Love and Family in China
Location: Saint Mary's University, Loyola 275, Mondays,4:00pm to 6:30pm
Start Date: 9/3/2025
End Date: 12/20/2025
Love and Family in China
Synopsis
Discover how love, marriage, and family have been shaped and reshaped in China from the late imperial era to the present, as this course traces the dramatic transformations of intimate life, gender roles, and household structures through revolution, reform, and rapid modernization.Course Overview
This course explores the evolution of love and family in China from the late imperial era to the present, examining how Confucian ideals, gender roles, marriage customs, kinship structures, and state policies have shaped intimate life across centuries. Through topics ranging from filial piety and arranged marriage to the impact of revolution, modernization, and migration on gender norms, dating and marriage customs, sexuality, family planning, and elder care, students will gain a nuanced understanding of both enduring values and profound transformations in Chinese society.
Instructor
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Xiaoping SunAssistant Professor Dr. Xiaoping Sun grew up in China and earned her Ph.D. in modern Chinese history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has taught at SMU for over a decade, offering a wide range of courses on imperial and modern Chinese history, gender in China, the environmental history of China, as well as memories of WWII and food studies in Asia. She is passionate about helping students broaden their perspectives, encouraging them to see connections across cultures and disciplines, and to think more deeply about human relationships and the world around them. Her current research focuses on the evolution of China’s largest state-owned agribusiness, the Beidahuang Group, and its impact on humans, agriculture, and the environment in northeast China. |