Course DescriptionEast Asia is an important region that includes the second and the third largest economies in theworld and has four countries in the G20. East Asian countries have achieved remarkableeconomic success in the post-war period but are facing many endogenous and exogenouschallenges. Focusing on Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea, this course will examine thepolitical, social, and economic pathways traveled by East Asian countries on their road toprosperity, democracy, and security.In this course, students will analyze comparatively the models of economic development, politicalchanges, and social transformations pursued in these countries. Topics examined in this courseinclude culture and values, war and colonialism, historical memory, the developmental state,development and politics in China, democratization in South Korea and Taiwan, socialmovements, economic crisis, nationalism, low fertility trap, precarious labor, and the East Asianwelfare state.
Learning Objectives
describe historical and cultural context of East Asian countries
understand the success and challenges of economies within East Asia.
understand the variation of state-society relations within East Asia.
apply concepts and theories to analyze East Asian societies
think critically about the roles of history, culture, government and non-government actors
in the society of East Asia.
Expected Learning Outcomes
In this course, students will analyze comparatively the models of economic development, political
changes, and social transformations pursued in these countries. Topics examined in this course
include culture and values, war and colonialism, historical memory, the developmental state,
development and politics in China, democratization in South Korea and Taiwan, social
movements, economic crisis, nationalism, low fertility trap, precarious labor, and the East Asian
welfare state.
Course Contents
Introduction
Week 2: Political Institutions in China: The Party-State
Week 3: Political Institutions in Japan: Parliamentary Democracy
Week 4: Political Institutions in South Korea: Presidentialism
Week 5: Democratic Transitions in Korea and Taiwan
Week 6: East Asian Model of Development: Japan
Week 7: East Asian Model of Development: South Korea
Week 8: East Asian Model of Development: China
Week 9: Midterm Exam
Week 10: Economic Crisis in East Asia
Week 11: Rightful Resistance in China
Week 12: Precarity, Poverty, and Inequality in East Asia
Week 13: Youth and Labor Question in East Asia
Week 14: Gender, Work, and Family in East Asia
Week 15: Transnational Migration in East Asia
Week 16: Final Exam
Assessment Elements
Participation during in-class activities
Final exam
Attendance (1&2 modules)
Quiz
Mid-term exam (1 module)
The midterm exam will be administered during week 8. It will cover the background material
from week first to week seven of the course. The midterm exam will consist primarily of
multiple-choice, identification, and short answers. The test will be worth 15% of your course
grade.
Gordon, A. (2003). A Modern History of Japan : From Tokugawa Times to the Present. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=120926
So Young Kim. (2010). Do Asian Values Exist? Empirical Tests of the Four Dimensions of Asian Values. Journal of East Asian Studies, 10(2), 315–344. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1598240800003477
Recommended Additional Bibliography
Pekkanen, R. (2004). After the Developmental State: Civil Society in Japan. Journal of East Asian Studies, 4(3), 363–388. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1598240800006019
Преподаватель
Варпаховскис Эрикс
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Learning Objectives
Expected Learning Outcomes
Course Contents
Assessment Elements
Interim Assessment
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
Recommended Additional Bibliography
Authors