HONG KONG

This course examines the study of global climate systems and climate change. It covers the controls of temporal and spatial variations in earth's climate and its histories of past climates preserved in the geological record, as well as modern research methods that are used in paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions.

This course studies hormones and the regulation of metabolism, reproduction and water/salt homeostasis in our body. Topics include: adrenal medulla; adrenal cortex, ACTH, renin-angiotensin, and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP); the thyroid; hypothalamus releasing and inhibitory factors; pituitary gland; neurohypophysis; growth hormones; prolactin; and gastro-entero-pancreatric peptides. 

This course examines the challenges of increasing travel demand, impacts on people, process of policy formulation, structure of governmental control, engagement of stakeholders and evaluation of performance. With reference to the case of Hong Kong, the evolution of the planning process and the development of policy instruments are illustrated. To provide a future outlook, an overview of recent trends and near-term prospects within the wider context of sustainability for delivery of transport services is introduced.

This course examines advanced topics in equilibrium statistical physics. Topics include ensemble theory; theory of simple gases, ideal bose systems, ideal fermi systems; statistical mechanics of interacting systems; statistical field theory; and some topics in the theory of phase transition may be selected.

As a result of Chinese diaspora and increasing global cultural interactions, scholars have proposed various analytical frameworks to remap the current field of Chinese-language literature and film. The concept of “sinophone” is such an attempt which celebrates the diverse expressions of “chineseness” and underscores the local particularities in which each Chinese-language or film is produced. This course offers students an opportunity to study selected sinophone literary works (by writers residing primarily in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the west) and films, and to explore and challenge existing notions of nationalism, cultural identity, and linguistic authenticity.

Museums have become one of the most popular ways of telling history. Many scholars argue that museums are not neutral places; rather, they are often used for a wide range of strategic purposes: regulating social behavior, building citizenship and national identity, and expanding state power. But museums also face a variety of constraints and challenges: culture, money, politics, physical space, locating and selecting appropriate artifacts, and forming narratives. This course considers these issues by looking at history museums and heritage preservation in Hong Kong. The goals of the course are to familiarize students with a range of theoretical approaches to museum studies; explore the ways in which museums and heritage preservation can be used to further certain political, cultural, and commercial agendas; and help students learn to write an analytical research essay based on readings and museum fieldwork.

This course examines the practical knowledge and skills of some advanced analytics and statistical modeling problems.

This course examines the impacts of biological community processes on our environments and ecosystems, such as biogeochemical cycles, trophic interactions and spatio-temporal dynamics. An introduction to modern molecular methods used to assess biological communities and relevant approaches to study design and applications.

This course examines from a historical perspective the legal transformations in 20th century China and developments towards the rule of law. First, the key concepts of the rule of law are introduced in a straightforward way suitable for students from all backgrounds. The course then examines the Chinese legal tradition up until the late Qing dynasty, including the legal and constitutional reforms introduced in response to the challenge of the West. This is followed by looking at the continuation of the late Qing legal reforms in the Republican era, including the move to one-party rule under the Kuomintang Government, legal and constitutional reforms in post-1945 Taiwan, and the development of the rule of law there. This course also covers legal thought and legal developments in the People’s Republic of China since 1949, including the Maoist era and the “Cultural Revolution”. The final topic is the modernization of the Chinese legal system in the era of “reform and opening”, which considers the legal reforms that have
accompanied the move from a socialist planned economy to a market economy, developments relating to “ruling the country according to law”, constitutional reforms for the protection of property and human rights, and the legal practice of “One Country, Two Systems” in the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. 

This elementary Korean course continues to focus on proficiency-based Korean learning, further developing students’ overall Korean language ability established in Korean I.1. On completion of the course, students will be able to participate in simple conversations related to daily life, and will have acquired a general knowledge of the written forms of the Korean language.