PKU4 - Silk Road: A Global History
3 July 2017 – 28 July 2017
Hosted by Peking University
This course introduces the history of the Silk Road — a complex network of trade routes that connected China and the Mediterranean world over land and sea — and examines the cultural and material exchanges between the peoples and cultures it connected in a global context. The course covers the period 500 BCE to 1600 CE, during which forces wielded by many peoples (e.g., Chinese, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Turks, and Mongolians) shaped the geopolitical and cultural landscape of Eurasia. It explores the roles played by the Silk Road in forming and transforming the cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and religious identities of these peoples and their perceptions of one other. It highlights such themes as conspicuous consumption, cultural diversity, religious pluralism, and ethnic migration, as well as the financial, judicial, religious, and political institutions that were the fruits of these extended exchanges. The course begins and ends with an analysis of conceptualizations of the “Silk Road” against the backdrop of the “Great Game” that played out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among various colonial powers as well as its legacy to this day.
Target Audience/ Prerequisites
- Bachelor students
- Master students
- PhD students
Delivery Method
Students will be trained in the basic skills of conducting research by analyzing primary sources and will acquire familiarity with scholarly research on Silk Road related topics. Students are expected to develop and practice their skills by tackling historical questions in their reading, class discussions, various written assignments, and exams.
Assessment
Class Participation 10%—Class participation does not just mean attendance. It encompasses: 1. Attendance to lectures; 2. Timely completion of reading assignments; 3. Active participation in class and group discussions.
Map Quizzes 10%—The student is expected to have a firm comprehension of general geography; hence there will be three map quizzes throughout the course.
Class Presentation 20%—The Student chooses a topic related to the history and culture of the Silk Road and makes a 20-25 minute PPT presentation in class.
Short Essay 20%—The student is expected to complete a 3-page essay in the fourth and the eighth Lecture of this course.
Final Essay 40%—The student is expected to complete a 10-12 page paper on a chosen topic related to the major historic themes of this course.
Credit equivalent at host university & contact hours
Credits at host university: 2 credits
Contact hours: 32 total contact hours (excluding self-study hours)
Lecturer(s) / Tutor(s)
Professor Lu Yang, Peking University
Accommodation
PKU’s Global Village: http://www.pkugv.com/english/index.asp
Students must arrive by 02/07/2017.
Students will be able to check in from 01/07/2017.
Check-out date 30/07/2017.
Costs
Figures are estimates only. Click on each item for details.
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Tuition Fees
RMB 9,000 (includes field trip).
PKU will offer four academic courses (PKU1, PKU2, PKU3 and PKU4) in the 2017 program. The package tuition fee of RMB 9,000 will cover up to two academic courses (from PKU1, PKU2, PKU3 and PKU4) for GSP student. If a GSP student wants to attend three academic courses, an additional tuition fee will apply (RMB 2,000 for one credit).
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Accommodation
RMB 120-140 per day for a single room.
Approximately RMB 4,000 in total plus returnable deposit of 500 RMB -
Living Expenses
Approximately RMB 100 per day -
Scholarships
PKU offers up to 3 IARU students from each member school the funding of accommodation in the program from 01/07/17 to 30/07/17.
Further Information
For further information about PKU GSP courses, please visit the program website at www.oir.pku.edu.cn/summerschool or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.