75722 - History of Eastern Asia (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students acquire advanced knowledge of East Asian history, mainly, though not exclusively, regarding Japan and Korea. They understand historical research methodology and can approach historiographical topics originally and independently. They can evaluate sources and navigate specialized bibliographies critically. They possess the ability to articulate and communicate the learned content and formulate valid judgments in history.

Course contents

• The Opium Wars and the Arrival of Western Powers in East Asia

• Impacts of Foreign Presence in China and the Crisis of the Sinocentric Order

• The Meiji Restoration in Japan and Modernizing Reforms

• Japanese Imperialism and the Crisis of the Qing Empire: Birth of the Republic of China

• Russo-Japanese War and New Imperial Hierarchies in Asia

• Civil War in China, Japanese Occupation, and the Second World War

• Liberation Movements and Decolonization Processes in Asia

• Origins of the Cold War in Asia: The Korean War and the Division of the Peninsula

• East Asia between Bipolarity and Neutralism: The Non-Aligned Movement

• Maoist China, the Triangular Diplomacy of the USA–USSR–China, and ASEAN

• Deng Xiaoping’s Reforms and the Economic Transformation of the Region

• Tiananmen Protests and New Political and Social Balances

• The Global Rise of China and the New Regional Order in the 21st Century

• USA–China Rivalry and Geopolitical Challenges in Northeast Asia

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography is valid for "attending" and "non-attending" students; however, different assessment methods are provided, as specified in the dedicated section.

 

Required Texts

• Fiori A., Milani M., Passeri A., Asia: History, Institutions, and International Relations, Florence: Le Monnier Università, 2022

• Collotti Pischel E., History of East Asia, 1850–1949, Rome: Carocci, 2004

Optional Texts

• Tipton, Elise K., Modern Japan: A Political and Social History, Turin: Einaudi, 2011

• Seth, Michael J., History of Modern and Contemporary Korea, Turin: Einaudi, 2023

• Cooney, Kevin, Japan’s Foreign Policy Since 1945, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2006

• Fogel, Joshua A. (ed.), The Teleology of the Modern Nation-State (Japan and China), Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005

• Masuda, Hajimu, Cold War Crucible: The Korean Conflict and the Postwar World, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2015

• Kim, Suzy, Among Women Across Worlds: North Korea in the Global Cold War, Cornell University Press, 2023 [OPEN ACCESS]

[Additional readings or thematic materials can be agreed upon with the instructor sufficiently in advance of the exam date.]

 

Class materials will be uploaded to Virtuale throughout the course.

 

 

Teaching methods

Lectures

 

 

Assessment methods

The methods of assessment for attending (1) and non-attending (2) students are different. Students are considered attending if they participate in at least 75% of the lessons. 

During the academic year, exam sessions are usually scheduled in the following months/periods:

• January and February
• June and July
• September and October

For a total of at least six exam sessions per year.

1) Attending students: Individual oral interview 

The exam consists of an individual oral interview with open-ended questions on:

• The two "required texts" (as indicated in the relevant texts/bibliography section), which must be studied alongside the lecture materials, including visual elements available on Virtuale. 

The interview assesses the critical skills developed by the student, particularly about crucial historical transitions.

The following will be evaluated: Mastery of the content, ability to synthesize and analyze key concepts and historical figures, expressive skills, and appropriate language for the subject matter.
Achieving an in-depth and critical understanding of the topics covered in the lessons, good expressive skills, and using specific language will be evaluated with excellent grades. A mainly mnemonic knowledge of the subject and the ability to synthesize and analyze expressed in correct but only sometimes precise language will lead to good evaluations. Gaps in preparation and/or inappropriate language – even in the context of a minimal understanding of the exam material – will result in grades that will not exceed a passing mark. Severe gaps in preparation, inappropriate language, and an inability to navigate the materials provided during the course will be evaluated negatively.


2) Non-attending students: Individual oral interview.

The exam consists of an individual oral interview with open-ended questions on:

• The two "required texts" (as indicated in the relevant texts/bibliography section), which must be studied alongside the lecture materials, including visual elements available on Virtuale.

• One text of choice from the "Further readings."

The interview assesses the critical skills developed by the student, particularly about crucial transitions and historical figures.

The following will be evaluated: Mastery of the content, ability to synthesize and analyze key themes and concepts, expressive skills, and appropriate language for the subject matter.
Achieving an in-depth and critical understanding of the course topics, good expressive skills, and using specific language will result in excellent grades. A mainly mnemonic knowledge of the subject and the ability to synthesize and analyze expressed in correct but not always precise language will lead to good evaluations. Gaps in preparation and/or inappropriate language – even in the context of a minimal understanding of the exam material – will result in grades that will not exceed a passing mark. Severe gaps in preparation, inappropriate language, and an inability to navigate the materials provided during the course will be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint Presentations.

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Federica Cicci