Page 208 - SYU Prospectus

Shue Yan University Prospectus 2018-19

are required to design a project choosing one specific method and applying the relevant skills
and techniques to conduct a social programme evaluation.

SOC 430 Economic Reform and Social Transformation in Contemporary China
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course adopts the form of research seminar to explore and examine the social im-
pact and consequences of economic reform in contemporary China. It draws on sociological
and anthropological theories to analyse the economic transformation and social change in
contemporary China. It locates economic development within a specific social/cultural context
and concentrates on the dialectic relationship between economic reform and social restruc-
turing. Topics include the revival of capitalism in socialist China, market transition debates,
changing social stratification mechanism, social inequalities, local market socialism, work unit
(danwei) in transition, household registration and floating population, guanxi in theory and
practice, the rise of consumerism, implications of Chinese capitalism, and so forth.

SOC 432 State and Society
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course seeks to provide a more inclusive analysis of what is a nation state and how
nation states shape our cultures and societies. It examines the interplay between state and
individuals through the study of a range of topics, including the rise of nationalism, the
standardization of language, the use of rituals, the meaning of public space, the significance of
body and sports, and the creation of tourist sites and heritage in modern nation-states.
Students are encouraged to take the case of Hong Kong to examine the ways through which
the state has shaped our lives after Hong Kong reunified with China.

SOC 440 Collective Behaviours and Social Movement
1 Term; 3 Credits
The course introduces sociological studies of social movement and contentious politics.
Through problem-based learning, this course also aims to enhance student’s social research
skills. Students will conduct an independent research project in the form of case study of a
social movement under the supervision of the course instructor.

SOC 447 21st Century Capitalism
1 Term; 3 Credits
The aim of the course is to depict the internal logic of capitalism and how it has unfolded
in reality. We will first review some of the classic writings on capitalism authored by Smith,
Marx, Schumpeter, etc. We will then track the transformation of capitalism from its early
stages to the latest modifications. Our focuses will be on the globalization process of
capitalism and the new crises it faces in the early 21st century.

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