93802 - East Asia And The International System

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to explore the role East Asia plays in the international system and how that role will develop in the coming years. At the end of the course, students will be able to handle a set of topics related to historical and contemporary patterns of state relations in East Asia, East Asian development models and economic integration, regional multilateral institutions, the impact of globalization on the region, and the political and economic interplay with the West.

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