Syllabus
PLEASE FIND THE DETAILED SYLLABUS ON MOODLE: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=8589 The course can basically be divided into four parts. The first part will illustrate Asian IR theories and schools of thought. Second part will illustrate historical roots of present situation. Third part will make us understand cultural basis of the most ‘prominent’ societies in Asia (or, most relevant for current security environment, i.e. Japan, China, the Koreas, ASEAN). Fourth part will then connect these into interpretation of contemporary situation. Lecture outline - please find all the required literature in the Moodle.
1) Introduction
2) What is East Asia - formation of the region
3) IR theory and Asia - non Western approaches revisited
4) East Asian history
5) Cultures and societies - Japan, Koreas
6) Cultures and societies - China, Taiwan
7) Contemporary issues I - North Korean nuclear program
8) Contemporary issues II - Island disputes
9) Contemporary issues III - the rise of China
10) Contemporary issues IV - US Pivot to Asia
11) Contemporary issues V - societal issues
12) Final review game
Annotation
The course is designed to shed light on the main security issues in the region of Asia Pacific. 20 years ago, Aaron Friedberg suspected that Europe’s past will be Asia’s future. He argued that Asia’s 21st century will be prone to security disturbances with Asian countries reverting to realist policies of national interest. But, in order to predict potential conflicts and security issues in the region, simple power analogies without cultural basis are not sufficient. This course will thus go in different direction that Friedberg’s study; it will investigate Asian security in its historical, cultural and social context. Basically, it can be divided into four parts. The first part will illustrate Asian IR theories and schools of thought. Second part will illustrate historical roots of the present situation. Third part will help us understand the cultural basis of the most ‘prominent’ societies in Asia (or, most relevant for current security environment, i.e. Japan, China, the Koreas, ASEAN). Fourth part will then connect these into interpretations of contemporary situation on several key case studies (North Korean nuclear program, rise of China etc.).
Moodle link for the course: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=8589 (inclusive of all the literature, presentations, etc.)