Universität Wien

150149 UE Regional Development in China (2011S)

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 15 - Ostasienwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: German, English

Lecturers

Classes

Currently no class schedule is known.

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

China is the country with the largest population in the world and with a huge territorial size. From ancient to modern times, China's economic growth has always been dependent on the main industrial sectors as well as its different regions. After 1949, the regional development and progress has contributed enormously to China's development. However, China's regional development now is still in a relative uneven stage; because of different geographic conditions, cultural diversity, and uneven industrialization levels, the country is marked by regional inequality. Therefore, China's government has been paying more attention on the regional development, particularly in the western regions. This course, which is based upon the most recent literature on the topic, will provide a general picture of regional development in China and will, in particular, deal with regional disparity in modern China. The goal of the course is to enhance all studens' understanding of China based on the knowledge of regional development.

This course will be divided in four main parts:

Part I: Regional development theory and other related theories
Part II: Overview over the history of China's regional development
Part III: The main issues of regional development in contemporary China
Part IV: China's regional development and its impact on its neighboring countries in Asia

Topics and schedule:

1. Introduction
2. The administrative areas and economic regions
3. Geographic distribution of major industrial sectors
4. Transportation
5. Urbanisation and economic centers
6. Education, Science and technology
7. Agglomeration and Clusters
8. Regional competition and decentralization
9. Hong Kong, Macao
10. Mainland China and Taiwan
11. Environmental condition and regional development
12. China, its neighboring countries and regional integration
13. Conclusion

Assessment and permitted materials

Students' final grade will depend on the home work, the exam and the class performance:

1.Home work (30%);
2.Final examination (50%);
3.Participation in class, particularly discussions (20%);

All students should read the prepared articles in advance in order to contribute in class.

Attendance in this course is mandatory and a timely appearance is required, unless exceptional circumstances intervene, such as health emergency or family crisis.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

After completing the course students should:

1. have a basic knowledge of the physical geography of China;
2. have a general understanding of the main regions' development experiences, current disparities and issues of spatial inequality;
3. be able to identify and describe the regional development patterns and trajectories in China.
4. be familiar with the related available data, documents and literature as well as with the main methods of research on this subject.

Examination topics

This course is composed of lectures and discussions, focusing on the assigned reading.

Reading list

Books:
1. Regional Development Theory: Conceptual Foundations, Classic Works, and Recent Developments, 2003, by Casey J. Dawkins
2. Geographical Economics and Its Implications for Regional Development Theory: A Critical Assessment, 1991, by Paul Krugman
3. Regional Economic Development in China, 2009, by Saw Swee Hock and John Wong

Note: A reader for this course will be prepared. More information during the first lecture.

Association in the course directory

PR 220

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:35