PSCI 8646 ASIAN POLITICS (3 credits)
This course provides students with a broad understanding of Asian Politics with a focus on Northeast Asia (Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Taiwan) and some emphasis on Southeast Asia (Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). Students in this course will investigate these Asian societies and discuss their shared history as well as their common political themes, patterns, and connections. Students will explore state institutions, political parties, and state-society relations through the overarching themes of development, democracy, and nationalism. Specific themes include the economic rise of East Asian states, the emergence and development of democracy in the region, and the persistence of authoritarianism. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe, explain, and critically evaluate from a social science perspective the principal political features and processes of these Asian societies and develop their own research projects based on a topic discussed in the course. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4630).
Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2500 or junior standing or permission of the instructor.