in modern China. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Chaps. 13, 14]

Creel, H. G. (1956). Chinese thought: From Confucius to Mao Tse-tung. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [Chap. 3]

Donnelly, J. (2006). Human rights. In J. S. Dryzek, B. Honig & A. Philips (Eds.), Oxford handbook of political theory. (pp. 601-620). New York: Oxford University Press.

Kant, I. (1970). What is enlightenment? In Kant’s political writings (H. B. Nisbet, Trans.) (pp. 54-60). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Li, C. (1997). Confucian value and democratic value. Journal of Value Inquiry, 31(2), 183-193.

Pye, L. W. (1991). China: An introduction (4th ed.). New York: HarperCollins. [Chap. 3]

Spence, J. D. (1999). The search for modern China (2nd ed.). New York: Norton. [Chap. 10]




Modernity andTraditional Chinese Thought

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr G. SongSchool of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7921 [email protected]

Dr G. SongSchool of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7921 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate solid knowledge of key components of the traditional Sino-centric world order and its continuous im-pacts on late imperial Chinese society.

2. Critically evaluate varied types of textual and visual sources, and develop the ability to summarize differences and similarities among ideas/images presented in these sources.

3. Reflect on important historical and social factors that con-ditioned Chinese perception, representation, and imagina-tion of the West.

4. Apply theories and research methods learned in class to a wider range of academic discussions and writings.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the diversity and dynamism of Chinese culture from past to present, and challenge normative assumptions on Chinese ethnic/cultural identity.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass discussions 10Tutorial participation 30Mini-quizzes 10Term paper 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 9Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Discussion, debate, presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: Mini-quizzes 4Total: 132

During the late imperial period (17th-19th centuries), China was involved in substan-tive exchanges with the West in politics, religion, sciences, and arts. They made great impacts on China’s later development towards a modern nation. How did the Chinese people at this period perceive or conceptualize the West in textual and visual representations? What factors may have contributed to the creation of diver-sified ideas and images of the West, such as “red-haired barbarians”, “Holy Mother”, “scholars from the West”, and “heavenly brothers”? Why do some old ideas and im-ages still affect the Chinese minds today, as can be seen in the name “foreign dev-ils” (yang guizi in mandarin, or gwai lou in Cantonese)? In this course, we will find answers to these questions by looking at a set of exemplar cases. Both textual and visual sources will be used to investigate the formation and transformation of an idea or image of the West, followed by a critical reflection on its historical and cul-tural meanings. A few relevant theories in history, literature, and cultural studies will be introduced to foster students’ research skills. Along with class discussions and group presentations, students will learn to re-examine the changing Chinese identi-ties mirrored by the Western others in history, and express their own views on some contested issues, for example, the definition of Chinese-ness and the compatibility between Chinese and Western cultures.

Arnold, L. (2005). Folk goddess or Madonna: Early missionary encounters with the image of Guanyin. In X. Wu (Ed.), Encounters and dialogues: Changing perspectives on Chinese-Western exchanges from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries (pp. 227-238). Nettetal: Styler Verlag.

Cohen, P. A. (1974). Between tradition and modernity: Wang Tao and reform in late Ch’ing China. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Unviersity Press. [pp. 209-235]

Fairbank, J. K. (Ed.). (1968). The Chinese world order: Traditional China’s foreign relations. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [pp. 1-13, 257-275]

Frodsham, J. D. (1974). The first Chinese embassy to the West: The journals of Kuo Sung-t’ao, Liu Hsi-hung and Chang Te-yi. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [pp. 97-109, 134-149]

Gernet, J. (1985). China and the Christian impact: A conflict of cultures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [pp. 105-140]

Meng, H. (2000). The Chinese genesis of the term “Foreign Devil”. In H. Meng & S. Hirakawa (Eds.), Images of Westerners in Chinese and Japanese literature. Amsterdam: Rodopi. [pp. 17-37]

Michael, F. H. (1971). The Taiping rebellion: History and documents. Seattle: University of Washington Press. [pp. 715-721]

Mish, J. L. (1964). Creating an image of Europe for China: Aleni’s Hsi-fang ta-wen. Monumenta Serica: Journal of Oriental Studies, 23, 30-63.

Smith, R. J. (1996). Chinese maps: Images of “All Under Heaven”. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. [pp. 7-41]

Ye, X. (2003). The Dianshizhai pictorial: Shanghai urban life, 1884-1898. Ann Arbor, MI: Center for Chinese Studies, The University of Michigan. [pp. 117-131]


Ideas and Images of the Westin Late Imperial China





148

MacFarquhar, R., & Schoenhals, M. (2006). Mao’s last revolution. Cambridge, MA; London: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Online course reading pack.

Gordon, R., & Hinton, C. (Directors). (1996). The gate of heavenly peace [天安門].

Hinton, C., Barmé, G., & Gordon, R. (Directors). (2003/2005). Morning sun [八九點鐘的太陽].

Jiang, W. (Director). (1994). 陽光燦爛的日子 [In the heat of the sun].Tian, Z. (Director). (1993). 藍風箏 [The blue kite].

Required Reading


Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)


The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) was a defining episode in modern China. In ten years, it dismantled the state, party, and economy with widespread social upheaval and violence, followed by unrelenting oppressive campaigns. It dramatically ex-ploded the inherent contradictions of the Communist State. It has exerted a major impact on the direction of Chinese politics, economic reforms, and public protests. This course explores the causes, processes, and impact of the Cultural Revolution (CR), asking why millions of people participated in the CR, who were the agents responsible for the CR, what determined the CR’s multifaceted courses, and what legacy the CR left for the following reform era and the coming future. It introduces students to key intellectual ideas and methodologies from multi-disciplines – histo-ry, political and social science, literature, and film. Students will learn to critically as-sess sources and statements, through which to discover how history is continuously constructed and contested.

Dr A. Wang School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7924 [email protected]

Dr A. Wang School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7924 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of political change, mass movement, revolution, and the fundamental differ-ence between dictatorship and democracy.

2. Distinguish various disciplinary methodologies involved in the study of the Cultural Revolution.

3. Critically assess diverse historical sources, literary, and multi-media representations.

4. Show openness to different points of view.

5. Demonstrate enhanced critical thinking.

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingWeekly study questions 20Tutorial discussion and debate 20In-class tests 60

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 56Film viewing, internet research 19Assessment: Essay / Report writing 16Assessment: Presentations (incl preparation) 12Assessment: Written tests 3Total: 138

The Chinese Cultural Revolution




Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 10Essay 30Tutorial presentation 30In-class test 30

Dr V.E.L. Teo School of Modern Languages and Cultures (Japanese Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5925 [email protected]

Dr V.E.L. Teo School of Modern Languages and Cultures (Japanese Studies), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5925 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the history of modernization of China within the East Asia context and challenge any pre-conceived assumptions held about the modernization of China and Asia from previous historical studies.

2. Demonstrate understanding that the history of a region and country (in this case China) can be subjected to a va-riety of sharply contrasting views and interpretations.

3. Apply the knowledge gained from the course to analyze and understand contemporary China and East Asian af-fairs.

4. Demonstrate a nuanced comparative understanding of China’s political, economic and cultural changes and use it to draw and study trends developing in the region.

5. Analyze the differences and similarities between China and her neighbours, notably Japan and Korea in their ap-proaches towards modernity and development.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: In-class test 4Total: 140

Fairbank, J. K., & Goldman, M. (2006). China: A new history (2nd enl. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Spence, J. D. (1999). The search for modern China (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.

This course enables students to understand and appreciate China’s quest for mo-dernity since the 19th century, contextualized against the development of her neighbours in East Asia. Beyond examining the various forces that prompted the modernization process in East Asia, students will scrutinize the dynamics and pro-cesses involved. For example: Is the arrival of the West in Asia the dominant force which transformed East Asia, and specifically China from the predominantly agri-cultural, Sino-centric civilization of the 1800s to the modern nation-state we see today? Is modernization just about economic development and the construction of a state structure or should it encompass broader advances in ideology and the embracement of universal values and norms like the protection of Human Rights? How should one view the Cultural Revolution or the Tiananmen Massacre in China’s modernization process? What are the continuities and discontinuities in the mod-ernization process of China, as it evolves from Qing China to Republican China to the People’s Republic? The course will also examine the impact of modernization on contemporary China thematically and comparatively by scrutinizing modern day political and social institutions such as state-society relations, the family, marriage, education and social mobility etc. By the end of the course, students would be able to apply the knowledge gained to analyze and understand contemporary China and East Asian affairs better.

China’s Modernization in the East Asian Context


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150

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load






Dr C.Y.P. Wong School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 2859 1037 [email protected]


1. Describe the development of the Chinese economy since economic reform.

2. Demonstrate understanding of the Chinese economy in a historical and comparative context.

3. Analyze the impacts of China’s economic development on the global economy.

4. Identify the social and economic problems that China faces in its quest for modernization.

Assessment Tasks WeightingExamination 20Tutorials 20 Group project presentation 20Group project report 20 Written assignments 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study and preparation for tutorials 50Assessment: Written assignments / Report writing 25Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 18Assessment: Examination 2Total 129

Chow, G. C. (2012). China as a leader of the world economy. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific.

Lardy, N. R. (2012). Sustaining China’s economic growth after the global financial crisis. Washington, DC: Peterson Institute of International Economics.

This course examines the rise of China as an economic power in the context of the global economy. The impacts of China’s economic development on a number of national and global issues are explored. These include trade relations, direct and indirect investment, international currencies, global payments imbalance, technol-ogy transfer, resource scarcity, environmental degradation, population and geo-political relationships. The course also compares China’s experience with those of other economies so that students can understand China from a comparative point of view.

China in the Global Economy



Teacher(s)

Dr F.Y.S. LeeDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2840 [email protected]

Dr C.N. NgDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 7025 [email protected]

Dr F.Y.S. LeeDepartment of Geography,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2840 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the causes, contours and conse-quences of major environmental issues in Hong Kong.

2. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the environmental challenges faced by Hong Kong and its neighboring jurisdictions in Southern China.

3. Examine critically the strengths and limitations of the policies formulated to address environmental problems in Hong Kong and its neighboring jurisdictions in Southern China.

4. Demonstrate an awareness of the complex relations be-tween the socio-economic-political processes and environ-mental change in a high-density urban setting.

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingTerm paper 30Field trip report 10Tutorial presentation and participation 10Examination 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 36Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 10Total: 140

Required Reading This course will provide students with a regional and comparative perspective to examine the complex inter-relationships between the socio-economic-political processes and the deteriorating environmental and ecological conditions of Hong Kong. This perspective will help students develop an in-depth understanding of the larger issues impinging on the city’s ecological future. It will also enable them to think critically of the material causes and consequences of the changing na-ture of environmental challenges associated with sustained economic and urban growth, both in Hong Kong and in its neighboring jurisdictions in Southern China. The course is organized around three major themes to help achieve its overall ob-jectives: the sustainability dimensions of Hong Kong as a compact city; the links between economic restructuring and changing environmental challenges; and the constraints to, and opportunities for, cross-boundary environmental cooperation.

Chiu, S. W. K., Hung, H. F., & Lai, O. K. (1999). Environmental movements in Hong Kong. In Y. S. Lee & A. Y. So (Eds.), Asia’s environmental movements: Comparative perspectives (pp. 55-89). Armonk, NY; London: M. E. Sharpe.

Corlett, R. T. (2004). Sustainable and biodiversity conservation in Hong Kong. In T. Mottershead (Ed.), Sustainable development in Hong Kong (pp. 421-444). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Dudgeon, D., Corlett, R., & Friends of the Country Parks. (2004). The ecology and biodiversity of Hong Kong (1st ed.). Hong Kong: Friends of the Country Parks: Joint Publishing (HK).

Hills, P., & Welford, R. (2006). Ecological modernisation and corporate environmental governance in Hong Kong. In R. Welford, P. Hills & W. Young (Eds.), Partnerships for sustainable development: Perspectives from the Asia-Pacific Region (pp. 209-252). Hong Kong: Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Hong Kong.

