This course begins its examination of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) through multifaceted analyses of the first Party Chairman, Mao Zedong. We will first allow ourselves to be seduced by the richly detailed accounts of this fascinating man. We will then take a step back to observe that, in order to understand Mao, we must understand the society and culture in which he lived. This movement from Mao to the masses gives shape to the fundamental question of this class: what is the relationship between the individual and the social collective? Students are encouraged, but not required, to take History 223 as prerequisite.
