Watching China: Open Source Analysis of Chinese Politics & Policymaking
Course Description
China’s rise is reshaping the global economy and international relations. At the same time, Chinese domestic politics, governance systems and economic policy are undergoing significant churn. All of this is happening at a time when the Communist Party is increasingly tightening controls over access, information, academia, the media, the Internet and society in general. In other words, on one hand, it has never been more important to understand the objectives of the Communist Party of China, the structures of power, governance and policymaking in the country and the incentives and drivers that shape policymakers’ actions and policy implementation. On the other hand, with increasing systemic opacity, it is increasingly becoming more challenging to do so.
Watching China is a new course that is specially designed to equip those aspiring to study and analyse China’s domestic and foreign policies with the skills that are essential to engage in such a task. The course provides an introduction to the philosophy, structures and processes of the Leninist Party-state, discusses the role of ideology, equips students with an understanding of analytical frameworks and familiarises them with the language of Communist Party discourse along with the open source documentation ecosystem
The course design makes it accessible to and useful for a range of individuals, including professionals dealing with strategic affairs, journalists, students of political science and international affairs along with individuals working in China or with Chinese enterprises and even those who are simply interested to learn more about the country.
Faculty
Manoj Kewalramani: A Fellow-China Studies at The Takshashila Institution. His research focuses on Chinese politics, foreign policy and approaches to new technologies.
Entry Requirements
An undergraduate degree in any discipline is mandatory. A maximum 250 word Statement of Purpose while filling the application form is required.
Admission Process
The Academic Committee will review the application form and Statement of Purpose. Please take some time to reflect on your purpose of taking up this course and how you think you will be able to use the learning in future. The Committee gives a significant weightage to this response in their decision while reviewing the application. Hence you are requested to fill this with utmost sincerity and diligence
Fees
Standard: The full programme fee is ₹16,000 + GST.
The full programme fee for students and Takshashila Alumni is ₹12,000 + GST (Proof must be submitted. For example: Student ID card, semester marksheet)
Fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
Course Structure
Week 1
LU 1: A China Watcher’s Epistemology
- An understanding of the significance & limitations of open source China analysis
- An appreciation of the key sources of information & knowledge essential for open source analysis
LU 2: Analytical Frameworks & Models
- An Introduction to essential analytical frameworks
Week 2
LU 3: CCP: Organisational Structure, Ideology & Power Dynamics
- What are the key features of Leninist parties?
- Introduction to the organisational structure of the Communist Party of China
- Understanding of the functions of key CCP organisations
- Introduction to key norms of CCP governance
- Understanding of the concept and role of ideology
LU 4: State Bureaucracy: Organisational Structure, Functions & Power Dynamics
- Introduction to the organisational structure of the Chinese state
- Understanding of the functions of key state organisations
- Understanding of the interplay between the CCP & the State
- Understanding of the relationship between central and local governments
Week 3
LU 5
a. The Information Ecosystem
- Understanding of the command communication system
- Introduction to Party, state and media publication ecosystem
- Understanding of the different types of policy documents published by the Party and the State
b. Workshop on Open Source Document Analysis
Week 4
LU 6: Elite Politics
- Introduction to key analytical frameworks
- An understanding of the forms and purposes of elite bargaining
- An understanding of policy as a function of process & of politics
Week 5
LU 7: Case Studies: Policymaking in China
Week 6
- Assignment Presentation
- Discussions
Schedule
Refer to the details here: https://bit.ly/3PjEBPi
Frequently Asked Questions
+ What are the entry requirements?
An undergraduate degree in any discipline.
+ How long is the SCC?
The SCC is a 6-week programme.
+ What is the teaching methodology?
The programme is largely delivered online through live webinars.
+ How many hours of work will a student be required to put in per week?
There would be 2-3 live online webinars every week. The duration of each webinar would be 90 minutes.Students will need to spend approximately 4-5 hours per week on readings and preperations. Therefore, the total amount of time that a student will be expected to spend over a course of a week would be approximately 7-8 hours.
+ What are the fees for the SCC? Is there any financial assistance provided?
The programme fee for SCC is INR 16,000 (exclusive of taxes). For students and Takshashila alumni, the programme fee is INR 12,000 (exclusive of taxes). A valid proof will have to be provided in this case. For example: Student ID, Semester marksheet etc.
+ Is there any application fee?
No application fee is required.
+ Which university will award the SCC degree?
The SCC is an independent certificate programme of the Takshashila Institution and is not affiliated to any university.
+ What are the application deadlines?
Admissions to the course are on a rolling basis. The last day for applications is Tues, 2nd August, 2022.
+ When will the programme begin?
Classes for the SCC will commence on Sat, 6 August 2022.
+ How do I apply to the programme?
Applicants can visit the following link to apply for the course: https://school.takshashila.org.in/scc/scc-watching-china
+ I have another question!
Email your queries at scc@takshashila.org.in
Key Dates:
Application deadline
Tues, 2 Aug 2022
Programme begins
Sat, 6 Aug 2022
Programme ends
Sat, 10 Sep 2022
Featured Faculty
Manoj Kewalramani
Manoj Kewalramani is the Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Research Programme and a China Studies Research Fellow at the Takshashila Institution. He is also a Senior Associate (non-resident) with the Freeman Chair in China studies at CSIS. His research interests include Chinese politics, foreign policy, approaches to new technologies, and addressing questions of how India can work with like-minded partners to deal with the challenges presented by China's rise.
Manoj is the author of Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance, which discusses China’s political, diplomatic, economic, and narrative responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. He also writes a weekly newsletter, Eye on China, which tracks developments in China from an Indian perspective, and a daily newsletter analyzing news coverage and discourse in the People's Daily. Prior to joining Takshashila, Manoj spent over a decade working as a journalist in India and China, where he also helped set up digital newsrooms and train young journalists.