The Politics of East Asia

Catalog description

This course examines the history and key theoretical and policy debates on the politics of East Asia, which in this course includes China, Japan, two Koreas, and Taiwan. Yet, other countries in and beyond the region (the United States, Russia, Southeast Asian nations) and their relations with the five states are an integral part of the course. The class comprises three parts. Part I introduces the modern history of East Asia. Part II examines the contemporary governments of East Asia, including their political systems and the main debates surrounding their politics. Part III focuses on interstate relations of East Asia and Pacific, comprising a series of topics that are both timely and heatedly debated among intellectuals and policymakers. While these topics are mostly country/countries-specific, they together are important in understanding the regional dynamics of East Asia.