Lai, O. K. (2000). Greening of Hong Kong? Forms of manifestation of environmental movements. In S. W. K. Chiu & T. L. Lui (Eds.), The dynamics of social movement in Hong Kong (pp. 259-296). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Lee, Y. S. F. (2002). Tackling cross-border environmental problems in Hong Kong: Initial responses and institutional constraints. The China Quarterly, 172, 986-1009.

Lee, Y. S. F. (2003). Environmental consciousness in Hong Kong. Tonan Ajia Kenkyū [Southeast Asian Studies], 41(1), 15-35.

Morton, B. (1996). Protecting Hong Kong’s marine biodiversity: Present proposals, future challenges. Environmental Conservation, 23(1), 55-65.

Ng, C. M., & Lee, Y. S. F. (2007). Environmental safeguards and breakthroughs. In Y. M. Yeung (Ed.), The first decade: The Hong Kong SAR in retrospective and introspective perspectives (pp. 321-350). Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.

Stern, R. E. (2003). Hong Kong haze: Air pollution as a social class issue. Asian Survey, 43(5), 780-800.

Hong Kong’s Environment:Issues and Policies





152


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Dr X.J. YanDepartment of Politics andPublic Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4880 [email protected]

Dr X.J. YanDepartment of Politics andPublic Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4880 [email protected]


1. Use basic theoretical tools to critically analyze the causes, processes and outcomes of social resistances and social movements.

2. Describe and critically explain the links between various social movements and China’s quest for modernity.

3. Describe and critically explain the changing patterns of state-society relationship during China’s modernization process, from 1840 until today.

4. Critically analyze and comment on contemporary politi-cal events in Hong Kong and Mainland China from both a comparative and a historical perspective.


Assessment Tasks WeightingShort paper 30Tutorial participation 20Examination 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 22Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 42Movie session 3Assessment: Essay / Report writing 15Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 15Total: 122


Required Reading How has China’s grand transformation to a modern nation-state shaped the coun-try’s state-society relationship today? By focusing on the tensions and conflicts be-tween the Chinese state and the country’s evolving civil society, this course surveys the major protests, rebellions and revolutions in China in the past 150 years. From a comparative perspective, the course particularly examines the economic, social, po-litical and organizational resources that have facilitated various Chinese resistance movements during the country’s long and tedious journey to modernity. It also ex-plores how China’s revolutionary past has significantly influenced the social move-ments of mainland China and Hong Kong in the 21st century. Weekly topics include but are not limited to: the Chinese revolutionary tradition; the concept of “the man-date of heaven”; Chinese secret societies and the Triad; underground religions and cults past and present; the Chinese communist movement; the legacies of the Cul-tural Revolution; social movements in the 1980s; the rising nationalism in Mainland China since the 1990s; and various new forms of social resistance under the ongo-ing market transition.

Bianco, L. (1971). Origins of the Chinese revolution, 1915-1949. Stanford: Stanford University Press. [Selected chapters]

Blecher, M. (2010). China against the tides: Restructuring through revolution, radicalism, and reform. New York: The Continuum International Publishing. [Selected chapters]

Fairbank, J. K. (1986). The great Chinese revolution, 1800-1985 (1st ed.). New York: Harper & Row. [Selected chapters]

Perry, E. J. (2002). Challenging the mandate of Heaven: Social protest and state power in China. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. [Selected chapters]

Perry, E. J., & Selden, M. (2000). Chinese society: Change, conflict, and resistance. London; New York: Routledge. [Selected chapters]

Schoppa, R. K. (2006). Revolution and its past: Identities and change in modern Chinese history. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. [Selected chapters]

Shirk, S. (2007). China: Fragile superpower. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Selected chapters]

Spence, J. D. (1999). The search for modern China (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.

Tarrow, S. G. (1998). Power in movement: Social movements and contentious politics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Selected chapters]

Wakeman, F. (1975). The fall of imperial China. New York: The Free Press. [Selected chapters]

Protests, Rebellions and Revolutions in Modern China: From 1840 until Today


Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)China: Culture, State & Society


Lecture Time // Second semester (Wed)China: Culture, State & Society

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr P.T.Y. CheungDepartment of Politics andPublic Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8362 [email protected]

Dr P.T.Y. CheungDepartment of Politics andPublic Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8362 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the key arguments of major theoreti-cal perspectives on the governance of transitional and emerging economies, and critically assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in interpreting China’s develop-mental experience.

2. Identify the causes, scale and characteristics of the key governance challenges facing contemporary China, and understand the difficulties that China faces in tackling them.

3. Analyze why the Chinese government has adopted a particular set of policy measures in coping with such challenges, examine the political considerations and con-sequences of these policy choices, and critically evaluate their effectiveness and impacts.

4. Compare and contrast the developmental trajectories and governance challenges in China and other emerging economies.

5. Demonstrate the ability to collect information, analyze data and arguments, and write up findings and arguments.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 24Presentation 6Short paper assignment 35Reflective journal 10 In-class test 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 65Documentary film shows 2Assessment: Essay and reflective journal writing 45Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Total: 160

In order to understand the prospect of China’s quest for modernity, this course ex-amines the key governance challenges that have emerged during its transition from a socialist system to an increasingly marketized economy and diversified society. The course has three parts. Part I introduces contending analytical perspectives on the governance of transitional political systems, such as the gradualist reform mod-el, the developmental state model and the predatory state model. Part II first ana-lyzes the causes, scale and dynamics of several governance challenges facing con-temporary China, namely legitimacy challenges, regulatory challenges, distributive challenges and external challenges, and then examines the policies of the Chinese government in tackling these critical issues and applies the different analytical per-spectives in evaluating their efforts. Part III concludes the course by comparing the developmental trajectories and experiences in China with those in other developing countries.


Understanding China’s Governance: Challenges and Prospects

Bardhan, P. (2009, May). India and China: Governance issues and development. The Journal of Asian Studies, 68(2), 347-357.

Cai, Y. (2010). Collective resistance in China: Why popular protests succeed or fail. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. [Chap. 2]

Dickson, B. (2012, August). Revising reform: China’s new leaders and the challenge of governance. China: An International Journal, 10(2), 34-51.

Guo, S. (2013). Chinese politics and government: Power, ideology, and organization. London: Routledge. [Chap. 12]

Joseph, W. A. (2010). Politics in China: An introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 4, 6]

Naughton, B. (2007). The Chinese economy: Transitions and growth. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. [Chap. 9]

Pei, M. (2007). Is China’s transition trapped and what should the West do about it? In Rule of Law in China, Chinese law and business: Is China trapped in transition? Implications for future reforms. Oxford: The Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, in collaboration with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford.

Wedeman, A. (2012). Double paradox: Rapid growth and rising corruption in China. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. [Chap. 6]

Whyte, M. K. (2012). China’s post-socialist inequality. Current History, 111(746), 229-234.

Xiao, Q. (2011, April). The battle for the Chinese Internet. Journal of Democracy, 22(2), 47-61.

Zhao, S. (2010). The China Model: Can it replace the Western model of modernization? Journal of Contemporary China, 19(65), 419-436.


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Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load





1. Demonstrate understanding of China’s perspectives, priori-ties and strategies in pursuing its multi-faceted relations with the Asian region and how China has utilized its grow-ing economic and military resources in its Asian policy.

2. Compare and contrast China’s rise with the power transi-tion of other great powers in the past.

3. Analyze the relations between China and the key players and how China has dealt with several critical issues.

4. Evaluate the impact of China’s rise on its search for great power status and the future of the Asian region.

5. Demonstrate leadership and advocacy for achieving peace and prosperity in Asia.

Assessment Tasks WeightingClass participation 20Tutorial discussion 20Project report 30In-class tests 30


This course examines the rise of China in the 21st century. In order to understand how China’s rise will shape the future of the Asian order and how its role in Asia af-fects its search for great power status, the course will: (i) examine China’s rise from a comparative perspective by reviewing the rise and fall of the great powers of the past and the subsequent impact on international conflict and cooperation; (ii) ex-plain China’s perspective and strategies in conducting its multi-faceted relations with the Asian region and how China has utilized its growing economic and mili-tary resources in its Asian policy; (iii) analyze the perspectives and strategies of the major powers in Asia (such as the US, Japan and other Asian nations) toward an emerging China; and (iv) investigate whether the relations between China and the major nations in Asia have contributed to the prosperity, peace and stability in the region.


Johnston, A. I., & Ross, R. S. (2006). New directions in the study of China’s foreign policy. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Lampton, D. M. (2001). The making of Chinese foreign and security policy in the era of reform, 1978-2000. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Shambaugh, D. L. (2005). Power shift: China and Asia’s new dynamics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.



China’s Rise and Asia’s Future

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr R.W. HuDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2398 [email protected]

Dr R.W. HuDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2398 [email protected]


1. Explain and analyze how world order is constructed in the international society and how the rise and fall of great powers in history have shaped world order.

2. Examine the nature and course of China’s rising and how the rise of China can be measured in tangible and intangi-ble variables, in hard power and soft power.

3. Engage in the debate about different perspectives on the rise of China and its implications for world order, both from inside and outside of China.

4. Analyze how China views its rise in the world, how China should come to terms with its own rise, and how the “out-side world” and China’s domestic reforms are mutually transformative.

5. Think critically on China-related issues.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial discussion and debate 50Group presentation 20Short essays 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 36Preparation of tutorials 24Assessment: Essay writing 22Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Total: 128

World order is shaped by the rise and fall of great powers in history. The rise of China in the 21st century will be one of such historic events reshaping world order. Measured in its comprehensive national capabilities, military power, and growing influence on a global scale, China is increasingly becoming a global power whose influence is felt in all corners of the world. However, the rise of China and its impli-cations for future world order is often viewed with apprehension by the “outside world”. The aim of this course is to introduce new perspectives about China’s rise and its impacts on world order. The current debate over the rise of China has fo-cused too much on how the world should perceive China’s rise and its possible implications for world order, and too little on how China is struggling to come to terms with its own rise. Indeed, the Chinese society, the state, core values and goals of foreign relations have undergone fundamental changes in the last three decades. The rise of China and the changing world order are mutually transformative.

Jacques, M. (2009). When China rules the world: The end of the western world and the birth of a new global order. New York: Penguin Press.


China and World Order


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156



Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr P.S.Y. Ho Department of Social Work and Social Adminstration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2091 [email protected]

Dr M.S.Y. Lee Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8948 [email protected]

Dr P.S.Y. Ho Department of Social Work and Social Adminstration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2091 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain key concepts for understanding the diversity and plurality of Chinese culture.

2. Apply key concepts to analyze the dynamics of dating, mate selection and marriage, and how individual views, choices and behavior are shaped by complex intercon-nected political, economic and social forces in different regions in China.

3. Identify the broad changes and the transformation in China and the world in order to understand how these come to influence the most intimate aspects of one’s life.

4. Engage in critical reflections on one’s life choice in relation to social norms of specific gender, class and race categories.

5. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills in group projects.

6. Use the communication skills and techniques acquired to conduct and present their own case studies to an audience in different art forms.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIndividual written assignments 25Group project proposal 15Group project 30Tutorial presentation and participation 20Class quiz, project presentations and screening 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 8 Reading / Self-study 40Digital story telling workshops 2Assessment: Essay / Proposal writing 21Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 5Assessment: Production of audio-visual art work 60Total: 170

This course enables students to understand how love, sex and marriage constitute a useful lens for understanding Chinese culture, thoughts, values and ways of life so as to provide a glimpse into the complex interconnections between political, cul-tural, economic and interpersonal realms of experience. The course begins with is-sues that are personally relevant to young people – mate choice, love, marriage, sex and family – with a view to help them think about the historical and cultural roots of values concerning love, sexuality, marriage, and family life in China. In particular, the course will examine the profound transformation in Chinese values, lifestyles, norms and desires, from Maoist utopianism to reform-era hedonism, brought about by market reforms and the opening of China. Through case studies of love and marriage in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, we hope to enable students to understand the diverse characteristics of “Chinese” ways of life, and how Chinese people may currently experience love, sex, marriage and cross different types of borders and boundaries to look for intimacies. Documentary films will be used to give a vivid sense of the different strategies modern Chinese men and women use to fulfill material, affective and sexual desires as a response to social changes. Pos-sible topics include: the three bonds and five relationships in Confucian humanism; the class-based consciousness and the movement-based passions of Mao-era so-cialism; the impact of Post-Mao reforms on family life; urban families in the eight-ies and the one child policy; family strategies and economic transformation in rural China; postsocialist China and quality-based desire; shengnv and the changes under the Marriage Law in China; temporary love in urban cities; xiaojies and sex workers in the Pearl River Delta; queer China and cooperative marriage; political dissidents and civic movement in contemporary China.


