Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Asian Studies (research) or another relevant Research MA. Students from other (regular MA) programmes are kindly referred to the course description of the regular MA course.
This course presupposes a decent general understanding of Chinese philosophy. Students who have not completed relevant undergraduate coursework are required to contact the instructor prior to enrollment.
Description
Confucianism is one of the most influential intellectual and cultural traditions in East Asia and beyond.
This course provides an in-depth exploration of Confucian thought across different historical and cultural contexts, examining its philosophical, religious, and political dimensions. We will analyze classical texts (in translation), visual and material culture, and modern applications of Confucianism. Key themes include
ethics, governance, ritual, and the evolving role of Confucian thought in ontemporary society. Questions we will address include: Are the Analects authentic records of Confucius's words? What is the relevance of Confucian Constitutionalism today? How does Confucian ethics shape modern leadership and business practices? Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will engage with Confucianism not only as a historical tradition but also as a living intellectual force that continues to shape societies today.
Course objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
understand the history and development of Confucianism;
recognize the diversity and complexity of Confucianism;
demonstrate knowledge of key concepts, terminology, and approaches relevant to Confucianism;
understand and apply major research methods and techniques from the humanities and social
sciences in the study of Confucianism;critically assess the applicability of research methods and techniques;
design, conduct, and complete original research on Confucianism independently;
locate, evaluate, and use primary sources and specialist secondary literature for research purposes;
plan and implement effective strategies to address specific research questions;
interpret and communicate ideas about Confucianism to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
report, debate, and discuss academic ideas professionally, both orally and in writing;
engage actively and constructively with peers in collaborative settings;
contribute ideas and input to achieve shared goals in group work.
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 lecturer(s) in Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Attendance
Attendance and participation are obligatory for seminars and language courses. Students are required to attend all sessions. The lecturers need to be informed without delay of any classes missed for a good reason (i.e. due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, family issues, problems with residence permits, the Dutch railways in winter, etc.).
Absence in 3 or more classes will result in a failing attendance grade unless you face extenuating circumstances. In this case, contact the study adviser and Board of Examiners to apply for exemption.
Assessment method
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on plagiarism and academic integrity.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is assumed that students' work is their own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations). Students may not substantially reuse any work 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.
Assignment(s) must be submitted 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 | Weight |
|---|---|
| class participation | 20% |
| oral presentation | 20% |
| written assignments | 20% |
| written term paper | 40% |
Final marks
The final course grade is calculated as the weighted average of all assessment components. To pass the course, students must achieve a passing grade (i.e., 5.5 or higher) on both the term paper and the overall course grade. A failed term paper may only be revised if the original submission demonstrates a genuine and serious effort. Note 1: The term paper deadline listed in uSis is for administrative purposes only; the actual submission deadline will be communicated by the instructor. Note 2: All assessment components must be completed within the same academic year. Partial grades cannot be carried over to subsequent years.
Submission of term papers and written assignments
Students must complete all papers and assignments on time.
Late submissions for all written work for the first or second attempt will result in a deduction of marks as follows:
1-24 hours late = -0.5;
24-48 hours late = -1.0;
48-72 hours late = -1.5;
Submissions more than 72 hours late, including weekends, will receive a failing grade of 1,0 for the assignment.
If students face extenuating circumstances they can request an extension by contacting the [Board of Examiners](Exemptions and petitions - Leiden University). Note that such a request needs to be submitted four weeks before the deadline.
Word limits
A mark deduction applies to papers which exceed the world limit or word range specified in the course description. Students who exceed this word limit will receive an automatic penalty of 0.5 mark deduction.
Resit
The term paper may be revised only if (a) the initial submission receives a grade of 5.49 or lower, and (b) the original submission demonstrates a genuine and serious effort. Re-sits for other course components are not permitted.
Inspection and feedback
Written assignments will be returned with feedback. Students can make an appointment to discuss their written work with the instructor.
Reading list
Reading materials will be announced on Brightspace. Students without prior training in Chinese philosophy are required to contact the instructor before participating in the course and may be asked to read additional literature.
For the Research MA students additional readings will be determined by the convener at a later stage taking into account the students’ fields of interest. Extra sessions will be used to discuss the additional 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 information bar on the right.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Herta Mohr.
Remarks
N/A