Sinobabble
86 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsA relaxing, educational podcast covering China's modern history, current events, and academic analyses of China's politics, society, and culture in a variety of mini-series. Starting with the history of the 20th century, this podcast aims to explore all facets of the history of China, from the major events to the smallest local changes, to give you a full picture of the development of one of the world's most powerful nations. As the series develops, we will discuss Chinese art, religion, politics, culture, and economics, bringing the country's past to life. If you're more interested in modern China, stay tuned for the modern China series where we talk about how the CCP exercises control, makes people disappear, and encourages loyalty. We also get on the ground and talk to the people of Hong Kong about their recent experiences with the protests in the territory in 2019.
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Episodes
I read all 212 pages of Hong Kong's new National Security Bill. It's not good.
April 14, 2024 23:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MB"Safeguarding National Security Bill", also known as Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, was passed in March to no public opposition. I read through the whole bill and discussed how it may be used to transgress human rights and common sense in Hong Kong. I also discuss the history of recent protests in Hong Kong, and how they paved the way for Beijing to get its way and increase its control over its people Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Article 23 (03:15) Background: protests and n...
Young Chinese people can't find jobs (they actually want)
March 26, 2024 08:00 - 44 minutes - 30.6 MBIn the face of economic turbulence, China's youth are struggling to find jobs that are suited to their skills and can give them the life that they want and were promised. While China's government strives to alleviate youth unemployment, societal and cultural factors pose significant challenges. China's young people are reacting in unpredictable ways - finding alternate ways to get jobs, taking time out to become full time kids, or forging their own paths altogether. Chapters 00:00 Backgrou...
China's ecommerce dystopia: TEMU, SHEIN and the fast-everything model
March 08, 2024 11:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBThe newer and nimbler players in Chinese e-commerce are pushing buttons in the West. Rock-bottom prices, fast fulfilment and addictive interfaces are pushed to their limits to take China's dopamine economy global. What's going on, where does AI fit in the picture and what can we do to take on these new standards of consumption? Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=162442 Subscribe to the Sinobabble Newsletter: h...
The "White Woman aesthetic" trend and Chinese class struggle
February 28, 2024 11:00 - 41 minutes - 28.6 MBYoghurt bowls. Lululemon leggings. Ugg slippers. More young Chinese women embrace what they identify as the "white woman aesthetic" as an antidote to the pressures of high maintenance beauty standards and material achievement. As more Chinese women question the grind and settle for less, is the "white woman aesthetic" really an innocent social media fad or a deeper awakening of class consciousness? Chapters 3:15: Introduction to the "White Woman aesthetic" 12:00 Chinese middle class anxie...
Education Part 2: The University Gap
August 25, 2023 23:00 - 42 minutes - 29.5 MBThis is part 2 of 3. In this episode we discuss the gaokao exam, the toll it takes on young people, and the increasing divide between those from richer, more developed areas and students from the margins of society. In part 1 we explored life for middle schoolers racing to the top of an increasingly steep hill: https://youtu.be/hg86rP15eOE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources The Mental Health Camp Treating Ch...
China's education system part 1: A broken starting line
July 28, 2023 23:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBAfter reading an article on mother's who sacrifice everything to make sure their children get into middle school in China, I was inspired to take a deep dive and learn more about one of the world's biggest school systems. Why has China's education system become so fiercely competitive? How is this impacting children? And who are the people making huge profits from parental anxiety? This is part 1 of at least 2 episodes (potentially 3)! ------------------------------------------------------...
Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Explained
July 10, 2023 22:00 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MB#china #socialism #xijinping #communism Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a phrase that comes up when discussing Chinese politics. It's a cornerstone of Chinese political theory and heavily relied on by leadership when formulating new internal policies and deciding the direction the country is headed. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is an evolving theory that encapsulates the thoughts of China's major leaders, and is the lens through which the country sees itself and the pa...
China's unique human trafficking problem
June 23, 2023 23:00 - 44 minutes - 31.2 MBEvery nation has to deal with the horrifying issue of human trafficking in one way or another, but the nature of human trafficking in China is relatively unique. While China does have problems with kidnapping and sex trafficking, it also has a black market where women and children are sold and bought by desperate families by middlemen posing as matchmakers or pseudo-adoption agencies. What is the nature of the trafficking of children and women in China? How does this market interact with Ch...
