HIST281
CHINA SINCE 1949
Also listed under 2 other titles
- PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
- PEOPLE'S REP. OF CHINA
- Department
- History
- Terms offered
- 12
- Data refreshed
- Jun 30, 2026
Description
This course explores China's historical development from the founding of the People's Republic (PRC) in 1949 through the early years of the 21st century. Rather than attempting to cover all aspects of PRC history, the course focuses on three interconnected themes: the nature of the modern state, the shift from a socialist to post-socialist economy, and the changing dynamics of family life. Topics include agrarian revolution and land reform in the 1950s, the impact of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, the economic reform program of the 1980s and 1990s, political protest, family change, and the role of migrant labor in China's growing economy. We shall investigate these issues through a variety of sources: scholarly monographs, primary documents, fiction, ethnography, memoir, feature film, and documentaries. While there are no formal prerequisites, some background in Asian studies and/or 20th century history is highly recommended.
Syllabi
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Offering history & forecast 2013–2023
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2030 Fall: 18% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 9 fall terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 3% per year. | 2030 Spring: 11% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 1 of 9 spring terms since 2018. | 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. | 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020. |
| 2029 | 2029 Fall: 26% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 4 of 10 fall terms since 2017. | 2029 Spring: 11% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 1 of 10 spring terms since 2017. | 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. | 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2028 | 2028 Fall: 26% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 4 of 11 fall terms since 2016. | 2028 Spring: 10% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 1 of 11 spring terms since 2016. | 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. | 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2027 | 2027 Fall: 26% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 4 of 12 fall terms since 2015. | 2027 Spring: 12% chance, high confidence. Offered in 2 of 12 spring terms since 2015. | 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. | 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2023 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2022 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2021 | 1 section | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2020 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2019 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2018 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2017 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2016 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2015 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2014 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2013 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.
Meeting times
Most recent first- Mon, Thu, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM Sackler Science Center J321A 2006
- Mon, Wed, 1:00 PM–2:15 PM Jefferson Academic Center JF218 20001995
- Tue, Thu, 2:40 PM–3:55 PM JC102 1997
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | Lex Lu | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 35 enrolled | 21104 |
| Fall 2022 | Lex Lu | Lecture | 1 | 9 of 30 enrolled | 21104 |
| Fall 2021 | Lex Lu | Lecture | 1 | 11 of 30 enrolled | 28272 |
| Spring 2021 | Lex Lu | Online | 1 | 19 of 20 enrolled | 38571 |
| Fall 2017 | Lex Lu | Lecture | 1 | 8 of 35 enrolled | 26038 |
| Spring 2015 | Steven J. Pieragastini | Lecture | 1 | 8 of 35 enrolled | 34335 |
| Spring 2014 | Lihua Wang | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 12 enrolled | 32608 |
| Spring 2013 | Norman Apter | Lecture | 1 | 11 of 12 enrolled | 32608 |
| Spring 2006 | Paul S. Ropp | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 50 enrolled | 34366 |
| Fall 2000 | Paul S. Ropp | Lecture | 1 | 4 of 99 enrolled | 24882 |
| Spring 1997 | David Pietz | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 99 enrolled | 31492 |
| Fall 1995 | Paul S. Ropp | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 999 enrolled | 20268 |