This course on both 'modern Chinese history' and 'China today' examines events and periods in China's history since the Opium Wars. Throughout the semester students will also be given readings and will participate in discussions which juxtapose modern Chinese history with current events in China today. Thus this course is more than just a study of modern Chinese history, but also a study of how that history impacts the Chinese today. Students will use Chinese history as a tool for understanding the direction and decisions of the Chinese government and the challenges that government faces in the contemporary era. These contemporary challenges will also be placed within the context of three broad themes that appear most important to the Communist Chinese Party today: Stability, sustainability, and territorial integrity. Within these themes major challenges facing China today will be framed within a historical perspective and students will develop a new lens, a Chinese historical lens, through which they will use to interpret contemporary China. This course is cross-listed with PLSC 372. A student may receive credit for this course from only one program.