China's Housing Market is in Danger
June 16, 2023 23:00 - 34 minutes - 23.8 MBChina's housing market has been shaken by a series of crises in recent years, with events such as the Evergrande default scandal threatening to bring the whole system crashing down. But the truth is the property market in China was built on shaky foundations, and the government has trapped itself in a presale system from which it may not be able to escape. Will China's housing bubble pop, bringing the economy down with it? Or will the government and CCP be able to find a solution to a syst...
Guanxi: China's Social Relations Explained
May 26, 2023 23:00 - 56 minutes - 39.3 MBGuanxi can be loosely understood as instrumental social relationships that form a network to be used by individuals for their personal benefit. Guanxi is a long-enduring part of Chinese society, but how is it used in a modern context. Is it still important for doing business? How should foreigners understand guanxi? And is guanxi now doing more harm than good in modern world? Chapters 00:00: Intro 2:18: Definitions of Guanxi 11:39: Origins of Guanxi 19:03: Building Guanxi Relationships 31:...
Book Review: The Decisive Decade by Jonathan Ward
May 20, 2023 20:00 - 26 minutes - 18.5 MBI was gifted a copy of The Decisive Decade by Jonathan Ward and this is my review! Read the first half of the review here: https://sinobabble.substack.com/p/book-review-the-decisive-decade-by Description of the book from Amazon: In The Decisive Decade, Dr. Jonathan D.T. Ward―China scholar and founder of the Atlas Organization, a consultancy focused on US-China global competition―offers a comprehensive framework for how the United States can, and must, defeat China on the world stage econ...
A Brief History of China's Urbanisation
May 14, 2023 20:00 - 52 minutes - 36.7 MBChina's urbanisation is often described as a unique process, but how different is it from the urban development of other countries? How close is China to becoming a 'modern urban nation'? What factors play a major role in the way China's cities have formed? How has the hukou and Special Economic Zones contributed to China's urban-rural divide? And what problems are we starting to see in the formation of Chinese cities? ------------------------------------------------------------------------...
Peter Zeihan is wrong about China
May 05, 2023 23:00 - 40 minutes - 28.7 MB**APOLOGIES FOR THE BAD AUDIO, IT'S BEEN UPDATED NOW** Peter Zeihan is a famous American geopolitical who recently appeared on episode 1921 of The Joe Rogan Experience (full episode here https://open.spotify.com/episode/406fOiiKMU0ot5AS1AIwve). He talks about a lot of topics, but I want to discuss what he says about China and specifically what he gets wrong. Zeihan is keen to predict China's collapse, and his supporters are clearly even keener for his predictions to come true. But I'm not s...
Why China & the US won't go to war over Taiwan
April 23, 2023 20:00 - 50 minutes - 35.5 MBThere's been a lot of talk recently about the possibility of the US and China going to war if China invades Taiwan, but as usual, I'm here to dampen the hype and reduce expectations. Let's not rush into WWIII, and instead have a rational conversation about how likely war between the world's foremost superpowers actually is. Sorry for the delay in episodes, was away with the family over Easter. Chapters 2:30 What is Taiwan? The One China Policy 05:24 Taiwanese cultural politics and identity...
Can China bring about world peace?
March 31, 2023 23:00 - 38 minutes - 27 MBChina is on a mission to build world peace, but why now? What qualifications do they have to be a mediator? Will the peace they bring about be a stable, lasting one? Are they better than the UN? Is neutrality a core feature of a good third-party mediator? What do they stand to gain from the Saudi Arabia-Iran deal? Is their plan for peace between Ukraine and Russia viable? Is democracy a prerequisite for peace in the modern world? Will globalisation perish or flourish as a result in the rise ...
Two Session 2023: China's plan for the next five years
March 26, 2023 14:00 - 40 minutes - 28.2 MBThe biggest meeting of China's government just took place. This historic Two Sessions saw Xi Jinping elected to an unprecedented third term as president, the new government staffed with his followers, and changes to legislation that will see the Chinese Communist Party gain an even tighter grip on power. What do the proclamations about the economy, foreign relations, Taiwan, the United States, and domestic policies tell us about China's policy direction for the next five years? 00:00 Intro...