Love, Marriage and Sex in Modern China


Required ReadingBasic text: Ho, P. S. Y., & Tsang, A. K. T. (2012). Sex and desire in Hong Kong. Hong Kong:

Hong Kong University Press.

Other required readings:Davis, D., & Harrell, S. (1993). Chinese families in the post-Mao era. Berkeley,

CA: University of California Press.Foucault, M. (1995). The body of the condemned. In Discipline and punish:

The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.) (pp. 3-31). New York: Vintage Books.

Giddens, A. (2009). Sexuality and gender. In Sociology (pp. 600-623). Cambridge: Polity Press

Glosser, S. (2003). Saving self and nation: The New Culture Movement’s family-reform discourse. In Chinese visions of family and state, 1915-1953 (pp. 27-52). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Glosser, S. (2003). Love for revolution: Xiao Jiating in the People’s Republic. In Chinese visions of family and state, 1915-1953 (pp. 174-196). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Ho, P. S. Y. (2006). The (charmed) circle game: Reflections on sexual hierarchy through multiple sexual relationships. Sexualities, 9(5), 547-64.

Ho, P. S. Y. (2011). Recognition struggle: One woman’s politics of iconogenesis. Asian Journal of Women’s Studies, 17(1), 7-27.

Kong, T. S. K. (2011). Conclusion. In Chinese male homosexualities: Memba, tongzhi and golden boy (pp. 194-207). London: Routledge.

Liu, J. (2007). Growing up in the Mao era. In Gender and work in urban China (pp. 25-39). London: Routledge.

Liu, J. (2007). Living in the danwei: The intersection between work and family life. In Gender and work in urban China (pp. 65-76). London: Routledge.

Jeffreys, E. (Ed.). (2006). Sex and sexuality in China. London: Routledge.Johnson, K. A. (1983). Women, the family, and peasant revolution in China

Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [Chaps. 1, 2]McHoul, A., & Grace, W. (1995). A disciplined society. In A Foucault primer (pp.

66-76). London: UCL Press. Pan, S. (2006). Transformations in the primary life cycle: The origins and

nature of China’s sexual revolution. In E. Jeffreys (Ed.), Sex and sexuality in China (pp. 21-42). London: Routledge.

Rubin, G. (1984, 1993). Thinking sex: Notes for a radical theory of the politics of sexuality. In H. Abelove, M. A. Barale & D. M. Halperin (Eds.), The lesbian and gay studies reader (pp. 3-18). London: Routledge.

Sigley, G. (2006). Sex, politics and the policing of virtue in the People’s Republic of China. In E. Jeffreys (Ed.), Sex and sexuality in China (pp. 43-61). London: Routledge.

The Women’s Foundation. (2006). The status of women and girls in Hong Kong 2006: Executive summary. Hong Kong: The Women’s Foundation.


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr L.P Jordan Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1094 [email protected]

Dr L.P Jordan Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 1094 [email protected]


1. Define the concept of social development and explain the surrounding controversies.

2. Summarize the nature and magnitude of the social chal-lenges facing current China.

3. Examine the role of the government in addressing social problems in the context of globalization and moderniza-tion.

4. Analyze the Chinese government’s social policy responses within the historical and globalized features.

5. Illustrate viable reform directions for China’s social devel-opment.

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssay 25Discussion and verbal presentation in tutorials 25Open book quiz 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Interview report (incl interview) 50Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Quiz (incl preparation) 30Total: 166


Social DevelopmentChallenges in China

Starting in late 1970s, the Open Door Policy ushered in an era of privatization, decentralization, modernization, and the dismantling of the Mao era’s “iron rice bowl”(鐵飯碗 tiě fàn w n). The reforms have had a profound impact on Chinese soci-ety, creating, on the one hand, rising quality of life and incomes, but also contribut-ing significantly to rising inequalities.

Is inequality a must to motivate social development? Who are the emerging urban poor, and how can China achieve poverty reduction? Is it unrealistic to provide a universal pension in China? Why it is expensive and difficult to obtain quality health care? How can housing policy help to achieve social integration? This course focus-es on the nature and magnitude of key social development challenges in China, and how Chinese policy-makers at the central and local level are addressing them. Key questions explored will include differing definitions of social development drawing on international comparisons, the limits of market power in providing social goods, social-environmental issues, and the challenges of policy implementation in the Chi-nese institutional context in a globalizing world.

The course relies extensively on current information including newspaper articles, audio-visual news clips, documentaries, statistic case studies, interviews, and dis-cussion of current events to explore the topics.


157



Required Reading

Selected chapters and sections from:

Alcorn, T., & Bao, B. B. (2011). China progresses with health reform but challenges remain. The Lancet, 377(9777), 1557-1558Besharov, D., & Baehler, K. (Forthcoming). Chinese social policy in

transition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Chan, C. K., Ngok, K. L., & Phillips, D. (2008). Social policy and well-being.

In C. K. Chan, K. L. Ngok & D. Phillips (Eds.), Social policy in China: Development and well-being (pp. 15-26). Bristol, UK: The Policy Press.

Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Small works: Poverty and economic development in Southwestern China. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Duckett, J. (2013). The Chinese state’s retreat from health: Policy and the politics of retrenchment. London: Routledge.

Guthrie, D. (2012). China and globalization: The social, economic and political transformation of Chinese society. New York: Routledge.

Harris, P. (2012). Environmental policy and sustainable development in China. Bristol, UK: The Policy Press

Hoefer, R., & Midgley (Eds.). (2012). Poverty, income and social protection: Indentation policy perspectives. London: RoutledgeHuang, Y. (2012). Low income housing in Chinese cities: Policies and

practices. The China Quarterly, 212, 941-964.Pawer, M. S., & Cox, D. R. (2010). Social development. In M. S. Pawar & D. R.

Cox (Eds.), Social development: Critical themes and perspectives (pp. 13-36). New York: Routledge.

Simon, K. W. (2013). Civil society in China. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Solinger, D. J., & Hu, Y. (2012). Welfare, wealth and poverty in urban China:

The Dibao and its differential disbursement. The China Quarterly, 211, 741-764.

Spires, A. J. (2011). Contingent symbiosis and civil society in an authoritarian state: Understanding the survival of China’s grassroots NGOs. American Journal of Sociology, 117(1), 1-45.

Xu, X. (2009). The system of xiaokang indicators: A framework to measure China’s progress. Presented at the 3rd OECD World Forum on “Statistics, Knowledge and Policy” – Charting Progress, Building Visions, Improving Life. October 27-30, 2009, Busan, Korea.

Yu, W.K. (2007). Pension reforms in urban China and Hong Kong. Ageing and Society, 27(02), 249-268

Zhang, W., Li, H., Ishida, S., & Park, E. (2010). China’s non-governmental microcredit practice: History and challenges. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 31, 280-296.


158

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Professor P.S.F. YipDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4375 [email protected]

Professor P.S.F. YipDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4375 [email protected]


1. Identify and explain the theories, models and facts about population processes.

2. Clarify basic demographic concepts and measures and apply them to the contexts of Hong Kong and China and international settings.

3. Trace and differentiate major sources of demographic data and assess their limitations.

4. Analyze the contributions of fertility, mortality, and migra-tion to population change and characterize the political and social forces in the process of modernization at the local and global levels.

5. Examine the social and economic implications of popula-tion dynamics in a multidisciplinary context with reference to Hong Kong and China.

6. Identify and describe the key facts about population poli-cies and schemes in Hong Kong and China and evaluate the impacts of the forces on modernization.

7. Identify and analyze population issues in relation to social services and public policies.

8. Specify the implications and challenges of Hong Kong’s ageing population.

Assessment: 50% coursework, 50% examination

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class participation and discussions 20Group research project 30Examination 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 45Assessment: In-class peer-reviewed assessment 5Total: 142

Very much like that of economic and social development, the population of Hong Kong has dramatically restructured due to the influx of Chinese immigrants in the fifties and the wave of the population born locally in the sixties and seventies, then later the quota system of migration control of mainlanders, rapid declining fertility and increasing life expectancy. Today, several demographic concerns persist such as extremely low fertility, gender imbalance, cross-border marriage, shrinking work-force, and ageing population. Demographic characteristics and processes are much influenced by social and political developments in Mainland China and economic growth and population in-and-out flow of Hong Kong. This course introduces vari-ous population theories, concepts and facts to enable students to develop a critical understanding of the inter-relatedness of the demographic, social, cultural, eco-nomic and political issues between Hong Kong and Mainland China and its sustain-able development.

Weeks, J. R. (2012). Population: An introduction to concepts and issues (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. [Chaps. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (pp. 366-377), 10, 12]


Population, Society and Sustainable Developmentin Hong Kong






Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr D.T.S. TangDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5685 [email protected]

Dr D.T.S. TangDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5685 [email protected]



1. Identify the key features of Hong Kong as an Asian world city.

2. Reflect critically upon the challenges and pros-pect of Hong Kong in maintaining its position as an Asian world city.

3. Relate what has been learnt in class to daily ex-perience.

4. Connect the knowledge acquired in class to an analysis of Hong Kong as an Asian city in a group project report.

5. Apply presentation skills and cooperate in group work.

Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in lectures 10Group presentation and tutorial participation 20Group project 40In-class quiz 20Field trip reflection 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 20Tutorials 10Seminars 4Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 68 Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Total: 152

Chiu, S. W. K., & Lui, T. L. (2009). Hong Kong: Becoming a Chinese global city. London; New York: Routledge.

Constable, N. (1997). Sexuality and discipline among Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong. American Ethnologist, 24(3), 539-558.

Law, W. S. (2008). Hong Kong undercover: An approach to “collaborative colonialism”. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 9(4), 522-542.

Ku, A. S. (2009). Contradictions in the development of citizenship in Hong Kong: Governance without democracy. Asian Survey, 49(3), 505-527.

Mahtani, S., & Vernon, K. (2010). Creating inclusive workplaces for LGBT employees: A resource guide for employers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Community Business. From http://www.communitybusiness.org/images/cb/publications/2010/LGBT.pdf

Ngo, T. W. (1999). Hong Kong’s history: State and society under colonial rule. London; New York: Routledge.

Roy, A., & Ong, A. (Eds). (2011). Worlding cities: Asian experiments and the art of being global. London: Wiley-Blackwell. [Chaps. 5, 7]

Salaff, J. W. (1981). Working daughters of Hong Kong. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Smart, A., & Lui, T. L. (2009). Learning from civil unrest: State/society relations in Hong Kong before and after the 1967 disturbances. In R. Bickers & R. Yep (Eds.), May days in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

This course examines Hong Kong as a Chinese global city and its position in relation to the Pearl River Delta and the national China’s economy. By understanding Hong Kong as both Chinese (Cantonese-speaking) by majority and a global finance cent-er by historical construction, students will be introduced to basic readings on ur-ban sociology, global cities and Hong Kong studies. Students are expected to learn more about Hong Kong’s position in the Asia region and the multiple challenges facing the city, including global economics and China’s rapid development as well as current debates on democracy and civic society. This course is divided into three components with the first part focusing on the historical perspective of Hong Kong by studying the inter-relations between colonial government administration and policies, manufacturing industries and migration patterns. The second part of the course will explore the rise of the middle class and their consumption practices in the city. The complex anxieties surrounding the year 1997 will be discussed in rela-tion to its historical significance in political, economic and socio-cultural terms. The last component of the course will investigate how Hong Kong measures up to the standards of being a Chinese global city and address future issues facing the ongo-ing development of Hong Kong in the larger schema of China’s global economy and its impact on local understandings / identity crises of the city’s positioning.

