40014 - International Relations of East Asia

Learning outcomes

This course is an overview of international relations of the East Asian region, which aims at broadly exploring the economic and political issues surrounding the Asia-Pacific rim. At the end of the course students will be able to examine a set of topics related to historical and contemporary patterns of state relations in East Asia, US security alliance in East Asia and the new Asian Pivot, the rise of China, nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula, territorial disputes, regional multilateral institutions, East Asian development models and economic integration, environmental challenges, energy security, and other related issues.

Course contents

Northeast Asia, a geographic area including the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of China and the two Koreas, represents one of the most important regions in the world in terms of population, natural resources, trading and investment opportunities. Despite the outstanding economic performances, this region still remains unstable from the political point of view: the division of the Korean peninsula, territorial disputes between Japan and Russia and between Japan and China, complicated relations between Taipei and Beijing, without mentioning the debated role played by the United States in the region. The main task of this course is to shed light on the "nature" and problems in the relations among the main "regional" actors (including the United States), by examining the changes which have taken place, especially in the last decade. These countries' economic systems and their characteristics will be also carefully discussed.

Readings/Bibliography

Required Readings:

Textbook:

M. Yahuda, The International Politics of Asia-Pacific, Routledge, 2011 (as a general introduction to the history of international relations of Asia)

 

PRC: The New Global and Regional Balance

Dimensions of China's Rise and Principles of Foreign Policy:

A. Nathan and A. Scobell, "What Drives Chinese Foreign Policy" and "Who Runs Chinese Foreign Policy", Part 1 of the book China's Search for Security by the same authors, New York: Columbia University Press, 2012.

S. Zhao, "Chinese Foreign Policy as a Rising Power to Find Its Rightful Place", in Perceptions, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2013.

J. Zhang, “China’s New Foreign Policy under Xi Jinping: Towards ‘Peaceful Rise 2.0’?,” in Global Change, Peace & Security, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2015.

E. Economy, "China's New Revolution", in Foreign Affairs, April 2018.

B. Womack, "Xi Jinping and Continuing Political Reform in China", in Journal of Chinese Political Science, Vol. 22, April 2017.

B. Locke, "China's economic slowdown: implications for Beijing's institutional power and global governance role", in The Pacific Review, 2017.

U.S. - China Relations:

J.Y.S. Cheng, "Xi Jinping's "New Model of Major Power Relationship" for Sino-American Relations," Journal of Comparative Asian Development, 2016.

Suisheng Zhao, "A New Model of Big Power Relations? China-US Strategic Rivalry and Balance of Power in the Asia-Pacific", in Journal of Contemporary China, Vol. 24, No. 93, 2015.

N. De Graaff and B. Van Apeldoorn, "U.S.-China relations and the liberal world order contending elites, colliding visions?" in International Affairs, Vol. 94, No. 1, 2018.

China's Global Relations & Energy Diplomacy:

I. Taylor, "A challenge to the global liberal order? the growing Chinese relationship with Africa", in S. Breslin (ed.), Handbook of China's International Relations, London: Routledge, 2010.

S. Hess and R. Aidoo, "Beyond the Rhetoric: Noninterference in China's African Policy", African & Asian Studies, Vol. 9, 2010.

S. Adem, "The Paradox of China's Policy in Africa", African & Asian Studies, Vol. 9, 2010.

Y. Sun, "China's 2018 financial commitments to Africa: Adjustment and recalibration", in Africa in Focus, Brookings, September 5 2018.

E. Wishnick, "In search of the ‘Other’ in Asia: Russia–China relations revisited", in The Pacific Review, 2016.

A. Fiori, "A Thirsty Dragon. China’s Oil Diplomacy", in A. Fiori, M. Dian, The Chinese Challenge to the Western Order, Trento: FBK Press, 2014.

D. Zha and M. Meidan, “China and the Middle East in a New Energy Landscape”, Chatham House Research Paper, October 2015.

K.S. Stegen and J. Kusznir, "Outcomes and Strategies in the 'New Great Game': China and the Caspian States Emerge as Winners", in Journal of Eurasian Studies, Vol. 6, 2015.

The Belt and Road Initiative:

Y. Huang, “Understanding China's Belt & Road Initiative: Motivation, Framework and Assessment”, in China Economic Review, No. 40, 2016.