Hong Kong 2023: China, Democracy & Exodus
March 18, 2023 14:00 - 34 minutes - 24 MBIn 2019 China introduced an Extradition Law that sparked protests across Hong Kong. In this episode we revisit Hong Kong and get up to speed on how the national security law has changed life for the people who have stayed. What plans does the CCP have to revamp the economy and plug the brain drain? And where are all the people leaving going? Chapters Background: 00:10 Hong Kong 47: 07:40 National Security Law updates: 17:55 Post-covid lull: 22:47 Migration: 24:37 Outro: 30:49 Sources What ...
Will China fight with Russia in Ukraine?
March 11, 2023 15:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBThere's been a lot of speculation in the news recently over whether or not China will come to Russia's aid in the fight in Ukraine. Although many Western outlets are panicking about the likelihood, is it as straightforward as China jumping into the fray? The answer may lie in the recent history of the relationship of the two powers. Sources "China and Russia: Economic Unequals", Jonathan E. Hillman, 2020 "China’s Relations with Russia", Alexei D. Voskressenski (in China and the World, David...
Will China's Belt and Road Initiative Fail?
March 04, 2023 07:00 - 38 minutes - 26.9 MBChina's Belt and Road Initiative turns 10 years old this year. Launched by Xi Jinping in 2013 as a way to "promote infrastructure construction and connectivity, align national policies and development strategies, deepen practical cooperation, promote coordinated and interconnected development, and achieve common prosperity,” many analysts think that the BRI is on the brink of collapse. Plagued with allegations of creating debt traps, aiding corrupt governments, and causing ecological damag...
Modern China 3: Is Tibetan culture being erased?
February 25, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBA recently released statement by the UN expresses concern about residential schools in the province that take children away from their ancestral homes, suppressing language and religious teaching, and causing cultural genocide. The CCP argues that its policy in Tibet is to create a prosperous region that is integrated with the whole, and protects China's borders from incursion. Is Tibetan culture being erased? Or is Tibet merely suffering from the same global capitalist forces that have tr...
Is Tibetan culture being erased?
February 25, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBA recently released statement by the UN expresses concern about residential schools in the province that take children away from their ancestral homes, suppressing language and religious teaching, and causing cultural genocide. The CCP argues that its policy in Tibet is to create a prosperous region that is integrated with the whole, and protects China's borders from incursion. Is Tibetan culture being erased? Or is Tibet merely suffering from the same global capitalist forces that have tr...
Episode 52: The Cultural Revolution Part 8: The end of the Cultural Revolution
February 16, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBThe death of Mao Zedong and the trial of the Gang of Four are traditionally used as the signifiers of the end of the Cultural Revolution. The violent and turbulent 10 year period came to a sudden stop as political in-fighting continued until Deng Xiaoping was able to quash his foes and come out on top. In this episode, we cover how the Cultural Revolution finally came to an end, how the period is interpreted both in the West and in China, and what effect the Cultural Revolution has had on C...
Episode 51: The Cultural Revolution Part 7: Culture
June 06, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 31 MBIn this episode, we discuss the changes made to China's cultural realm during the Cultural Revolution. As the main target of the Cultural Revolution Group, cultural production including art, literature, theatre, and film were all subject to the new rules of the decade. But were those rules made to last? And were the CRG able to impose their will completely when they relied on the existing bourgeois cultural producers to cultivate their new vision?
Episode 51: The Cultural Revolution Part 7: Culture
June 06, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 31 MBIn this episode, we discuss the changes made to China's cultural realm during the Cultural Revolution. As the main target of the Cultural Revolution Group, cultural production including art, literature, theatre, and film were all subject to the new rules of the decade. But were those rules made to last? And were the CRG able to impose their will completely when they relied on the existing bourgeois cultural producers to cultivate their new vision? Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to l...
