Sinobabble

The second episode of three  on the CCP’s incorporation of the periphery into the PRC after 1949. We discuss the historical relationship between the Mongolian people and the Mainland Han Chinese people, to give context to why modern China feels that Inner Mongolia is part of the great Chinese nation.

At the end of the episode, we discuss the numerous articles on attitudes towards sex in China that I've come across in my casual reading. We highlight a woman working towards bringing foreplay into Chinese couples' bedrooms, and a survey revealing the lack of sexual knowledge among Chinese university students.

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

This episode is the first in a series of three discussing the incorporation of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia into the PRC after 1949.

In this episode we discuss the historical relationship between Tibet and China, as well as the changing nature of the CCP's approach to the inclusion of Tibet in the new nation. What makes the Tiebtans feel like they deserve their own independent nation? The answer lies in their own beliefs surrounding the unique nature of Tibetan culture and ethnicity, and their rejection of Chinese hegemony.

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

This episode is another addition to the modern China series. Today we’re going to be talking about a deep rooted problem in China, that of frequent and recurrent academic scandals. There are many reasons why I’m not sure a career in academia is for me, and one of those reasons does revolve around the problem of ethics and free speech when it comes to doing any sort of research in or about China. 

We discuss some of the most prominent examples in three different
categories: fake research, deleted research, and conflict of interest.

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

In this episode we discuss what financial aid the Soviet Union provided to China, as well as how cultural connections were formed between the two states, using the example of art.

I also discuss an Economist article on poverty alleviation measures in poorer parts of China. How do Chinese officials carry out policies in a way that solves the key problem of poverty, while also promoting the party and president Xi as the saviour of the people? And is there anything that Western democracies can learn from China's integration of economic, political, and social issues?

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

Over the next couple of episodes we’re going to be examining the relationship between China and the Soviet Union, and how this relationship determined the development of China’s economy and international relations in the 1950s and the early 1960s. Today we’re going to start by discussing the The Korean War of 1950 to 1953, as this conflict was crucial in shaping Sino-Sovet relations in the early 1950s. 

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

In this episode we’re continuing the theme of mass campaigns, and taking a detailed look at some of the most important campaigns in PRC history in order to see the party’s revolutionary tactics in action. Last week we spoke about the structure of mass campaign in Maoist China, and this week we’re going to be looking at three campaigns in total, one rural and two urban. The rural campaign was known as the Agrarian Land Reform Policy (land reform), which was the radical redistribution of all of China’s agricultural land equitably among its peasant population. The two urban campaigns are the three antis and five antis campaigns that sought to tackle corruption and waste in China’s state bureaucracy and private sectors.

*At some point in the recording I say "anti-patriotic" instead of "unpatriotic". Apologies. I'm dumb.

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

Mass campaigns were the cornerstone of the CCP’s rule during the Maoist era. They were used to spread information about policies, inculcate the masses with the correct understanding of communist ideology, and importantly mobilise the people and get the public involved in different schemes to support the so-called building of the nation.

In this episode, we’re going to be talking about the ways propaganda and mass mobilisation techniques were used in Maoist China, and serves as a sort of reference point for future episodes where we’ll be talking about more specific policies and mass campaigns in detail.

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

In this episode we discuss the introduction of two new laws at the start of the PRC: the marriage law and the education reform. Both of these laws were intended to change the shape of society, making it more civilised and modern, as well as more rational and easier for the state to control. Both laws evolved in ways that the state did not intend, leading to their subsequent de-emphasis in the following years. However, both of the changes have repercussions till today.

Emily Matson is a PhD student in the Corcoran History Department, University of Virginia. Her focus is on modern East Asian history, and her areas of interest include Sino-Japanese relations, China's national identity, and Chinese patriotic education.

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

This is the second episode in another short series I’ll be doing about the Hong Kong protests.

Certain outlets have chosen to remain silent on the most recent events in Hong Kong, as well as the June 4th vigil that was officially cancelled by the state but took place in Victoria Park regardless. This episode discusses the rise of self-censorship, instances of innocuous creeping censorship of the Chinese state against international institutions, and what this means for freedom of expression not just in China, but for everyone.

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

This is the first episode in another short series I’ll be doing about the Hong Kong protests.

Tensions in Hong Kong have flared up once again as the CCP pushes to introduce the National Security Law in the wake of last year's protests. This law seeks to punish those who threaten the integrity of the state through sedition, secession, terrorism, or collusion with external forces. The public and some members of parliament have also been angered by the push of the national anthem law, which would criminalise parody or insult of the March of the People.

This episode provides an overview of the most recent protests from April till date, discusses some of the international responses, and describes the escalation of police brutality and authoritarianism in Hong Kong. It is clear that Beijing has lost patience with Hong Kong and the freedoms the territory currently enjoys will be taken away much sooner than 2047.

Carrie Lam’s Letter to Hong Kong https://hongkongfp.com/2020/05/29/letter-to-hong-kong-from-carrie-lam/

New York Times “‘Facing the Darkest Hour’: Hong Kong’s Protest Movement in Crisis” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/world/asia/hong-kong-protest-future-china.html

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