Admission requirements
This course is open to students of the MA Asian Studies (research). Students from other programmes are kindly referred to the course description of the regular MA course.
Description
In February 2014, at the establishment of the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization, Xi Jinping declared that China should turn into a “strong cyber power”. At that time, China’s position in the global Internet landscape was fragmented: China did not play a strong role in global Internet governance structures and processes, nor did it have a leading role in technology and innovation. Yet in some areas, such as cyber espionage, China’s activities were a prominent concern.
Since them, China’s global footprint in cyberspace has developed rapidly. It is attempting to gain a greater say in global governance, build up world-leading technological capabilities, and develop a coherent regional engagement and development strategy. At the same time, its very rise is prompting security concerns about the potential of conflict in cyberspace, and worries about the possible spread of China’s illiberal approach to the Internet.
This course will explore the rapidly changing of China’s engagement with the global Internet. In particular, it will address the following topics:
Introduction to the global Internet governance landscape
Cybersecurity and informatization: Restructuring the Internet governance architecture.
Building a strong cyber power: China’s engagement with the global Internet order
Telling China’s Story: The Wuzhen World Internet Conference
Regional Initiatives (Digital Silk Road)
Security: Cyber conflict, state behaviour and norms
Technical Internet governance
Industrial policy, indigenous innovation and standards
The global digital economy, including digital currencies
Cyber terrorism and cyber crime
Course objectives
The overall objective of the course is to enable students to learn to identify the various topics connected to global governance in cyberspace, and assess China’s role within them. More specifically, they will learn to assess how China’s overall domestic development agenda and its global policy stance are increasingly interwoven. Moreover, while the focus of this course lies in technology-related areas, students are invited to put the topics addressed in the course in the broader context of shifts in global affairs.
Specific learning objectives
Mapping the various policy areas in global cyberspace governance, and learning to identify China’s stance and the drivers of its policies there.
Being able to respond to targeted research questions on the basis of various kinds of literature, present findings and lead class discussions.
Formulating an original research question and writing a paper of commensurate academic quality, preferably using primary sources.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
The deadline(s) in MyTimetable is/are set for administrative purposes only. The actual date(s) will be communicated by the course convener(s) in Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
Lecture.
Seminar.
Research.
Attendance is compulsory for all sessions. Students must prepare well and contribute to in-class discussion. If a student cannot attend because of illness or misadventure, they should promptly inform the convener. Extra assignments may be set to make up for missed class time, at the convener’s discretion. Absence without notification may result in lower grades or exclusion from assessment components and a failing grade for the course.
Students will be required to deliver one page of written work per week in preparation for the class.
Assessment method
Academic integrity
Students should familiarize themselves with the notion of academic integrity and the ways in which this plays out in their own work. A good place to start is this page. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students may not substantially reuse texts they have previously submitted in this or other courses. Minor overlap with previous work is allowed as long as it is duly noted in citation. For information on plagiarism (in the context of academic writing at large), see clips 4-5-6 in this series of video clips.
Students must submit their assignment(s) to Brightspace through Turnitin, so they can be checked for plagiarism. Submission via email is not accepted.
ChatGPT: What is possible and what is allowed? Dos and Don'ts.
Assessment and weighing
| Partial assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Presence + participation in seminars | 30% |
| Presentation of research questions/short essay | 30% |
| Term paper | 40% |
Further instructions will be given in the course reader.
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. In order to pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.50 (=6) or higher.
ResMA students will additionally be required to complete a publishable contribution to an online encyclopedia on China and digital technology issues. This will be graded as Pass/Fail. ResMA students need a passing grade to not fail the course.
The course is an integrated whole. All assessment parts must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Resit
A resit is possible for the term paper (40%) only, and only if (1) the original submission constituted a serious attempt; and (2) the student failed both the paper and the full course.
Inspection and feedback
Feedback will be supplied primarily through Brightspace. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the assessment results, a review will be organized.
Reading list
A reader will be made available before the start of the course through Brightspace. Please note that due to the nature of the course, it is likely that a considerable number of readings will come from primary sources (which will be made available in translation where necessary), blogs and news media articles. It may also be the case that new readings are proposed in step with changes or events in the field.
For the Research MA students additional reading will be determined by the convener at a later stage taking into account the students’ fields of interest. Extra sessions will be organized to discuss this extra literature.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office Herta Mohr