Episode 50: The Cultural Revolution Part 6: Economy, Education & Everyday Life
May 04, 2022 08:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBIn this episode we look at how the economy and educational system fared during the Cultural Revolution decade. We discuss how a period of chaos led into a period of stagnation, where things neither got much better nor much worse. We also talk about differences between the countryside and the cities, and how every day life was irrevocably impacted by the social turmoil that occurred. Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referr...
Episode 49: The Cultural Revolution Part 5: The death of Lin Biao
April 20, 2022 05:00 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBIn this episode we explore the mysterious and complex character of Lin Biao, and his even more mysterious demise. We ask how he rose to prominence so quickly after being a largely background figure in the party for so many years, and what effect his vice-chairmanship and sudden death had on the Cultural Revolution. *I accidentally say Liu instead of Lin at around the 22:30 minute mark* 00:00 Introdution 05:02 Early career in the CCP 13:05 Lin Biao in the Cultural Revolution 19:58 Lin's pos...
*Special Episode*: My guest appearance on The Way Podcast
April 08, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MBHi all, I've been sick recently and continue to be ill enough that I can't record. To keep you guys going, I thought it would be a good idea to upload a guest appearance I made on another show, The Way Podcast, hosted by Bill. The show is fascinating, discussing a range of topics from regional politics and societal issues, to UFOs and cryptocurrencies. The Way Podcast was made to allow everyday people the chance to hear from the experts. I believe learning new things is interesting. So, on...
Episode 48: The Cultural Revolution Part 4: The party restored (1968-1972)
February 25, 2022 23:00 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBIn episode 4 of the Cultural Revolution series, we look at how the party began to rebuild itself in the period 1968-1972 through a series of internal meetings, some last-minute purges, and a few devastating mass campaigns that would end up having a much higher impact than anything the Red Guards had carried out in previous years. Though much had happened in China during the last few years, to many people it seemed like nothing had fundamentally changed. Though the people running the governm...
Episode 47: The Cultural Revolution Part 3: Ending the chaos (1967-68)
February 09, 2022 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBIn this episode, we look at how Mao reversed the course of the Cultural Revolution, bringing in the army to end the violence and destruction caused by the factionalism between the Red Guards and other mass organisations. We discuss the much vaunted revolutionary committees, temporary governments made up of a triple alliance between the mass organisations, the Cultural Revolution Group, and the People's Liberation Army. The original aim of the revolution to promote the masses to positions of...
Episode 46: The Cultural Revolution Part 2: Violence in the cities, violence in the countryside
January 26, 2022 12:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBIn this episode we talk about the violence that gripped the Chinese nation at the height of the Cultural Revolution. We discuss the difference between the brutality that took place in the cities, which was mainly perpetrated by Red Guards and affected culture as much as people, and the countryside, which pitted neighbour against neighbour. Music clips are from "The East is Red" and "We Walk on the Great Road". Apparently I keep hitting my microphone throughout this episode, which are what ...
Episode 45: The Cultural Revolution Part 1: The end of the tea party
January 12, 2022 00:00 - 47 minutes - 33 MBThe first of many episodes covering the build up, events, and aftermath of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which took place in China from 1966 to 1976. In this episode we discuss what the Cultural Revolution was supposed to be, recap its principal causes, discuss the events that led to the declaration of the CR, and cover the formation and expansion of the Red Guards, Mao's children of the Revolution. 00:00: Introduction 4:23 - What was the Cultural Revolution? 15:45 - Events lea...
Episode 45: The Cultural Revolution part 1: The end of the tea party
January 12, 2022 00:00 - 47 minutes - 33 MBThe first of many episodes covering the build up, events, and aftermath of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which took place in China from 1966 to 1976. In this episode we discuss what the Cultural Revolution was supposed to be, recap its principal causes, discuss the events that led to the declaration of the CR, and cover the formation and expansion of the Red Guards, Mao's children of the Revolution. 00:00: Introduction 4:23 - What was the Cultural Revolution? 15:45 - Events lea...
Episode 44: Religion, superstition, and the party 1949-1965
July 12, 2021 18:00 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBIn this episode we go over the CCP's attitudes towards religion during the first 15 years of the PRC to 1965. These developments are important for understand why anti-religious sentiment reached such a fever-pitch during the Cultural Revolution, as well as why there has been a resurgence in interest in religion since the country's opening up in the 1980s. We discuss the five officially recognised religions - Daoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism - as well as Confucianism, a...
