93802 - East Asia And The International System

Learning outcomes

This course focuses on the main political features of East Asian countries and their interaction with the international system. The main objective of the course is to provide students with advanced instruments for studying domestic and foreign policies of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the two Koreas and the various countries of South East Asia and the relationships among them and with the West. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the process and key steps of international relations in the Asia-Pacific sector during the twentieth century, how these countries relate with the international system, and what are the characteristics of this relationship. Students will be able to develop logical arguments with respect to historical and contemporary patterns of state relations in East Asia, US security alliance in East Asia, the rise of China, the Korean Peninsula, territorial disputes, regional multilateral institutions, East Asian development models and economic integration, environmental challenges, energy security, and other related issues, exposing them in a clear and coherent manner; they will be able to appropriately use the historical and political analytical categories addressed in lessons and critically interpret historical data, recognizing their methodological implications. At the end of the course, students will therefore have significantly extended and strengthened the knowledge previously acquired in the historical and political fields and will be able to integrate it with the new assimilated themes by inserting them into an interdisciplinary context, interpreting the contemporary East Asian context in all its aspects. Students will therefore be able to formulate far-reaching judgments independently, develop original ideas and clearly present their conclusions in a professional context to both specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.

Course contents

This course offers a graduate-level exploration of how East Asian states interact with and shape the international system, both as participants within its structures and as challengers to its dominant norms. Moving beyond country-by-country analysis, the course adopts a thematic and systemic perspective, focusing on the evolving dynamics between East Asia and global governance frameworks. It investigates how major powers such as China, Japan, and the United States, as well as middle powers like South Korea, engage with global institutions, economic networks, and strategic alliances.

The course begins by tracing the historical incorporation of East Asia into the modern international system, emphasizing the legacy of empire, colonialism, Cold War alliances, and the region’s adaptation to global rules. It then examines key transformations in contemporary East Asian international relations, including the rise of China, U.S.–China rivalry, the strategic ambiguity surrounding Taiwan, the persistence of the North Korean nuclear threat, and the role of multilateralism with Asian characteristics.

Throughout the course, particular emphasis is placed on systemic contestation: how East Asian actors are proposing alternative models of governance, development, and regional order. This includes the projection of Chinese influence through global initiatives such as the Belt and Road, Japan and South Korea’s evolving roles as middle powers, and India’s emergence as a strategic counterweight and developmental competitor within the Global South.

Students will engage with a range of empirical case studies and theoretical debates on topics such as technology and economic security, regional institutionalism, development finance, the Indo-Pacific framework, and the resilience of the liberal international order. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically assess East Asia’s role not just as a region within the international system, but as a dynamic site of systemic innovation, contestation, and transformation.

Teaching methods

The course is structured around frontal lectures supported by visual presentations (PowerPoint) and the use of audiovisual materials to facilitate understanding and stimulate engagement. Each session combines thematic exposition with empirical case studies, encouraging students to make connections between theoretical frameworks and real-world dynamics in East Asia. Students are expected to participate actively in class discussions based on the assigned readings and lectures. Periodic prompts and critical questions will be used to foster analytical thinking and comparative perspectives.

Assessment methods

Final oral examination. Students are expected to demonstrate a solid understanding of the course content, critically engage with the key concepts, and connect empirical cases to broader theoretical debates. Active and consistent participation during lectures, as well as careful engagement with the assigned materials, is strongly encouraged.

Teaching tools

Lectures will be supported by PowerPoint presentations and short audiovisual materials (such as expert interviews, documentary excerpts, and news segments) aimed at fostering critical reflection and enhancing the understanding of the international dynamics under discussion.

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Fiori