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AIS3060 - Special Topics in Asian Studies I

Offering Academic Unit
Department of Asian and International Studies
Credit Units
3
Course Duration
One Semester
Equivalent Course(s)
Course Offering Term*:
Summer 2021

* The offering term is subject to change without prior notice
 
Course Aims

This course examines current issues in Asian and International Studies (the current upheaval in Burma, renewed provocations by North Korea, an increasingly assertive China, etc.) with an eye to highlighting the historical roots of recent developments. These developments will also be filtered through a handful of theories, meant to provide illuminating insights into these particular national situations, as well as equip students with theoretical tools that can be applied to a large variety of other cases.
 
For example, the current authoritarian backsliding in Burma will be analysed through the lens of the Resource Curse theory, which will allow us to make sense of the Tatmadaw's reluctance to loosen its iron grip on political power. Similarly, the rise of China and the resulting tensions between Beijing and Washington will be filtered through the analytical prism of Offensive Realism and Power Transition Theory, which will lead us to consider the likelihood of a major conflict erupting between the United States and China. Exploring the internal logic of North Korea's strident rhetoric and nuclear provocations, finally, will help demonstrate the rationale behind the reckless acts of a country that is often described as fundamentally irrational.
 
This class aims at providing students with the keys to understanding some of the most recent (and often puzzling) developments in the Indo-Pacific region by both underlining their historical roots, as well as some of their systemic underlying factors – -- allowing students to extrapolate this class' findings to other regions of the world."

Assessment (Indicative only, please check the detailed course information)

Continuous Assessment: 100%
 
Detailed Course Information

AIS3060.pdf

Useful Links

Department of Asian and International Studies