Hong Kong: Becoming a Chinese Global City


160

Required Reading



Teacher(s)

Study Load


People, Propaganda and Profit: Understanding Media in China

Assessment Tasks WeightingMid-term essay 30Portfolio 40Group presentation 30


Mainland Chinese are increasingly able to access media stories that expose government corruption and examine the social costs of the nation’s market-based economic reforms in China’s quest for modernization. Some see this development as a sign of China’s growing media freedom, while others view it as a sophisticated government tool for le-gitimizing and maintaining Communist Party power. Despite these contradictory views, what cannot be ignored is that the proliferation of the Chinese media is transforming it from a vehicle of mass propaganda into a vehicle for mass communication. The diversifi-cation of the media--from the rise of celebrity blogs and pop idol talent shows, to citizen journalists publishing independent investigative reports, to alternative forms of cultural expression through art and film--is changing the chief function of media from merely serving as party mouthpiece to that of gathering and disseminating information and a working tool for self expression. This media development is creating new public channels that monitor and expose Party malfeasance, social ills, and reflect the views of the gen-eral public.

This course engages students in a cross-disciplinary investigation on the social implica-tions of this changing media environment on China’s nascent public sphere. By analyz-ing Chinese media and cultural content including news stories, films, street tabloids, TV entertainment shows, and new media technologies, advertisements, and art, the course examines the dynamic interplay of evolving social, political, economic, and media forces and the prospects for the transformation of mass culture and civil society in China. The course will survey the historical roots of media and mass propaganda in the Mao Era, analyzing its political, social and cultural role. This will be followed by an in-depth look at how market liberalization policies reshaped China’s media landscape within the context of continued government control. Specific examples will be used to illustrate the media’s new found role as a mass communication vehicle and the challenges and prospects of this shift on media, state and social relations.

Latham, K. (2007). Pop culture China!: Media, arts, and lifestyle. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. [e-book]

Dr L.Y. Tang Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8533 [email protected]

Dr L.F. Cho Department of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 4641 [email protected]

Dr L.Y. TangDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 8533 [email protected]


1. Identify and discuss major factors that transformed China’s media from a vehicle of mass propaganda to mass com-munication.

2. Investigate the emerging diverse media and popular cul-ture forms and analyze its impact on media, state and social relations.

3. Analyze the rise of new media and its contribution to the development of China’s nascent civil society.

4. Critically analyze the on-going debate concerning media autonomy and Party control using various media studies and sociology theories covered.

5. Examine the limitations of unfettered media commerciali-zation and continued Party ideological domination.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 20Reading / Self-study 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 40Assessment: Test (incl preparation) 20Total: 154





Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Ven. Dr X. GuangCentre of Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5040 [email protected]

Ven. Dr X. GuangCentre of Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5040 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of the role Buddhist culture plays in the various forms of Chinese life such as thought, value, visual art, architecture, literature, language, and folk beliefs.

2. Describe and explain Buddhist influence on Chinese cul-ture in general.

3. Use relevant information to critically examine how signifi-cant Buddhist culture is in Chinese people’s daily life such as Guanyin belief and ancestor worship.

4. Demonstrate an awareness of the characteristics and di-versities of China’s culture and heritage and her Buddhist impact.

5. Apply the knowledge and understanding gained to study the deeper implications of Buddhist thought for modern society together with other philosophical and religious systems.

Assessment Tasks WeightingLecture and tutorial

participation and presentation 20Group presentation 20Written report 25Final essay 35

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 60Preparation for oral report 10Assessment: Essay / Report writing 35Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Total: 156

Fang, L. (2010). China’s Buddhist culture. Singapore: Cengage Learning Asia.

Guang, X. (2008). Early Buddhist and Confucian concepts of filial piety: A comparative study. Universal Gate Buddhist Journal, 45, 169-210.

Guang, X. (2011). Avalokiteśvara in China. The Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies, 11, 1-22.

Guang, X. (2012). Buddhist influence on Chinese religions and popular beliefs. International Journal of Buddhist Thought and Culture, 18, 135-257.

Guang, X. (2013). Buddhist influence on Chinese language. Journal of Buddhist Studies, 10, 130-152.

Mair, V. H. (1994). Buddhism and the rise of the written vernacular in East Asia: The making of national languages. The Journal of Asian Studies, 53(3), 707-751.

Overmyer, D. L., & Adler, J. (2005). Chinese religion: An overview. In L. Jones (Ed.), Encyclopedia of religion (2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1580-1613). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.

Teiser, S. (2005). Buddhism in China. In L. Jones (Ed.), Encyclopedia of religion (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 1160-1169). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.

Tregear, M. (1980). Chinese art. London: Thames and Hudson. Wright, A. F. (1957). Buddhism and Chinese culture: Phases of

interaction. The Journal of Asian Studies, 17(1), 17-42.

This course is designed to help students to understand Chinese culture and its Bud-dhist influence and impact. For over two thousand years, Buddhism has interacted with all levels of Chinese culture such as literature, philosophy, mores and behavio-ral norms, arts and architecture, and religions of all classes. As a result, Buddhism has become one of the three pillars of traditional Chinese culture and its influence is seen in many aspects and at all levels of Chinese culture. The aim of the course is to enhance students’ intellectual understanding of Chinese culture and Chinese peo-ple’s way of life and belief through historical analysis, and theoretical enquiries into the key aspects of China’s long interaction and exchange with Buddhism. Attention will be paid to the open attitude of both Buddhism and Confucianism as a basis for integration and mutual assimilation. Lectures are organized in such a way as to first introduce students to the philosophical traditions and their thoughts, with follow-up discussions on specific topics. Topics include: Buddhist impact on Chinese cul-ture; intellectual exchange between Buddhism and Chinese culture; Buddhist and Chinese attitude to life: A comparative study; Buddhist and Chinese ethics of filial piety; Buddhism and Chinese visual art; Chan and Chinese culture; Buddhist influ-ence on Chinese language and literature; Buddhist influence on religions and popu-lar beliefs; Guanyin belief in Chinese life.

Buddhism and Chinese Culture



162

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Professor L.S. ChanDepartment of Earth Sciences,Faculty of Science📞 2859 8002 [email protected]

Professor L.S. ChanDepartment of Earth Sciences,Faculty of Science📞 2859 8002 [email protected]


1. Give an account of the extent of scientific achievements in ancient China and explain the social-environmental background governing the development of science and technology in ancient China.

2. Deliver an in-depth account on why western style science did not flourish in China.

3. Give a critical comparison of the approach and inquiry methods used by scholars in ancient China and in modern scientific studies.Assessment: 70% coursework; 30% examination

Assessment Tasks WeightingEssays 40Examination 30Field trip / Discussion / Hands-on work 10Book analysis 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 16Tutorials 4Seminars 4Fieldwork / Visits 6Reading / Self-study 80Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Examination 2Total: 152


Science and Technology:Lessons from China

In spite of the vast and superior knowledge possessed by the ancient Chinese rela-tive to the rest of the world, China did not develop into a dominant technoculture. This course will explore some of the lesser known inventions and scientific develop-ment in ancient China and factors that caused China to fall behind the West in tech-nological development. The contents of the course include perception of the mate-rial world in ancient China, early Chinese views of the universe, earth and Nature, changes in the perception of these entities over time, scientific inventions and theo-ries of ancient China, and the linkage between science, art and literature in China. Guest speakers will give insights on specific areas of technological advancement in ancient China.

Institute of the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (1983). Ancient China’s technology and science. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press.



163



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr G.Y.Y. WongSchool of Business, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1016 [email protected]

Dr D. GuoSchool of Business,Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1012 [email protected]

Dr G.Y.Y. WongSchool of Business, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1016 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate understanding of New Institutional Theory and explain how institutions interact with business activi-ties in a society.

2. Identify the social and political factors that affect the per-formance and decisions of Chinese businesses in historical periods before and after 1949.

3. Demonstrate understanding of how businesses are organ-ized and relations are managed to achieve business goals in a social context.

4. Work with others to identify critical “success formula” in business operations.

5. Analyze, in collaboration with fellow students, the oppor-tunities and challenges facing Chinese businesses in the global economy.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class presentations and participation 10Group project 1 30Group project 2 30Essay 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 8Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Group project 24Total: 158

This course is designed to develop a basic understanding of Chinese business in its societal context. Taking New Institutional Theory as an intellectual framework, the course discusses how social and political institutions interact with business activi-ties in Chinese society from a historical perspective. The course first introduces New Institutional Theory. It then reviews the business models of the major Business Groups in traditional China and the Chinese State-owned and non-State-owned Enterprises under the Communist regime. Under the institutional framework, the discussion focuses on analyzing what are the essential features of the political and social contexts for Chinese businesses; how these contextual features have shaped the operation and competitiveness of Chinese businesses on the one hand, and, have been modified with the development of business activities on the other hand. The major themes include: government business relations, distinctive business cul-ture and relationships among themselves and with other social institutions in China, and more recently, the effects of globalization. The discussion is divided into two parts: Chinese business and society in the Dynastic Eras and the Republic of China before 1949 and, their dissolution, transformation, and re-creation afterwards.

Beckwith, C. I. (1991). The impact of the horse and silk trade on the economies of T’ang China and the Uighur Empire: On the importance of international commerce in the Early Middle Ages. Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, 34(3), 183-198.

Cochran, S. (2000). Encountering Chinese networks: Western, Japanese, and Chinese corporations in China, 1880-1937. Los Angeles: University of California Press. [Chap. 6]

Liu, K.W. (1988, February). Chinese merchant guilds: An historical inquiry. Pacific History Review, 57(1), 1-23. [Moodle link]

Naughton, B. (2007). The Chinese economy: Transitions and growth. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. [Chaps. 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17]

Powell, W. W., & DiMaggio, P. J. (1991). The New institutionalism in organizational analysis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [Chap. 15]

Rae, I., & Witzel, M. (2004). Singular and different: Business in China, past, present, and future. Houndmills, Basingstoke, UK; New York: Palgrave Macmillan. [Chap. 5]

Wang, K., Zhang, X., & Goodfellow, R. (2005). China business culture: Strategies for success [Reprinted ed.]. London: Thorogood. [Chap. 2]

Wong, G. (1996). Business groups in a dynamic environment: Hong Kong 1976-1986. In G. G. Hamilton (Ed.), Asian business networks (pp. 87-113). Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.


Chinese Business Practice and Society: Past and Present


164

Required Reading


Study Load



Teacher(s)

Dr M.S. RanDepartment of Social Work andSocial Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2094 [email protected]

Dr M.S. RanDepartment of Social Work andSocial Administration,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 2094 [email protected]


1. Identify and explain the theories, models and facts about family changes and its interconnectedness of moderniza-tion from multidisciplinary perspectives.

2. Underline and clarify basic family theories and concepts and apply the analysis to the contexts of China and inter-national settings.

3. Trace and differentiate major sources of family demo-graphic data and their limitations.

4. Analyze the contributions of family, marriage, childbear-ing and its impact from migration and urbanization and characterize the political and social forces in the process of modernization at the local and global levels.

5. Examine the social and economic implications of family dynamics in a multidisciplinary context with reference to the situations of Modern China.

6. Identify and describe the key facts about family planning scheme and one-child policy in China and evaluate the im-pacts of the forces on the modernization.

7. Locate and appraise family issues to social services and public policies.

8. Specify social implications and prescribe the challenges of family dissolution and baby death.

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class participation and discussions 20Group research project 30Examination 50

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 8Reading / Self-study 20Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 10Assessment: Examination (incl preparation) 45Assessment: In-class peer reviewed assessment 5Total: 142

Over a decade, family composition has substantially changed in parallel with socio-economic development in China. Traditional values of a family had been evolving from Confucian basis to greater individual autonomy. From the late Mao era, China introduced the one-child policy to limit the population growth in 1978 as a prereq-uisite for economic development and for the success of the Four Modernizations program. The one-child policy runs contrary to traditional family norms, thereby disrupting family structures and affecting not only women but all family members. The transformation of family norms and values not only deeply affects marriage, family formation, childbearing behaviors as well as obligations to old age support, but also aggregately restructures the population composition. This course aims at introducing the various family theories, concepts, facts and general demographic techniques to understand the inter-relatedness of the demographic, social, cultural, economic and political issues with family transitions in Modern China.

