94303 - INTERNATIONAL POLITICS OF EAST ASIA

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

This course explores the complex international relations of East Asia, with particular reference to Northeast Asia (Japan, China, the two Koreas, and the United States, which still plays a central role). Students will learn about these countries’ economic and political development, the processes of construction of their national identities, their foreign and security policies, and their role in the regional and global governance.

Contenuti

The course will follow the Y structure. This means that classes will be divided in Lectures and Seminars.

Lectures will be held online using MS Teams, and the entire class will attend them at the same time (this is the lower part of the Y). Each seminar will be held twice by the lecturer, but each student needs to attend it once (upper part of the Y)

Seminars will be held in presence in Forlì for those that are able to be participate in person. Those that for any reason are not in Forlì or cannot attend in person classes can attend the seminars on line.

Both for Lectures and for Seminars students are required to read the materials in advance. All the readings will be available on the IOL page of the course.

Lectures will resemble traditional frontal classes, even if they will be held remotely (this does not mean that active participation is not encouraged, however).

Seminars will be different from traditional classes. They will be based on active participation and debates among students. Students will be invited to discuss different ideas, arguments, positions. The class will be further divided in subgroups that will be invited to support different sides of an argument on specific issues and topics.

As a consequence, preparing the readings in advance will be essential for the active attendance of the seminars.

Overall, each student will attend 13 lectures on line, and 8 seminars (either on line or in class).

The evaluation will consist in : 30% of the grade active participation to seminars. 30 Written exams (mid term and final); 40% of the grade final oral exam.

11 Lectures (on line) 22 h

6 Seminars (on line+presence) 24 h

 

Total 50 hours (including 2 lessons dedicated to written tests)

Content of the course:

By the end of the course students should be able to demonstrate that they can:

Understand the major forces shaping the evolution of the regional order in Asia from the late 19th century to the present; understand and critically evaluate the evolution of the foreign policy strategies of main East Asian states; identify and analyse the main causes of geopolitical competition as well as the main potential flashpoints for conflict in the region; critically evaluate the emerging forms of regional governance; have familiarity with the main theoretical approaches aimed at analysing the inter-regional relations and foreign policy making of the major states in the region.

Topics:

1: China: from the Sino-centric system to the demise of the Qing Empire. (L1)

2: Japan: from the Meiji Era to World War Two. (L2)

3: World War Two in Asia and the Chinese Civil War (L3)

4: The Cold War in East Asia (L4)

5: The Mao era in China (L5)

6: Deng Xiaoping and the Era of Reform and Opening in China (L6)

7: China: collective memory in the reform era (S1)

8: China: Belt and Road and Xi’s blueprint (S2)

9: China: military modernization and Territorial Disputes (S3).

MID TERM EXAM

10: Japan: Foreign and defence policies in the post war era (L7)

11: Japan: Foreign and defence policies in the Post-Cold War Era (L8)

12: Japan: collective memory and foreign policy (S4)

13: South Korea: domestic polarization and middle power diplomacy. (L10)

14: North Korea and the nuclear programme (S5)

15: The US in East Asia: From the end of the Cold War to the Pivot to Asia (L11)

16: The Trump Administration and East Asia (S6)

17: ASEAN (L12)

FINAL EXAM

Testi/Bibliografia

1) China from the Sino-centric system to the demise of the Qing. L1

Kang, D.C. (2010) Asia before the West. Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute. New York: Columbia University Press. (CH. 1)

Zhang, Y. (2001). System, Empire and State in Chinese International Relations. Review of International Studies, 27(5), 43-63.

Westad, O.A. (2014). Restless Empire. China and the World since 1750. Basic Books. Ch. 2

 

2) Japan from the Meiji Era to World War Two. L2

Pyle, K.B. (2007) Japan Rising. The Resurgence of Japanese power and purpose. Public Affairs, ch. 3

Zarakol, A. (2011). After defeat: How the East learned to live with the West . Cambridge University Press (p. 161-174.)

 

3) World War Two in Asia and the Chinese Civil War L3

The Encyclopedia Britannica. The Pacific War.

Mitter, R. (2016). The War Years 1937-1949. In J.N. Wasserstrom, The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China. Pp. 150-178.

 

4) The Cold War in East Asia. L4

Hasegawa, T. (2011). Introduction: East Asia- The Second Significant Front of the Cold War. In Hasehawa, T. (ed.) The Cold War in East Asia 1945-1991. Stanford University Press.

