1. Class Attendance and Active Participation (30%):

All students are required to attend each class meeting, and be ready to discuss the reading materials and major issues with others. Most readings will be accessible from a dropbox file. This course will be taught in a dialectical mode in which students’ participation will be essential in the class. While counter-arguments or second thoughts are welcome in class discussion, please be always polite and thoughtful in presenting them.

2. Mid-term Examination (30%):

On week 12 we will have an examination, with a couple essay questions on some theoretical issues. It will be an open-book examination. Therefore you’d better mark your reading materials with highlighter and post-it stickers when in doing your reading assignments.

Alternatively, we can arrange a field trip for you to write a two-page report for the score of this part.

3. Final Paper (40%):

By the end of the semester students have to hand in a research result that has the potential to be published in professional journals in the future. The final write-up needs to include research interests, theoretical framework (with literature review), propositions or proposed arguments, methods to collect empirical evidence, and a preliminary survey, and conclusion. This proposal needs to be presented in front of all classmates in 15 minutes, and take critics and advices from the audience for at least 5 minutes. Reference needs to be carefully documented, and all academic ethics faithfully followed.