Family and Development in Modern China



All required readings will be available on the course’s Moodle as below:

Adams, B. N. (2004). Families and family study in international perspective. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(5), 1076-1088.

Attané, I. (2002). China’s family planning policy: An overview of its past and future. Studies in Family Planning, 33(1), 103-113.

Chen, X. (1985). The One-child population policy, modernization, and the extended Chinese family. Journal of Marriage and Family, 47(1), 193-202.

Coale, A. J. (1989). Marriage and childbearing in China since 1940. Social Forces, 67(4), 833-850.

Coontz, S. (2004). The world historical transformation of marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(4), 974-979.

Cherlin, A. J. (2004). The deinstitutionalization of American marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(4), 848-861.

Cook, S., & Dong, X. (2011). Harsh choices: Chinese women's paid work and unpaid care responsibilities under economic reform. Development and Change, 42(4), 947-965.

Greenhalgh, S. (2003). Science, modernity, and the making of China’s one child policy. Population and Development Review, 29(2), 163-196.

Jiang, L. (1995). Changing kinship structure and its implications for old-age support in urban and rural China. Population Studies, 49(1), 127-145.

Moxnes, K. (1999). What are families after divorce? Marriage & Family Review, 28(3-4), 105-120.

Salaff, J. W. (1973). The emerging conjugal relationship in the People's Republic of China. Journal of Marriage and Family, 35(4), 705-717.

Tuljapurkar, S., Li, N., & Feldman, M. W. (1995). High sex ratios in China’s future. Science, 267(5199), 874-876.

Wang, F. (2005). Can China afford to continue its one-child policy? Asia-Pacific Issues, 77, 1-12.

Wang, F. (2005). The origin and evolution of China’s Hukou system. In Organizing through division and exclusion: China’s Hukou system (pp. 32-60). Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Xie, Y., & Zhu, H. (2009). Do sons or daughters give more money to parents in urban China? Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(1), 174-186.

Zuo, J. (2009). Rethinking family patriarchy and women’s positions in presocialist China. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(3), 542-557.

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Dr D.P. Robins School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr D.P. Robins School of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]


1. Describe the range of conceptions and practices of the dao in the Chinese tradition and explain their significance with respect to human life.

2. Critically examine the views discussed and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Demonstrate interpretive, analytical, and argumentative skills in oral presentation and writing by discussing these issues and views in written assignments, class discussion, and tutorial presentations.

4. Demonstrate appreciation of the intellectual frameworks and concerns of traditional Chinese philosophy, particularly as these pertain to the values and ways of life that ground ethical and political culture, along with appreciation of the potential for constructive engagement with them.

5. Demonstrate personal reflection on and practical experi-mentation with traditional conceptions and practices of the dao, thus showing appreciation for their potentially transformative effect on life and society.


Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 25Brief writing assignments 25Individual student journal 25Final paper 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 26Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 52Assessment: Essay / Report writing 10Assessment: Brief written assignments 10Assessment: Journal 12Total: 120

Extracts from:

Angle, S. C. (2009). Sagehood: The contemporary significance of neo-Confucian philosophy. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Brière, O. (1979). Fifty years of Chinese philosophy, 1898-1950. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Chang, C. (1962). The development of Neo-Confucian thought (Vol. 2). New York: Bookman Associates.

Cheng, Z., & Bunnin, N. (2002). Contemporary Chinese philosophy. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

Chow, T. (1960). The May Fourth Movement: Intellectual revolution in modern China. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Fox, A. (1996). Reflex and reflectivity: Wuwei in the Zhuangzi. Asian Philosophy, 6(1), 59-72.

Fraser, C. (2011). The philosophy of the Mozi: The first consequentialists. New York: Columbia University Press.

Fraser, C. (Forthcoming). Chinese philosophy: An introduction. New York: Columbia University Press.

Fraser, C. (Forthcoming). Wandering the way. In Happiness East and West.Hansen, C. (1992). A Daoist theory of Chinese thought: A philosophical

interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press.Ivanhoe, P. J. (2000). Confucian moral self cultivation (2nd ed.). Indianapolis,

IN: Hackett Publishing Company.Kwok, D. W. Y. (1971). Scientism in Chinese thought, 1900-1950. New York:

Biblo and Tannen.Lai, K. (2008). An introduction to Chinese philosophy. Cambridge, UK; New

York: Cambridge University Press.Makeham, J. (2010). Dao companion to neo-Confucian philosophy. Dordrecht;

New York: Springer.Robins, D. (2007). Xunzi. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of

philosophy (Spring 2011 ed.). From http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2011/entries/xunzi/

Tiwald, J. (2009). Dai Zhen. In J. Fieser & B. Dowden (Eds.), Internet encyclopedia of philosophy. From http://www.iep.utm.edu/dai-zhen/

Van Norden, B. W. (2007). Virtue ethics and consequentialism in early Chinese philosophy. New York; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wong, D. (2008). Chinese ethics. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Spring 2011 ed.). From http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2011/entries/ethics-chinese/

Translations Chan, W. (1963). A source book in Chinese philosophy. Princeton, NJ:

Princeton University Press.Confucius, & Lau, D. C. (1979). The analects (Lun yü). Harmondsworth, UK;

New York: Penguin Books.De Bary, W. T., Bloom, I., Chan, W., Adler, J., & Lufrano, R. (1999). Sources of

Chinese tradition (2nd ed., Vol. 1). New York: Columbia University Press.Gardner, D. K., & Zhu, X. (1990). Learning to be a sage: Selections from the

conversations of Master Chu, arranged topically. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Ivanhoe, P. J., Huineng, Lu, J., & Wang, Y. (2009). Readings from the Lu-Wang school of Neo-Confucianism. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.

Ivanhoe, P. J., & Van Norden, B. W. (2005). Readings in classical Chinese philosophy (2nd ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.

Laozi, & Lau, D. C. (1963). Tao te ching. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books.Mencius, & Lau, D. C. (1970). Mencius. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books.Watson, B., Mo, D., Xunzi, & Han, F. (1967). Basic writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu,

and Han Fei Tzu. New York: Columbia University Press.

This course guides students in exploring the thought, values, and ways of life pre-sented by the major philosophical schools of traditional China and exploring the respects in which traditional philosophy may remain relevant to contemporary life. The unifying theme of the course is the concept of the dao, or “way”, understood as a pattern of attitudes and activities that reflects a normative order, grounded in nature, which must be lived out in practice. The course will discuss and critically evaluate how important figures throughout the Chinese intellectual tradition under-stood the dao and the practical approaches by which they sought to align human attitudes and activity with it, presenting these as concrete ways of life for students to examine and critique. The course will discuss figures such as Confucius, Mozi, Mengzi, Zhuangzi, Zhu Xi, and Dai Zhen and compare and contrast approaches to practicing the dao that focus on effort, spontaneity, purification, and reform.


Following the Dao:Ways of Life in Chinese Thought


165




166


Teacher(s)Study Load


Professor C. HansenSchool of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr C.J. FraserSchool of Humanities (Philosophy), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]


1. Describe various conceptions of the relation between hu-manity and nature presented in the ancient, medieval, and modern eras and explain their significance with respect to ethics and politics.

2. Critically examine these conceptions and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Demonstrate interpretive, analytical, and argumentative skills in oral presentation and writing by discussing and critiquing these conceptions in written assignments and tutorial discussions.

4. Demonstrate appreciation of the intellectual framework and concerns of traditional Chinese philosophy, particularly as these bear on the relation of humanity to nature.

5. Demonstrate personal critical reflection on the relation between humanity and nature while considering the signif-icance of traditional understandings of nature in the con-text of a contemporary ethical, political, or environmental issue.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 25Brief writing assignments 50Short essay 25

Activities Number of hoursLectures 26Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 12Assessment: Brief written assignments 12Total: 120

This course explores the ways prominent Chinese philosophers throughout history have understood and approached the relation between the human, social realm and the realm of nature. The dominant tendency in traditional Chinese ethical, religious, and political thought has been to ground ethical and political ideals in a normative conception of humanity’s relation to nature, as epitomized by the slogan, “nature and humanity join as one”. The course explores the conceptions of humanity, na-ture, and the relation between them that underlie the many competing versions of this ideal of naturalistic humanism. Students will be led to chart their own view of our relation to nature, grounded in culturally authentic concepts and patterns of thinking, with the aim of enhancing their appreciation of Chinese ethical and philo-sophical culture, on the one hand, and modern scientific and philosophical natural-ism, on the other. Schools of thought covered will include Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Buddhism, Song Dynasty “Dao-Study”, and contemporary Chinese prag-matism.

Humanity and Nature in Chinese Thought




Required Reading

Readings will include brief selections from original sources and secondary sources. Original sources may include the Analects, Mengzi, Xunzi, Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Lun Heng, sayings of Chan Buddhist masters, Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming. Secondary sources may include Hansen, Daoist; Chan, W. (Source Book); and Liang, History.

References Brière, O. (1979). Fifty years of Chinese philosophy, 1898-1950. Westport, CT:

Greenwood Press.Chang, C. (1962). The development of Neo-Confucian thought (Vol. 2). New

York: Bookman Associates.Cheng, Z., & Bunnin, N. (2002). Contemporary Chinese philosophy. Malden, MA:

Blackwell Publishers.Hansen, C. (1992). A Daoist theory of Chinese thought: A philosophical

interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press.Ivanhoe, P. J. (2000). Confucian moral self cultivation (2nd ed.). Indianapolis, IN:

Hackett Publishing Company. Kwok, D. W. Y. (1971). Scientism in Chinese thought, 1900-1950. New York: Biblo

and Tannen.Lai, K. (2008). An introduction to Chinese philosophy. Cambridge, UK; New York:

Cambridge University Press.Makeham, J. (2010). Dao companion to Neo-Confucian philosophy. Dordrecht;

New York: Springer.Tang, C. (1956). Chang Tsai’s theory of mind and its metaphysical basis.

Philosophy East and West, 6, 113-136. Tang, C. (1970). The development of the concept of moral mind from Wang

Yang-ming to Wang Chi. In W. T. De Bary (Ed.), Self and society in Ming thought (pp. 93-120). New York: Columbia University Press.

Zhou, C. (1960). The May Fourth movement: Intellectual revolution in modern China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

TranslationsChan, W. (1963). A source book in Chinese philosophy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton

University Press.Confucius, & Lau, D. C. (1979). The analects (Lun yü). Harmondsworth; New York:

Penguin Books.De Bary, W. T., Bloom, I., Chan, W., Adler, J., & Lufrano, R. J. (1999). Sources of

Chinese tradition (2nd ed.; Vols. 1 and 2). New York: Columbia University Press.

Gardner, D. K., & Zhu, X. (1990). Learning to be a sage: Selections from the conversations of Master Chu, arranged topically. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Huineng, Lu, J., Wang, Y., & Ivanhoe, P. J. (2009). Readings from the Lu-Wang School of Neo-Confucianism. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.

Ivanhoe, P. J., & Van Norden, B. W. (2005). Readings in classical Chinese philosophy (2nd ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.

Laozi, & Lau, D. C. (1963). Tao te ching. Baltimore: Penguin Books.Liang, Q. (1968). History of Chinese political thought during the early Tsin period

(L. T. Chen, Trans.). Taipei: Ch’eng Wen.Mencius, & Lau, D. C. (1970). Mencius. Harmondsworth: Penguin.Watson, B., Mo, D., Xunzi, & Han, F. (1967). Basic writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu,

and Han Fei Tzu. New York: Columbia University Press.

Required Reading



Cornell, S., & Hartman, D. (1998). Ethnicity and race: Making identities in a changing world. California: Pine Forge Press. [Selected chapters]

Dikotter, F. (1992). The discourse on race in modern China. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [Selected chapters]

Fei, X. T. (1980). Ethnic identification in China. Social Sciences in China, 1, 97-107.