C.P. Chung, "What are the strategic and economic implications for South Asia of China's Maritime Silk Road Initiative?" in The Pacific Review, 2017.

V. Tekdal, "China's Belt and Road Initiative: At the Crossroads of Challenges and Ambitions" in The Pacific Review, 2017.

China'sMaritime and Territorial Disputes:

M. Valencia, "The East China Sea Disputes: History, Status, and Ways Forward", in Asian Perspective, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2014

M. Taylor Fravel, “China's Strategy in the South China Sea”, in Contemporary Southeast Asia: A Journal of Int.l and Strategic Affairs, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2011

K.S. Lim, H. Ju, M. Li, "Chian's Revisionist Aspirations in Southeast Asia and the Curse of the South China Sea Disputes", in China: An International Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, February 2017.

 

Populism and Nationalism in East Asia

K.B. Pyle, "Nationalism in East Asia", in Asia Policy, No. 3 January, 2007.

S. Zhao, "Foreign Policy Implications of Chinese Nationalism Revisited: The Strident Turn," in Journal of Contemporary China, Vol. 22, No. 82, 2013.

J. Kim, "The Clash of Power and Nationalism: The Sino-Japan Territorial Dispute", in Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, Vol. 5, No.1, 2018.

Y. Kim, "Irreparable Animosity? Centripetal versus Centrifuge Force in South Korea-Japan Mutual Perceptions, 1998-2015", in Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2016.

 

The Korean Peninsula

D. Kang and V. Cha, “The Debate over North Korea,” in Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 119, No. 2, 2004.

C. Armstrong, "Inter-Korean Relations in Historical Perspective," in International Journal of Unification Studies, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2005.

Y. Kim, "North Korea’s Threat Perception and Provocation Under Kim Jong-un: The Security Dilemma and the Obsession with Political Survival," in North Korean Review, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2013.

J.H. Chung and M. Choi, "Uncertain Allies or Uncomfortable Neighbors? Making Sense of China-NK Relations 1949-2010", in The Pacific Review, Vol. 26, No.3, 2013.

M. Nincic, "The Logic of Positive Engagement: Dealing with Renegade Regimes," in International Studies Perspectives, No. 7, 2006.

R. Frank, "Economic Sanctions against North Korea: The Wrong Way to Achieve the Wrong Goal?", in Asia Policy, Vol. 13, No. 3, July 2018.

M. Fitzpatrick, "Kim Jong-un's Singapore Sting", in Survival, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2018.

B. Bennet et al., "After the Summit: Prospects for the Korean Peninsula", in Survival, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2018.

D. Straub, "Salvaging the SUnshine Policy", in Joint U.S.-Korea Academic Studies, Korea Economic Institute of America, 2018.

 

Japan's Foreign Policy

C.W. Hughes, "Japan's foreign security relations and policies", in S. Pekkanen, J. Ravenhill, R. Foot (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the International Relations of Asia, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.

J. Nilsson-Wright and K. Fujiwara, "Japan's Abe Administration Steering a Course between Pragmatism and Extremism", Chatham House Research Paper, Chatham House, 2015.

H. Nakanishi, "Reorienting Japan? Security Transformation under the Second Abe Cabinet" in Asian Perspective, Vol. 39, 2015

J.D.Brown, "Japan's Security Cooperation with Russia: Neutralizing the threat of a China-Russia United Front", in International Affairs, Vol. 94, No. 4, 2018.

C. Wallace, "Leaving (North-East) Asia? Japan's Southern Strategy", in International Affairs, Vol. 94, No.4, 2018.

 

East Asian Economic Models

J.B. Knight," China as a Developmental State" in The World Economy, Vol. 37, No. 10, 2014.

H. Kim and U. Heo, "Comparative Analysis of Economic Development in South Korea and Taiwan: Lessons for Other Developing Countries", in Asian Perspective, Vol. 41, 2017.

J. Krieckhaus, "Geopolitics and South Korea's Economic Success", in Asian Perspective, Vol. 41, 2017.

Teaching methods

Lectures and plenary discussions

Assessment methods

Final oral exam; however, students who attend the course will be also asked to actively contribute to group presentations. Careful and continuous reading of documents and the active involvement in class activities are very welcome.

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Fiori