Episode 43: The Third Front
June 28, 2021 17:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBIn this episode we'll be discussing the Third Front, a covert industrialisation campaign that took place between 1964 and 1972 in China's remote, mountainous interior. This little-discussed campaign actually formed a crucial part of China's Cold War policy strategy, and despite its clandestine nature cost billions of yuan in resource and personnel allocation, as well as for construction and transportation. The Third Front was part of China's preparations for war with either the US, the Sovie...
Episode 42: The Socialist Education Movement, 1962-1966
June 15, 2021 11:00 - 44 minutes - 30.6 MBIn this episode we discuss the Socialist Education Movement (SEM), a campaign conducted in the Chinese countryside from 1962-1966 in order to restore socialist values and purge pernicious 'capitalist tendencies' that had reemerged after the Great Leap Forward. The period 1962 to 1965 generally saw Mao attempt to regain control over the cultural and ideological spheres in both the countryside and the cities, but ultimately these attempts failed to make a lasting impact. They were likely instr...
Episode 41: Post-Leap Economic Recovery & Struggles in the Party Leadership
May 31, 2021 08:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBNow that we understand the Great Leap Forward, we turn to the period just after the leap to see how China began to recover from economic and political disaster. Two factions emerged in the party's leadership - a moderate group who wanted to allow some market forces to help boost the economy and reduce inflation, and the leftists who still believed in Mao's vision. Instead of ousting Mao when they could, the leadership decided to let the chairman keep his position, while taking all economic ...
Episode 40: The Sino-Soviet Split Part 2
May 17, 2021 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBThis is the second of two parts covering the events that led to the breakdown in relations between China and the Soviet Union between 1958 and 1964. In this episode we discuss the heating up of tensions, the publication of polemics, and the personal disagreements that served to worsen the situation. We talk about how external events such as the Cuban missile crisis were used by Mao to further his own political agenda, both at home and abroad, while also destabalising Krushchev's position. ...
Episode 39: The Sino-Soviet Split Part 1
May 03, 2021 14:00 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBThis is the first of two parts covering the events that led to the breakdown in relations between China and the Soviet Union between 1958 and 1964. This episode covers the years 1958 and 1959, and discusses the major ideological differences between the two nations which led to them disagreeing on how to handle international relations with Taiwan, the US, and India. We also see how China's domestic policies served as a point of contention with the post-Stalin Soviet leadership, who saw Mao'...
Episode 38: 50 Years of Chinese History Quiz!
April 19, 2021 08:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBA review of the 50 years of Chinese history we've covered on this podcast. Find the questions and answers on the Sinobabble website Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=162442 Subscribe to the Sinobabble Newsletter: https://sinobabble.substack.com/ Support Sinobabble on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Sinobabblepod
Episode 37: "The Firemaker" by Peter May Book Review
April 05, 2021 06:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MB**Hi guys, I'm so sorry the audio is so terrible for this episode! I think my mic wasn't plugged in properly and the programme defaulted to my computer mic which is obviously terrible. I wasn't able to rerecord as I had gone away for the weekend and wanted to get the episode out on time. If it's completely unlistenable let me know and I will rerecord for your pleasure.** Taking a break from our survey of Chinese history, this episode is a review of The Firemaker by Scottish screenwriter an...
Episode 36: The Great Leap Forward (4): Academics argue about how many people died
March 22, 2021 09:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBThis is part 4 in a 4 part series on the Great Leap Forward. This series will cover the whys and hows of China's disastrous Second Five-Year Plan, showing how the Leap went from an idea, to a reality, to a famine, all within the period of 3 years. In this episode we explore the main academic debates surrounding the Great Leap Forward: what were the major causes of the famine, how many people died as a result of the famine, and how responsible was Mao for the famine? Questions are thoroughly...