Gladney, D. C. (1991). Muslim Chinese: Ethnic nationalism in the People’s Republic. Cambridge, MA: Council of East Asian Studies and Fellows of Harvard University.

Goldstein, M. (1989 & 2007). A history of modern Tibet (Vols. 1 and 2). Los Angeles: University of California Press.

Postiglione, G. (2009). Ethnic minorities in China. In L. Cheng, et al. (Eds.), Berkshire encyclopedia of China (pp. 763-770). Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Company.

Postiglione, G. (2009). Education of ethnic groups in China. In J. Banks (Ed.), The Routledge international companion to multicultural education (pp. 501-511). New York; London: Routledge.

Postiglione, G. (2010). Ethnic identity and educational outcomes in China. In International encyclopedia of education. Oxford: Elsevier.

Sen, A. (2006). Identity and violence. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup project and presentation 50Essay / Report writing 50


1. Critique the commonly held assumptions about race and ethnicity in China, demonstrate knowledge of the basic facts and complexities about ethnicity in China, and sum-marize the main theories and perspectives used to analyze ethnic intergroup processes in China and the wider world.

2. Work in teams to provide reasons for and innovative solu-tions to specific problems of interethnic conflict in China.

3. Gather information and use relevant information from their own and other’s experience of ethnic intergroup relations to appreciate cultural differences and build theory about the assimilation and pluralism in China’s future.

4. Critically assess the Western media’s and Chinese govern-ment’s views about human rights, justice, equality, and freedom of speech for ethnic minorities in China.

5. Apply and adapt knowledge and understanding to ethnic intergroup relations on campus.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Assessment: Essay / Report writing 50Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 50Total: 136

Teacher(s)


Ms K.A. Loper Department of Law, Faculty of Law📞 3917 4235 [email protected]

Dr P.S. Ding School of Humanities (Linguistics), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2753 [email protected]


Few countries in the world have a total population that exceeds the 110 million eth-nic minorities in China. What does this mean for China’s rise in the 21st century? As the income gap between Han Chinese and ethnic minorities widens, the cen-turies old debate over values, identities, and cultural heritage intensifies. China’s rise will be determined by how well it governs the ethnic lands that occupy half of the country and 90 percent of its border. In short, the future hinges on being able to integrate diverse cultural groups, a challenge for any multi-ethnic states. What will happen to China’s 55 culturally diverse minority groups? This course uses ba-sic data and current information to examine the central theoretical question: What social processes occur when people of different ethnic groups come together in a rapidly rising China?

China’s Ethnic Groups: Cultural Assimilation or Cultural Pluralism?






168 http://commoncore.hku.hk/ccch9028


Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Dr B. Chung School of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics📞 3917 1034 [email protected]



1. Describe the economic interactions between Hong Kong and China since the early twentieth century.

2. Identify the economic functions that Hong Kong serves for China and the underlying unique advantages of Hong Kong.

3. Apply basic economic concepts to understand the advan-tages of Hong Kong and predict their future trends.

4. Evaluate the challenges and opportunities that Hong Kong faces in response to the changing socio-economic environ-ment in the regional and global economies.

5. Demonstrate an awareness of Hong Kong’s past, present and future.

Assessment Tasks WeightingExamination 30Group project presentation 25Group project report 25Tutorials 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study / Preparation for tutorials 50Assessment: Report writing 18Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 18Assessment: Examination 2Total: 122

Hong Kong has been playing a pivotal role in China’s economic reform since the inauguration of her open door policy in 1978. In recent years, however, the rapid de-velopment of coastal cities and gradual opening of China to the world following her accession to the WTO have called into question the future roles of Hong Kong in China’s economic development. This course provides an overview of the economic linkages between Hong Kong and China from the twentieth century to the present. It traces the changing roles that Hong Kong has assumed during different phases in China’s economic development and explores the roles that Hong Kong can continue to serve China in the future.


Sung, Y. W. (1991). The China-Hong Kong connection: The key to China’s open-door policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hong Kong and China’sEconomic Development


169



Required Reading




Ideas and Practices ofHealing in Traditional China

Teacher(s)

Professor Z.J. Zhang School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2589 0445 [email protected]

Professor J.G. ShenSchool of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2589 0429 [email protected]

Dr X.L. TianDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5695 [email protected]

Dr Y.B. FengSchool of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2589 0482 [email protected]

Professor Z.J. Zhang School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine📞 2589 0445 [email protected]


1. Explain key concepts in Chinese medical culture and the historical contexts behind the ideas and practices being discussed.

2. Describe, experience, and analyze ideas of holism and “same origin of herbs and food” that influence Chinese ways of life from past to present.

3. Compare different origins of Chinese and Western medi-cine and evaluate advantages and limitations of traditional Chinese medical culture.

4. Apply knowledge learned to appreciate and critically re-flect on the issues and challenges in 21st-century Chinese culture.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorials 25Presentation 20Short essay 40Field trip (and reflective writing) 15

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 58Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8Assessment: Essay / Reflective writing 40Total: 150

This course introduces ideas and practices of healing in Traditional China through a critical exploration of Chinese medical culture in its dynamic formation and trans-formation. The course seeks to enhance students’ interests in Chinese civilization from intellectually challenging angles and enriches students’ knowledge of key ide-as and methods of healing in medical sciences, philosophy, religion, and literature. It also engages them in cross-cultural inquiry by contrasting or connecting Chinese with Western medical cultures. In light of influential holistic theories in Traditional Chinese medicine, such as “陰陽五行” (Yin-Yang and five elements), “天人相應” (cor-relation between man and nature), “原氣論” Qi (vital energy) and “藥食同源” (the same origin of herbs and food), a number of key concepts in Chinese medical cul-ture will be explained. Comparison of Chinese medicine with Western medicine will be involved. There will also be debates on controversial cases to stimulate student discussion. First-hand experience of Chinese medical culture will be demonstrated with student participation and a cross-cultural discussion on the vital interactions between Chinese and Western medical traditions will be held in the class.

Choa, G. H. (1990). “Heal the sick” was their motto: The Protestant medical missionaries in China. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. [Chaps. 2, 3, 4]

Karyn, K. L. (2008). An introduction to Chinese philosophy. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. [pp. 26-47]

Unschuld, P. U. (2009). What is medicine? : Western and Eastern approaches to healing. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [pp. 32-36, 42-50]




Required Reading


Course Co-ordinator

Teacher(s)

Study Load




Dr G.G. Zheng Department of Law, Faculty of Law📞 3917 2959 [email protected]

Assessment Tasks WeightingIn-class presentation 30Class participation 20Essay 50


1. Explain the central ideas of constitutionalism and the con-nections between constitutionalism and individual rights, justice and democracy.

2. Compare how Chinese intellectuals responded to the crisis China faced when encountering western power since the 19th century and their views on the application of constitu-tionalism to China.

3. Critically review the constitutional development during Imperial China, Republican China and Communist China on how far constitutionalism was achieved.

4. Identify and analyze the factors that may determine the development of constitutionalism in modern China and review the prospect of constitutionalism in modern China.

5. Critically determine the relevance of culture in the consti-tutional development of a society.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 45Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 25Assessment: Essay writing 25Total: 129

Chen, A. H. Y. (2007). A tale of two islands: Comparative reflections on constitutionalism in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hong Kong Law Journal, 37, 647-688.

Inglehart, R., & Welzel, C. (2005). Modernization, cultural change, and democracy: The human development sequence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Chap. 1]

Kotyzova, M. (2012). Charter 08 and Charta 77: East European past as China’s future? In Béja, J.-P., Fu, H. L., & Pils, E. (Eds.), Liu Xiaobo, Charter 08 and the challenges of political reform in China. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Kwong, L. S. K. (2000). Chinese politics at the crossroads: Reflections on the Hundred Days Reform of 1898. Modern Asian Studies, 34(3), 663-695.

Lee, M. Y. K. (2012). The Chinese people’s struggle for democracy and China’s long quest for dignity. Connecticut Journal of International Law, 27, 207-242.

Liu, Y., & Chen, D. (2012). Why China will democratize. The Washington Quarterly, 35(1), 41-63.

Mühlemann, G. (2012). China and constitutional monarchy: Four short encounters around 1900. In A. Flüchter & S. Richter (Eds.), Structures on the move: Technologies of governance in transcultural encounter (pp. 105-125). Berlin; London: Springer.

Nwabueze, B. O. (1973). Constitutionalism in the emergent states. London: C. Hurst. [Chap. 1]

Perry, E. (2008). Chinese conceptions of “rights”: From Mencius to Mao—and now. Perspectives on Politics, 6, 37-50.

Schram, S. R. (1994). Mao Zedong at hundred years on: The legacy of a ruler. China Quarterly, 137, 125-143

Sun, E-tu Zen. (1952). The Chinese constitutional missions of 1905-1906. The Journal of Modern History, 24(3), 251-269.

Xiao-Planes, X. (2009). Of constitutions and constitutionalism: Trying to build a new political order in China, 1908-1949. In S. Balme & M. W. Dowdle (Eds.), Building constitutionalism in China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Zhang, Q. (2012). The constitution of China: A contextual analysis. Oxford: Hart Publishing. [pp. 48-74]

Constitutionalism is not merely having a constitution but includes a series of values which were developed from Western historical experiences. The theoretical and in-stitutional developments in constitutionalism are deeply embedded in the cultural context of a specific society. This course examines some of the most important constitutional scholars and events in modern China and helps students understand how the adoption of constitutionalism had actually been seen as an effective way to achieve the wealth and power of state in the process of China’s modernization. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the reasons for China not achieving a tru-ly democratic and constitutional government after so many years of constitutional struggle. Students will be given opportunities to explore how constitutional values are going to be incorporated into Chinese legal culture in the future.


Modernization andConstitutionalism in China

Non-Permissible Combination:CCCH9041 The Rule of Law in Contemporary China




Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load

Professor L.W.C. LaiDepartment of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7988 [email protected]

Dr D.C.W. HoDepartment of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2413 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain the observable phenomena of built heritage degradation and conservation in terms of different forms of property rights and their resource use implica-tions and the significance of property rights for enabling/inhibiting innovations by investment.

2. Describe and explain the notion of built heritage and the common methods of classification and conservation; com-peting conservation approaches and provide an overview of built heritage endeavours by government, NGO and private bodies.

3. Critically examine the role of institutional and technical in-novations in helping to foster sustainable development by conserving and using built heritage.

4. Apply the approach to sustainable development through innovations to appreciate, evaluate and formulate policy and project proposals for built heritage conservation and use, using real world comparable examples as sources of ideas.

Assessment Tasks WeightingParticipation in tutorials and project presentation sessions 20Grading of group projects based on field trips 60Assignments 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 10Tutorials 8Fieldwork / Visits 18Reading / Self-study 50Assessment: Coursework 10Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 24Total: 120

Books Beder, S., & Earth Foundation Australia. (1996). The nature of sustainable

development. Newham, Victoria: Scribe Publications.Irving, R. T. A., Morton, B., & World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong. (1988). A

geography of the Mai Po Marshes. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.Lai, L. W. C. (1998). Zoning and property rights: A Hong Kong case study. Hong

Kong: Hong Kong University Press.Rollo, D. (1991). The guns and gunners of Hong Kong. Hong Kong: The Gunners’ Roll

of Hong Kong.

Practice Papers Davies, S. N. G., Lai, L. W. C., & Tan, Y. K. (2009). World War II small gun casements,

pillboxes, and open machine gun positions on Hong Kong Island in photos. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch, 49, 57-91.

Lai, L. W. C., Davies, S. N. G., & Tan, Y. K. (2008). To action on the Gin Drinker’s Line. British Archaeology, 101 (July/August), 32-35.

Lai, L. W. C., & Ho, D. C. W. (2003). Facilities management and planning for heritage sites: Lessons learnt from a pilot study on dis-used military sites. Facilities, 21(3/4), 80-88.

