"The summer weather can be glorious and watching the sunset and the moon rise simultaneously while enjoying two clashing aspects of Beijing (the Forbidden City and Chaoyang skyscrapers) from JingShan Park is a must do in this vibrant capital."
I took the course Policy Innovation and Social Governance in China: from Big Society to Social Credit Scores taught by Dr Timothy Hildebrandt (Tim) because I wanted to see how public policy has developed, especially in the context of China’s very exciting transformation. Little did I know that the class would be so fulfilling that I would recommend it not only to people interested in public policy and/or China, but also to anyone looking for a good intellectual exercise for discovering and dissecting concepts of governance and society.
I really enjoy the amount of knowledge and discussion gained by attending the lectures. Tim’s way of instigating discussions and using examples from his own research made the material exciting and easy to digest. The topics ranged from novel explanations of how history and culture has shaped the society (e.g. on construction the notions of family and citizenship) to more normative discussions on the merits of volunteerism and the components of happiness. I left the course feeling extremely satisfied and stimulated by the content.
Tim designed the course very well. The class readings are taken from policy pieces (a short pieces from outside of academia) and one or two academic papers. They often clashed or complement each other, so the connection was always clear. The readings were not too much for any student to handle and were rewarding rather than burdensome. Each day took on a discrete aspect of the larger topic about social management and its actors. The integration between the lectures and the seminars were well done. Concepts that were learnt in the lectures were put to practice for further dissection in the seminar.
There is an air of sincerity in how Tim approaches this course. I can tell that China is a passionate topic in his life. He speaks with authority on things that he has explored in his research and is very open to discussions about the ones that are still in moot. This made me feel that I (someone who only possessed a rudimentary knowledge of China), was in very good hands.
I really enjoyed the intense interaction between the members of my class. The diversity of the students mean that there was lively discussion. During a class about happiness, there was a vivacious elaboration of what might be the cause of parental expectations in China and how it compares to other countries. Jessica Ng, our teaching assistant, moderated the class discussions and encouraged everyone contribute something to the larger conversation which meant that we were forced to engage with the topics whilst bringing our unique experience and perspectives. My fellow students and I learned from each other as much as we did from the course readings. Since we spend almost everyday together, by the end of the first week, there is a solid camaraderie formed between us. I also appreciate the opportunity to interact with other students from the Summer School who were not taking the same course as me. There were activities and opportunities and the beautiful campus environment which encouraged new connections.
Farid with fellow students checking out Pekingese delicacies - "Yes to Rolling Donkey and No to mung bean milk!"
Beijing is vast and multifaceted - you can go to the parks at Jingshan, the nice cafes in the hutongs, the skyscrapers and trendy clubs of Sanlitun. I had an amazing time bonding with my classmates over dinners where we sampled Chinese food (which was quite alien to a few of us).