 

5) The Mao era in China. L5

Schell, O., & Delury, J. (2014). Wealth and power: China's long march to the twenty-first century. Random House Trade Paperbacks (Mao II)

 

6) Deng Xiaoping and the Era of Reform and Opening in China. L6

Schell, O., & Delury, J. (2014). Wealth and power: China's long march to the twenty-first century. Random House Trade Paperbacks. (Deng I)

Gerwitz, J. (2019) Unlikely Partners. Chinese Reformers, Western Economists and the Making of Global China. Pg 1-14.

Naughton, B. J. (2006). The Chinese economy: Transitions and growth. MIT press (4.1 to 4.7).

 

7) China: collective memory in the reform era S1

Dian, M. (2017). Contested Memories in Chinese and Japanese Foreign Policy. Oxford: Elsevier. Ch.1-5 (selected parts)

 

8) China: Belt and Road and Xi’s blueprint for the regional order S2

Dian, M. and Menegazzi, S. (2018) New Regional Initiatives In China’s Foreign Policy. Palgrave Macmillan chapter 4

Dian, M. (2019) China and Regionalism. Unpublished working paper.

 

9) China: military modernization and Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea. S3

Maizland, L. (2020) China’s Modernizing Military. Council of Foreign Relations. A backgrounder.

Mearsheimer, J.J. (2006) China unpeaceful rise. Current History

Zhao, S. (2020). East Asian Disorder: China and the South China Sea Disputes. Asian Survey, 60(3), 490-509.

ISDP (2016) Understanding China’s Position on the South China Sea Disputes .

 

10) Japan: Foreign and defence policies in the post war era L7

Pyle, K. (2009). Japan rising: The resurgence of Japanese power and purpose. Public Affairs. Ch. 7-8. (selected parts)

 

11) Japan: Foreign and defence policies in the Post-Cold War Era L8

Smith, S. A. (2019). Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power. Harvard University Press ch.3

Maizland, L. (2020) The US-Japan Security Alliance. A backgrounder. Council of Foreign Relations.

 

12) Japan: collective memory and foreign policy S4

Dian, M. (2017). Contested Memories in Chinese and Japanese Foreign Policy. Elsevier. Ch. 2-3 (selected parts)

 

13) South Korea: domestic polarization and middle power diplomacy. L10

Snyder, S.A. (2018). South Korea at the Crossroads Autonomy and Alliance in an Era of Rival Powers. Columbia University Press. 2018 Ch. 1.

Milani, M. (2019) Progressive and Conservative Visions of Inter-Korean relations. In Dian, M. Fiori, A. and Milani, M. The Korean Paradox. Domestic Political Divide and Foreign Policy in South Korea. London Routledge.

Congressional Research Service US-Korea Alliance. Report for Congress December 2019 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11388

 

14) North Korea and the nuclear programme. S5

Cha, V. D., & Kang, D. C. (2018). Nuclear North Korea: A debate on engagement strategies. Columbia University Press (ch. 7).

Congressional Research Service (2020). Diplomacy with North Korea: A Status Report. January 2020.

Council of Foreign Relations (2020), North Korean Nuclear

Cha, V.D., Terry, S.M. (2020) Two Years After Singapore: Did Kim Outplay Trump?

 

15) The US in East Asia: From the end of the Cold War to the Pivot to Asia L11

Green, M. J. (2017). By More Than Providence: Grand Strategy and American Power in the Asia Pacific Since 1783. Columbia University Press. Ch 1-8 (selected parts)

 

16) The Trump Administration and East Asia. S6

Ford, L. (2020) The Trump Administration and the Free and Open Indo Pacific. Brookings Institution.

Baldaro, E., & Dian, M. (2018). Trump’s Grand Strategy and the Post-American World Order. Interdisciplinary Political Studies, 4(1), 17-45.

 

17) South East Asia and ASEAN. L12

Jetschke, A. (2012) ASEAN. In Beeson, M., & Stubbs, R. (Eds.). Routledge handbook of Asian regionalism. Routledge.

Council of Foreign Relations. A backgrounder What is ASEAN?

Metodi didattici

On line lectures (marked with L in the schedule)

Seminars in presence (marked with Sna, as S1a, S2a,S3a)

On line Seminars (marked with Snb, as S1b, S2b, S3b).

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

40% Active participation to classes and seminars.

60% Oral Exam.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

MS Teams for on line classes and seminars

Power point

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Matteo Dian