The University of Iowa • First-year seminar 019:029 • Fall 2000
Commies, coolies and spies:
American perceptions and representations of China

Syllabus

Overview
In the United States of America, one of the most polyglot nations on earth, the public as well as policymakers, journalists, educators and other specialists have compiled a dismaying record of misunderstanding other countries and peoples. U.S. attitudes toward China and its people offer particularly dramatic examples. From bigotry toward Chinese railroad workers and other sojourners during the 19th century to the Fu Manchu and romantic peasant stereotypes of popular culture in the 20th, from the evangelical projections of Western missionaries to the marketing aspirations of traders, from fears about "yellow hordes" and "blue ants" to expectations for Chinese democracy activists, our history is rife with extremes of suspicion and affection toward the Chinese. Up to and including the most recent incarnation of US views of Chinese, revolving around purported spy scandals, American misconceptions of one-fifth of humanity probably tell us more about ourselves than about the Chinese.

This seminar explores how Americans have viewed China and the Chinese people over the last century and a half, and the historical and social contexts of these changing perceptions and representations. Using a range of primary and secondary sources, from government documents, news accounts, movies and cartoons to memoirs, fiction and historical scholarship, we will examine myths and realities of Chinese society as well as stereotypes and misconceptions about the lives of Chinese sojourners and immigrants to the US, from railroad workers of the 19th century to garment workers, scientists and students today. To a lesser extent, we also will examine Chinese perceptions and misperceptions of America and Americans.

It is hoped that this course will encourage you to think harder about images and information from and about other countries and peoples, to probe beneath the surface of superficial impressions and search for deeper, multi-dimensional understandings, and to develop more sophisticated strategies for reading, viewing, listening and interpreting.

Requirements
The course meets for one 50-minute period per week and carries 1 hour of credit. Most weeks, class will revolve around a key reading, sometimes supplemented by other material (e.g., other readings, videos, guest speakers). Each week, one or two students will be responsible for preparing a written discussion guide and helping to lead the discussion. Prior to the class, other students are required to submit preliminary thoughts on the readings to an electronic forum. All students also will submit comments on an "image of the week. At the conclusion of the semester, each student will be expected to draw together various strands and themes of the course in a final essay.

Grading
Course grades will be based on caliber of class preparation and participation, class handouts and presentations, e-mail commentary, and final writing assignment (something like 40/20/20/20% respectively. Grades will be based on a combination of class preparation and participation, individual and team presentations on readings, contributions to both in-class and on-line discussions of course materials, and a series of short reaction essays.

Etcetera
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