Episode 35: The Great Leap Forward (3): Famine
March 08, 2021 17:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBThis is part 3 in a 4 part series on the Great Leap Forward. This series will cover the whys and hows of China's disastrous Second Five-Year Plan, showing how the Leap went from an idea, to a reality, to a famine, all within the period of 3 years. In this episode we discuss the Great Famine, which lasted between 1958 and 1962. The famine mainly affected rural areas, and many of the stories and anecdotes we have are from some of the worst affected regions. We also discuss how the famine affe...
Episode 34: The Great Leap Forward (1): Society During the Leap
February 22, 2021 20:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MB**There is an audio glitch from around 15:30-15:40 that I couldn't fix in the edit! It's only brief and minor, but sorry nonetheless!** This is part 2 in a 4 part series on the Great Leap Forward. This series will cover the whys and hows of China's disastrous Second Five-Year Plan, showing how the Leap went from an idea, to a reality, to a famine, all within the period of 3 years. This episode looks at how the Great Leap policies were implemented in villages and cities, and what effects th...
Episode 34: The Great Leap Forward (2): Society During the Leap
February 22, 2021 20:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MB**There is an audio glitch from around 15:30-15:40 that I couldn't fix in the edit! It's only brief and minor, but sorry nonetheless!** This is part 2 in a 4 part series on the Great Leap Forward. This series will cover the whys and hows of China's disastrous Second Five-Year Plan, showing how the Leap went from an idea, to a reality, to a famine, all within the period of 3 years. This episode looks at how the Great Leap policies were implemented in villages and cities, and what effects th...
Episode 33: The Great Leap Forward (1): Decisions were made
February 07, 2021 19:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBThis is part 1 in a 4 part series on the Great Leap Forward. This series will cover the whys and hows of China's disastrous Second Five-Year Plan, showing how the Leap went from an idea, to a reality, to a famine, all within the period of 3 years. This first episode looks at how the decision was made to launch the Great Leap. Was it Mao alone who concocted the idea? Who supported him? Was there no one who stood up against him when they saw that things were not going according to plan? This ...
Episode 32: The Anti-Rightist Campaign 1957-1958
January 24, 2021 14:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBThe final installment in the three-part series on writers and intellectuals in 1950's China. In today's episode we discuss the Anti-Rightist Campaign, launched by the CCP in 1957 after they had lost all patience with the cultural and scientific community prioritising the quality of their work over politics and generally dissing the CCP. The Anti-Rightist Campaign sought to undo all the progress in terms of open discussion and the use of different methodologies that had been started just a y...
Episode 31: Anti-Intellectualism in the PRC & the Hundred Flowers Movement
November 26, 2020 15:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBIn this episode we're discussing the campaigns carried out by the CCP against intellectuals and, more specifically, writers, from 1951-1957. We talk about the expansion of campaigns and implementation of thought reform, followed by periods of retraction and why the Party felt the need to pull back during certain periods. We also talk about the Hundred Flowers Movement, the prelude to the destructive Anti-Rightist Movement which was promptly followed up by the Great Leap Forward just one year...
Episode 30: Chinese Literature 1949-1958
November 09, 2020 12:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBThis episode focuses on China's post-1949 literary world up until around 1960. We discuss how writers were organised by the party-state, what kind of works they produced, and what was considered acceptable and unacceptable. How good were Chinese writers at producing socialist realist works? Turns out the answer changed on a daily basis. Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=162442 Subscribe to the Sinobabble Newsl...
Episode 29: The First Five-Year Plan
October 30, 2020 09:00 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBIn this episode we discuss China's first Five Year Plan, a centralised form of economic development that encompasses elements of social engineering and which is still used in China till this day. What were the major aims of the FYP, what were the outcomes, and why did the CCP end up abandoning this system of slow but steady development in favour of a Great Leap? We discuss these questions, as well as looking at how the foundations of Mao's ideological and political dominance were laid in thi...
Episode 28: Dreaming of East Turkestan: Xinjiang and China, c.700-1950
October 24, 2020 08:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBThis episode discusses the historical background of the relationship between China and the Xinjiang region, putting into context the current situation of the Uyghur people. It traces Chinese imperial attempts to first turn the area into a vassal, and then incorporate the region entirely into the empire, creating a new nationalist ideology based on a multicultural identity. The discussion starts from the 8th century AD and the fall of the Uyghur Khaghanate, and ends with the story of the rei...