Lai, L. W. C., Ho, D. C. W., & Leung, H. F. (2003). Survey of the Devil’s Peak Redoubt and Gough Battery. Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 42, 101-137.

Lai, L. W. C., Ho, D. C. W., & Lung, D. P. Y. (2000). Disused military structures on Devil’s Peak: A post-colonial planning and building analysis on pre-war British coastal defence structures in Hong Kong. Ekistics, 67(400/401/402) (January/February-March/April-May/June).

Lai, L. W. C., Ho, D. C. W., & Ping, Y. (2007). Survey of the Pottinger Battery. Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 47, 91-114.

Theoretical Papers Henderson, J. C. (2008). Conserving Hong Kong heritage: The case of Queen’s Pier.

International Journal of Heritage Studies, 14(6), 540-544. Lai, L. W. C., & Lorne, F. T. (2006). Planning by negotiation for sustainable

development: A tale of two habitats. Economic Affairs, 26(1), 54-58. Lu, T. L. D. (2009). Heritage management in post-colonial Hong Kong. International

Journal of Heritage Studies, 15(23), 258-272.

The goal of this course is to stimulate students’ interest in built heritage conserva-tion and utilization, along with a view to motivate and empower them to partake in community action for heritage conservation as responsible citizens. Through organized local field studies and lectures, the course examines how heritage con-servation, as an emerging policy issue in Hong Kong and China, can be understood in terms of basic concepts of property rights and sustainable development. It intro-duces simple theoretical concepts of property rights and sustainability to students through observing examples of heritage conservation in Hong Kong from a media perspective and from personal experience as informed by an awareness of relevant policy initiatives and social actions. Students will have opportunities to review se-lected case studies and participate in organized field trips to selected Hong Kong military heritage sites. The knowledge base of professional skills and concepts is in the fields of architecture, building development, and development control. Atten-tion will be particularly drawn to examples of local real life attempts to transform areas suffering from environmental degradation into positive and attractive envi-ronmental uses.

This course has a COMPULSORY Field trip component. There will be a total of three field trips which will be conducted on three Saturdays (whole day) during the semester.


Property Rights, Built Heritage and Sustainable Developmentin Hong Kong

Professor L.W.C. LaiDepartment of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 7988 [email protected]


172



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Professor G.Q. XuSchool of Humanities (History),Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2876 [email protected]

Professor G.Q. XuSchool of Humanities (History),Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2876 [email protected]


1. Apply critical and creative thinking skills to the analysis and interpretation of primary documents and secondary materials related to sports and Chinese society covered in this course.

2. Apply research and historiographical skills (including developing hypotheses, conducting original research, and placing research findings within existing scholarly contexts) to the analysis and interpretation of primary his-torical texts and secondary materials on issues related to sports and Chinese society covered in this course.

3. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how sports played an important role in defining and af-fecting Chinese society and politics and gender issues and how sports has changed its people, the nation, and the world in fundamental and sometimes profound ways.

4. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how Chinese attitudes toward traditional and modern sports are affected by national politics and elite members, and how by studying sports students are better equipped to address questions “what is China” and “who are the Chi-nese”.

5. Interpret, analyze, and critically and creatively reflect upon how China’s rise as a sports power coincides with its rise as an economic and political power and affects the coun-try’s relations with the rest of the world.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorials (discussion, presentation, debate) 30Short essay 40Film viewing and internet search 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Film viewing 15Internet search 15Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 12Total: 156

Xu, G. (2008). Olympic dreams: China and sports, 1895-2008. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Various articles from newspapers and journals.

This course deals with sports and their impact on Chinese society with special focus on the role of sports in China’s search for national identity and internationalization. It will provide students with an in-depth understanding of Chinese society, popular culture, and politics. Students will learn how the Chinese have interacted with differ-ent peoples from the rest of the world in international games such as the Olympics and the Football World Cup. The course will help students to examine how differ-ent peoples, nations, and governments have responded to sports, how the Chinese turned sports into vehicles for both nationalism and internationalism, how Chinese governments in different stages and periods have linked sports to their political le-gitimacy, and how sports serve as tools for nation building, expressions of national identity and national honor or personal freedom in China. By examining the role of sports in Chinese society, students will gain valuable contextual understanding to better explain culture and politics and better understand China, its society, and its positions in the world.

Sports and Chinese SocietyCourse Code // CCCH9032


173



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Dr R.C.K. ChanDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2277 [email protected]

Dr R.C.K. ChanDepartment of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture📞 2859 2277 [email protected]


1. Describe and explain urban sustainability challenges at the global level and examine responses in Hong Kong.

2. Explore and use various sources of information and assess Hong Kong’s performance in terms of tackling various global issues.

3. Apply knowledge generated in the cases of Hong Kong to understand and examine sustainable urban development issues in Chinese cities.

4. Demonstrate a reflective response to global sustainability challenges in the context of Hong Kong and an awareness of the implications of such responses on the challenges China is facing in her ongoing quest for modernization.

Study Load


Assessment Tasks WeightingQuiz 10Essay 20Group presentation 40Reflective practice 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Fieldwork / Visits 10Reading / Self-study 30Video 4Assessment: Essay / Report writing 40Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Reflective practice 10Total: 150

Chan, R. C. K. (2010). Economic integration in the Pearl River Delta Region: A study of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. In J. Y. S. Cheng (Ed.), Guangdong: Challenges in development and crisis management (pp. 159-192). Hong Kong: Contemporary China Research Project, City University of Hong Kong.

Milanovic, B. (2003). The two faces of globalization: Against globalization as we know it. World Development, 31(4), 667-683.

Mottershead, T. (Ed.). (2004). Sustainable development in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Ng, M. K., & Chan, A. (2005). A citizen’s guide to sustainable planning in Hong Kong: Concepts and processes. Hong Kong: Community Participation Unit, Department of Architecture, Chinese University of Hong Kong and CUPEM, University of Hong Kong.

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. (1993). Agenda 21: Programme of action for sustainable development: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development: Statement of Forest Principles. The final text of agreements negotiated by governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 3-14 June 1992, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. New York: Department of Public Information, United Nations.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme. (2011). Cities and climate change: Global report on human settlements, 2011. London; Washington, DC: Earthscan.

World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

The course explores how Hong Kong responds and reacts to various issues relating to sustainable urban living. As a global city with unique cultural, historical, econom-ic and political setups, sustainability is a pressing concern and holds the key for the long-term urban development of Hong Kong. The emphasis of the course is on un-derstanding sustainable urban development in the context of a high-density, mar-ket-oriented Asian world city. Urban sustainability is more than an environmental concept. Ethical utilization of resources, geographical equity and living within the carrying capacity of Mother Nature are important components underlying the prin-ciple. Sustainable urban living is concerned with both inter- and intra-generational equity; touching upon such social, economic and political issues as satisfying basic needs, accommodating multi-cultural and diversified aspirations, ensuring public engagement as well as nurturing public participation and partnership in the devel-opment process. The course offers a regional and comparative perspective to the understanding of the challenges that Hong Kong faces in maintaining her role as a world city.


Sustainable Urban Development and Hong Kong


174



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr Y.Z. YangSchool of Humanities (Music), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5738 [email protected]

Dr H.Y. ChanSchool of Humanities (Music),Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5210 [email protected]

Dr Y.Z. YangSchool of Humanities (Music), Faculty of Arts📞 3917 5738 [email protected]


1. Outline the historical and geographical setting of the Silk Road.

2. Identify and appreciate the musical features of a broad range of Silk Road music traditions.

3. Describe musical exchanges between China and other Eurasian musical cultures.

4. Describe and critically examine the historical and cultural importance of the Silk Road towards the construction of China’s nationhood.

5. Appraise and evaluate musical and cultural relevance of contemporary East-meets-West performances.

Assessment Tasks WeightingResearch paper 40Reading journal 10Presentation 10Mid-term test 30Tutorial participation 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 12Reading / Self-study 48Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 15Assessment: Mid-term test (incl preparation) 20Assessment: Reading journal 12Total: 151

From roughly 100 B.C.E. to 1350 C.E., the Silk Road bred and facilitated dynamic cultural exchanges, many of which were manifested in various musical traditions that flourished along the ancient conduit. This course examines some of these musical traditions and treats each of them as a cultural process, focusing on the spread and development of these orally-transmitted art forms, thereby highlighting the complexity of Chinese culture by way of its interaction with other cultures on the Silk Road.

In this course, the Silk Road is understood as an ever-changing series of peoples, places, and musical traditions. Through examining a broad range of these pre-mod-ern Eurasian musical cultures, the course helps students move beyond their pre-conceived understanding of music, open their minds and ears to musics of the past, and interpret interconnections between past and present.

By exploring the globalized music scene of the Silk Road as a product and reflec-tion of culture, the course nurtures critical intellectual enquiry and self-reflection across a wide range of socio-cultural issues, so as to enable students to be aware of the wider world, to respect and value diversity, and to understand how the world works culturally, socially, and politically.

The course is designed for students of all disciplines. No pre-knowledge of music is required.

Fletcher, P. (1997). World musics in context: A comprehensive survey of the world’s major musical cultures. New York: Oxford University Press. [Chaps. 7, 8, 10]

Hobsbawm, E. J., & Ranger, T. O. (1983). The invention of tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Chap. 1]

Wood, F. (2002). The Silk Road: Two thousand years in the heart of Asia. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [Chaps. 1, 3, 5]


Music Along the Silk Road


175



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load

Dr T. ZhangDepartment of Civil Engineering,Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8551 [email protected]

Dr T. ZhangDepartment of Civil Engineering,Faculty of Engineering📞 2857 8551 [email protected]


1. Demonstrate an awareness of the serious pollution situ-ation in mainland China and highlight the multi-faceted nature of the challenge for sustainable development.

2. Understand the causes of pollution and obstacles to en-vironmental protection, including an examination of the social, political and institutional dimensions.

3. Use relevant information about environmental impacts of various pollutants to discuss environmental pollution in a given case.

4. Apply scientific (both engineering and social science) knowledge and understanding to propose control strate-gies for difference pollutions.


Assessment Tasks WeightingShort essay 30Homework 20Mid-term test 10Examination 40

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 56Mid-term test 1Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Examination 2Assessment: Homework 20Total: 143

Mainland China has created an economic miracle during the past 30 years. Howev-er, the environmental pollution in mainland China is getting more severe and long-term sustainable development is facing a great challenge. This course will offer an in-depth look at key issues in environment pollution of mainland China, including historical Chinese attitudes toward nature, environmental protection thoughts in traditional Chinese philosophy, current popular attitudes toward nature and envi-ronment, water shortage and pollution, air pollution, ecosystem deterioration, drink-ing water safety, land and soil contamination, and mainland China environmental diplomacy. Students will develop a strong integrated scientific, technical, cultural, economic, and political understanding of the environment pollutions of and chal-lenges to a developing mainland China after learning topics offered in this course. The main topics include 1) environmental challenges to developing China; 2) public attitudes to environment; 3) water pollution; 4) air pollution; 5) land/soil pollution and food contamination; 6) global pollutants; 7) legislation and policy; 8) technolo-gies and strategies for pollution control and reduction; 9) sustainable development.


Environmental Pollution in China

Day, K. A. (2005). China’s environment and the challenge of sustainable development. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Lin, T., & Swanson, T. (Eds.). (2010). Economic growth and environmental regulation: The People’s Republic of China’s path to a brighter future. London; New York: Routledge.

Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC. (2011). Report on the State of the Environment in China. From http://english.mep.gov.cn/standards_reports/soe/soe2011/201301/P020130110401763529102.pdf


176



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Dr I.M.C. Yue School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 4355 [email protected]

Dr I.M.C. Yue School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 4355 [email protected]


1. Identify and assess critically the inherent cultural implica-tions of Chinese myths.

2. Critically analyze the historical and social significance of Chinese myths.

3. Express through the means of oral presentations and es-say writing their own opinions on the humanistic value of Chinese myths.

Assessment Tasks WeightingPresentation 40Tutorial discussion 10Written report 50


Allan, S. (1991). The shape of the turtle: Myth, art, and cosmos in early China. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Chang, K. C. (1988). Art, myth, and ritual: The path to political authority in ancient China. London: Harvard University Press.

