Asian Trade: Economy, Industrialization and Capitalism in Asia

Catalog description

An historical overview of economy, industrialization, globalization and capitalism in Asia from the 16th century to present. ASIA (HIST) 182 Asian Trade: Economy, Industrialization and Capitalism in Asia (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Asian economies have experienced spectacular growth in the second half of the 20th century. But this growth is part of a longer story of Asian commerce and trade and its relationship to and integration with (and, in some cases, isolation from) global patterns of exchange. Moreover, these exchanges are best understood alongside the politics, society, and culture--sometimes local, sometimes regional--that shaped trade and business in entrepots, capitals, and hinterlands throughout Asia. This course begins with a historical exploration of the economic development and social change and ends by asking what lies in store for one of the world’s fastest growing economic regions. By offering a historical frame for Asian economic experience , students will gain insight into the strengths and weaknesses of prevailing theories that tend to overstate centralized control, market mechanisms, and cultural determination. Asian economies and markets are quite diverse, consisting of emerging and mature markets, making it difficult to view them through a single lens. As a result this course seeks to introduce students to a variety of conceptual frameworks in these countries. Examinations of the major economic players China, India, and Japan form the backbone of the course, but the precise geographic emphasis will vary with instructor, and may also include discussions of Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, and other Asian states. Themes of the course will vary depending on instructor, but may include industrialization, sustainability and the environment, gender and labor, protest and political reform, and consumerism and advertising, among others. The course will also offer a general introduction to economic theories that underpin the concepts of globalization, capitalism, and socialism as they are understood in an Asian context. This course is intended as an introduction to Asia for those with particular interests in Business, Economics, Global Studies, Labor, and/or Government. Through weekly readings, films and class discussion students will be introduced to the development of Asian economies in the global context.