首页>Courses>Selected Themes on Chinese Anthropology: Family, Marriage and Love: Exploring Intimate Relationships in Contemporary China

This course introduces anthropological perspectives on a range of intimate relationships in
contemporary Chinese society. It seeks to denaturalize notions such as family, marriage and love
through contextualization–putting them back in the historical, political and socio-cultural context in
which they are embedded. The questions that will be raised in class include: What factors shape the
economic and social formations of intimate relationships in contemporary China? What does it mean
to say that romantic love is an ideology? How do Chinese people “do” family today? Are intimate
relationships formed in the virtual world any less authentic than those formed in the real world?
The course approaches various kinds of intimate relationships through an anthropological lens, which
means that we will explore people’s intimate life experiences via ethnography. Based on a series of
captivating readings, video clips, discussions and other class activities, this course invites the students
to pay attention to the interconnectedness between the “private” and the “public” — the everyday
practices and the economic and socio-political processes. Moreover, this course aims to show how to
conduct ethnographic fieldwork and how to use the data collected during fieldwork for analyzing
intimate relationships in Chinese society.

WEEK 1 (8 Sep): An Anthropological Approach to Intimate Relationships in Contemporary China

WEEK 2 (15 Sep): Constructing Ideals: Changing Public Discourses Surrounding Family, Love
and Sexuality I

WEEK 3 (22 Sep): Constructing Ideals: Changing Public Discourses Surrounding Family, Love
and Sexuality II

WEEK 4 (29 Sep): Learning Ethnographic Methods for Studying Everyday Intimate Experiences

WEEK 5 (6 Oct): Courtship, Love and Premarital Sex

WEEK 6 (13 Oct): The Politics of Conjugal Relationship I (Gender Dynamics)

WEEK 7 (20 Oct): The Politics of Conjugal Relationship II (Love and Sexuality)

WEEK 8 (27 Oct): The Politics of Conjugal Relationship III (Economic Aspect)

WEEK 9 (3 Nov): Intergenerational Relationship I: Parenting

WEEK 10 (10 Nov): Intergenerational Relationship II: Filial Piety
Final Research Paper Proposal Due (OPTIONAL)

WEEK 11 (17 Nov): Individual Consultation (TBA)

WEEK 12 (24 Nov): The Ethics of Intimacy

WEEK 13 (1 Dec): Beyond Nominal Family and Marriage: Sexuality and Performativity

Attendance and Participation 15%
Discussion Facilitation 20%
Ethnographic Interview 25%
Research paper 40%

Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the
disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details
may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/ . With each assignment,
students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are aware of the policies, regulations
and procedures.