Dundes, A. (1984). Sacred narrative: Readings in the theory of myth. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Ebrey, P. B. (Ed.). (1993). Chinese civilization: A sourcebook. New York: Free Press.

Hucker, C. O. (1975). China’s imperial past: An introduction to Chinese history and culture. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Lincoln, B. (2000). Theorizing myth: Narrative, ideology, and scholarship. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The purpose of this course is to examine China’s rich repository of myths from a socio-historical perspective and to consider their cultural significance in both an ancient and contemporary context. By introducing students to a select list of Chi-nese myths, both well-known and lesser-known ones, and inviting them to compare China’s mythological tradition to that of other ancient civilizations such as Greece, Scandinavia and Native America, a macroscopic examination of the relation be-tween myths and qualities that are conceived of as traditionally Chinese will be conducted. Along the way, students will be encouraged to examine various Chinese myths from different perspectives (i.e. cultural, anthropological and psychological), and contemplate on their roles within the development of Chinese cultural identity.

In the end, this course hopes to encourage students to consider the role of myths in both ancient times and today’s modernizing society and the way the changing in-terpretation of specific mythological motifs can be analyzed as reflective of chang-es in cultural values.

Chinese MythologyCourse Code // CCCH9037


177



Required Reading


Teacher(s)


Study Load

Chinese Social Values: Authority and Anarchy


Professor C. HansenSchool of Humanities (Philosophy),Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]

Dr C.J. FraserSchool of Humanities (Philosophy),Faculty of Arts📞 3917 2796 [email protected]


1. Describe the theoretical role of key concepts such as fa (standards), ming (names), dao (way) and de (virtuosity) in the early development of Chinese norms.

2. Compare and contrast rule by fa (standards) with rule of law and explain the conceptual basis for rule of law in tra-ditional Chinese political philosophy.

3. Demonstrate interpretive, analytical, and argumentative skills in oral presentation and writing by discussing issues arising in early Chinese social thought in written assign-ments, tutorial discussions, and debates.

4. Demonstrate appreciation of the intellectual framework for and historical experience with rule by fa (standards) in traditional Chinese political thought.

5. Demonstrate critical reflection on the value of rule of law, democracy, liberty and potential challenges to their imple-mentation in a Chinese cultural context.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial participation 30Brief writing assignments 40Debate 20Written reflections 10

Activities Number of hoursLectures 26Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 64Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Total: 120

This course traces the evolution of Chinese social and political values in the classical period of Chinese thought. Their discussions about, society, human nature, culture and coercion led to the great Legalist experiment of the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) and its aftermath which produced the Han conception of what we now know as Chinese political values. We start with the theory of the “mandate of heaven,” which leads us to Confucius’s appeal to ritual practices grounding a cultural account of social role ethics. We look at Confucius’s arguments for his educational methods including his rejection of punishment and coercion. Next we turn to the rival Mo-hists’ critique of Confucian social values. Mohist innovations launched a greater focus on political theory. We trace the role of pivotal concepts driving problems and solutions in the era’s political discourse. Key terms include 法 fa (standards), 名 ming (names), and 道 dao (way). We next study how prevailing views of psychology, cosmology, and social change inspired Daoist anarchism and in turn moral skepti-cism, pluralism, and Daoist values of freedom or spontaneity. Then we examine the Confucian authoritarian backlash, in which a darker view of psychology motivated arbitrary authority and severe punishments. These strands of political thought came together in the Legalist synthesis that unified China into a dynastic empire that lasted for two millennia. Finally, we examine how Qin Legalism was repudiated in fa-vour of a Confucian orthodoxy that came to dominate imperial China. Students will draw on selected readings to debate in tutorials and in class how Chinese values as expressed in Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism figure in contemporary arguments for individualism, human rights, freedom, democracy, and rule of law.

Selections from:

Bix, B. (1996). Natural law theory. In D. M. Patterson (Ed.), A companion to philosophy of law and legal theory. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

Bodde, D., Le Blanc, C., & Borei, D. (1981). Essays on Chinese civilization. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Fraser, C. (2001). Mohism. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Summer 2010 ed.). From http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2010/entries/mohism/

Hansen, C. (1992). A Daoist theory of Chinese thought: A philosophical interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hansen, C. (1996). Fa: Laws or standards. In N. Smart & B. S. Murthy (Eds.), East-West encounters in philosophy and religion (1st US ed., pp. 151-165). Long Beach, CA: Long Beach Publications.

Hansen, C. Rule of law in ancient China: Chinese substance or Western function? From http://www0.hku.hk/philodep/ch/Substance-Function.htm

Hsiao, K. (1979). A history of Chinese political thought (Vol. 1). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Waley, A., Zhuangzi, Mencius, & Han, F. (1939). Three ways of thought in ancient China. London: G. Allen & Unwin.

TranslationsChan, W. (1963). A source book in Chinese philosophy. Princeton, NJ:

Princeton University Press.De Bary, W. T., Bloom, I., Chan, W., Adler, J., & Lufrano, R. J. (1999).

Sources of Chinese tradition (2nd ed., Vol. 1). New York: Columbia University Press.

Watson, B., Mo, D., Xunzi, & Han, F. (1967). Basic writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu, and Han Fei Tzu. New York: Columbia University Press.

Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load



Dr X.L. TianDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5695 [email protected]

Dr X.L. TianDepartment of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences📞 3917 5695 [email protected]


1. Effectively communicate the cultural and medical ex-changes between China and the West.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of how medical practice is embedded in cultural values.

3. Demonstrate the capacity to analyze how medical in-stitutions are transformed by political contexts and the consequential influence on the perception of the body and health.

4. Apply the basic concepts and theoretical perspectives to analyze how global knowledge is practiced differently in different local contexts.

5. Cooperate in groups to conduct field trips and to produce a presentation and demonstrate appropriate presentation skills.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTutorial presentation and participation 30Short essay 20Reflective journal 20End of term take-home test 30

Activities Number of hoursLectures 26Tutorials 10Fieldwork / Visits 4Reading / Self-study 30Assessment: Essay / Report writing 30Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 30Assessment: End of term take-home test (incl preparation) 10Total: 140

Ebrey, P. E. (1996). The Cambridge illustrated history of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Horn, J. (1969). Away with all pests: An English surgeon in People’s China: 1954-1969. New York: Monthly Review Press.

Scheid, V. (2002). Chinese medicine in contemporary China: Plurality and synthesis. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Unschuld, P. U. (1985). Medicine in China: A history of ideas. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Wong, K. C., & Wu, L. (1932). History of Chinese medicine: Being a chronicle of medical happenings in China from ancient times to the present period. Tianjin: Tianjin Press.

Being healthy is a fundamental human desire. But different cultures have differ-ent understanding of the body and employ a wide variety of methods for curing ill-health. Consequently, the history of medicine provides an important avenue for deepening our understanding of global diversity and cross-cultural interactions. Since the 19th century, both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine have played important roles in curing the Chinese. This course focuses on the social, cultural and political contexts underpinning the transmission of Western medicine and the transformations of Traditional Chinese Medicine from the early 19th century to the present.

The course draws upon materials and experiences that prompt interdisciplinary inquiry such as: fiction, videos, posters, photos, as well as field trips. Beneath the overarching theme of cross-cultural interactions in the realm of medicine and health, the core problems explored in the course are:

1. Challenging the idea that China was an isolated empire and reluctant to inter-act with the outside world.

2. Exploring the idea that scientific knowledge domains like medicine are objec-tive and value-free.

3. Examining the capacity of human societies to adopt new ideas and assimilate them to fit local conditions.

Curing the Chinese:Medicine and Societyin Modern China





179



Required Reading


Teacher(s)

Study Load


Berry, C. (Ed.). (2003). Chinese films in focus: 25 new takes. London: British Film Institute.

Berry, C. (Ed.). (2008). Chinese films in focus II. Basingstoke, UK; New York: BFI/Palgrave Macmillan.

Berry, C., & Farquhar, M. (2006). China on screen. New York: Columbia University Press.

Zhang, Y. (2002). Screening China: Critical interventions, cinematic reconfigurations, and the transnational imaginary in contemporary Chinese cinema. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan.

Assessment Tasks WeightingGroup presentation 20Short essay 30Final essay 40Tutorial participation and debate 10


1. Demonstrate adequate knowledge about Chinese cultural history since 1949 and the development of film in contem-porary China.

2. Apply the conceptual tools learned from the course to critically read filmatic texts.

3. Skillfully examine popular culture in the Chinese context.

4. Demonstrate an awareness of major social issues in con-temporary China and their significance for a globalizing world.

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Film viewing 24Reading / Self-study 40Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8Total: 126

Dr G. Song School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7923 [email protected]

Dr G. Song School of Chinese, Faculty of Arts📞 3917 7923 [email protected]

The course looks at representations of contemporary China (1979-present) in popu-lar Chinese-language films. The cinematic texts are read not just as a “reflection” of Chinese society but as discursive constructions, the product of variable and his-torically specific sets of relations within particular contexts, and with a complex relationship to social change. Centering on the dynamic interplay between film and society, class discussions encompass issues that have attracted increasing scholarly attention in the field of China Studies in recent years, such as the rise of Chinese nationalism, the emergence of middle class(es) and a consumer society, globaliza-tion and cosmopolitanism, nostalgia about the Cultural Revolution, etc. The course aims at cultivating critical thinking among students about the identity of China and Chineseness as well as an array of important cultural and social issues related to post-socialist China and the rise of China in the 21st century. It also seeks to enable students to explore the interpretive possibilities of working within a comparative framework in researching a non-western culture.

Representing Contemporary China through Film



180

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Teacher(s)

Study Load


The Rule of Law in Contemporary China





1. Describe China’s legal traditions and appraise various law reforms in China since the late Qing Dynasty.

2. Identify the factors leading to the successful implementa-tion of the rule of law in the modern Republic of China (Taiwan).

3. Review the era of lawlessness and the impact of the Cul-tural Revolution (1966–1976) on the rule of law in post-1949 China.

4. Critically evaluate the legal development of the People’s Republic of China from both a law and social perspective.

Assessment Tasks WeightingTerm paper 50Group project 30Participation in tutorials/group discussions 20

Activities Number of hoursLectures 24Tutorials 10Reading / Self-study 60Assessment: Essay / Report writing 25Assessment: Group project 15Total: 134

The reading will include a comprehensive set of Course Readings developed by the Course Coordinator; and a Study Guide, suitable for students with various backgrounds/levels, again prepared by the Course Coordinator, to support the reading of the following materials. The students will receive further guidance on these materials during the tutorials.

Ai, Y. (2004). Why did the attempt to modernise the legal system in Late Qing China fail? A Sino-Japanese comparative study. Bond Law Review, 16(1), 69-92.

Chen, W., & Peerenboom, R. (2008). Developing the rule of law: A comparison of Taiwan and China. In L. Diamond & B. Gilley (Eds.), Political change in China: Comparisons with Taiwan. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Hsu, B., & Arner, D. (2007). WTO accession, financial reform and the rule of law in China, China Review, 7(1), 54-79.

Peerenboom, R. (2002). China’s long march toward rule of law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Selected pages only]

This course examines the legal transformations in modern China and developments towards the rule of law.

First, the key concepts are introduced in a straightforward way suitable for students from all backgrounds.

The course then examines the Chinese legal tradition up until the late Qing dynasty, outlining the obstacles to legal reform and the factors which led to change. This is followed by looking at the continuation of the late Qing legal reforms in the Repub-lic of China, including the move to one-party rule under the Nationalist Government, economic equity and land reform in Taiwan, and the successful implementation of the rule of law there.

This course also covers law in post-1949 Mainland China. The final topic is the mod-ernization of the Chinese legal system since the Cultural Revolution, which consid-ers the move from a socialist economy to a market economy, constitutional reforms to protect property and human rights, and the rule of law since China became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2001.


Lecture Time // First Semester (Wed)

Non-Permissible Combination:CCCH9030 Modernization and Constitutionalism in China

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