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Regular version of the site

Research Seminar

2020/2021
Academic Year
ENG
Instruction in English
8
ECTS credits
Course type:
Compulsory course
When:
2 year, 1-3 module

Instructors

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is divided into two main parts. The first one is devoted to such issues as history and identity of the Asia-Pacific, and its key characteristics as an international political and economic region. In this block students will also examine key IR theoretical approaches to international institutions and integration. Besides, this part of the course is focused on positive experience of Southeast Asian nations in forming ASEAN that became a model in formation and operation of all international organizations in Asia. The second part of the course is devoted to investigation of the APR multilateral institutions. Special emphasis is made on dynamical competition between such Asia-Pacific multilateral institutions as Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Transpacific Partnership in economics and trade, and between ASEAN Regional Forum and East Asian Summit in politics and security. The course will also examine Northeast Asia that is characterized by the lowest level of integration among all regions and subregions of the Asia-Pacific, and Russia’s growing interest toward Asian multilateral institutions as part of its efforts for advanced development of the Russian Far East.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • To discuss the concept of the Asia-Pacific as an international-political region and to examine the history of its main international organizations.
  • To investigate integration strategies of the leading governmental actors in the Asia-Pacific (China, the US, Japan, Russia, ASEAN).
  • To analyze the evolving multilateral institutional structure of the Asia-Pacific region (APR) with a special focus on ASEAN as a model for Asian regionalism, as well as on growing competition in international organizations’ domain between China and the U.S./Japan.
  • To evaluate effectiveness of the key APR international organizations
  • To outline possible scenarios in developing APR integration and multilateral institutions in economics and security.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to improve and develop his intellectual and cultural level, build a trajectory of professional development and career. Able to analyze, verify, evaluate the completeness of information in the course of professional activity, if necessary, fill in and synthesize the missing information
  • Able to freely carry out professional and scientific communication in foreign languages Able to search for information on topical issues in Asia and Africa and process it using modern methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis
  • Able to independently identify the problematic field of research in the field of various aspects of the study of Asia and Africa
  • Able to create new theories, invent new ways and tools of professional activity Able to independently master new research methods, change the scientific and production profile of his activities Able to improve and develop his intellectual and cultural level, build a trajectory of professional development and career Able to make managerial decisions and ready to take responsibility for them Able to organize and manage multi-party communication
  • Able to freely carry out professional and scientific communication in foreign languages Able to independently identify the problematic field of research in the field of various aspects of the study of Asia and Africa Able to formulate and substantiate proposals for joint oriental research, scientific-analytical and applied work Able to organize activities for the development, testing and implementation in practice of the results of research work
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Introduction to the course: key aspects of research
  • Working with scientific literature and data
  • Questionnaires and interviews
  • Part I: History and Key Features of the APR as an International Region. Theoretical Perspectives on International Organizations. The Asian Way of Institualization and Integration.
    Seminar 1 – Course Introduction. The History and Identity of the Asia-Pacific Region. APR Characteristics and Features as an International Political and Economic (Trans) Region. APR’s Subregional System and Integration Levels. Seminar 2 – Key Theories of International Relations on Regions’ Formation and Transformation. Institutional Approaches to Asian Integration. Key Theories of International Organizations. Definition of, Distinctions between, Policy-Making in and Activities of International Organizations. Seminar 3: ASEAN as a Model for the Asia-Pacific Regionalism. Economic and Cultural Communities in SEA. ASEAN Plus Regional Institutions in Security (ARF, CDMM, EAS). South China Sea’s Security Problem. ASEAN’s Principle of Non-Intervention and Preeminence of Sovereignty.
  • Part II. Asia-Pacific Wide Institutional System of Cooperation in Security and Economics, and its Changes.
    Seminar 4: American System of Bilateral Security Alliances in the APR, Emergence of Trilateral “Security Triangles”. Trump’s Approach toward Bilateral Alliances in Security. American Attempts to Rescale Asian Strategy and Preferred Multilateral Cooperation Institutions from the APR to the Indo-Pacific (East Asia Summit, Free and Open Indo-Pacific). Seminar 5 – The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum as a Definitive Multilateral Cooperation Institution in the APR. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as an Alternative Project to APEC. The Asian Financial Crisis as a Catalyst for Promotion of East Asian Regionalism and its Successful Beginnings in Financial Sphere (ASEAN Plus Three). China and Japan’s Differences in the Vision of “True” East Asia in Trade (ASEAN Plus Six, RCEP). Seminar 6. Evolution in Asian Regionalism Strategies of China: from the Shared Leadership with Japan to the Main Promoter in East Asia (as a Core Integration Region), in the Asia-Pacific and in “Big” (Global) Asia. Concepts of the Asian Dream and the Society of a Shared Destiny. Shanghai Cooperation Organization and CICA Forum. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The Belt and Road Initiative, AIIB. Forum 16 + 1. Seminar 7. The Role of Middle Powers in Integration/Cooperation Projects, and in in Regional Multilateral Institutions. Japan as One of the Ideological Masterminds (and Often a Spoiler) of Integration Projects in the Asia-Pacific, East Asia and Indo-Pacific: APEC, RCEP, TPP (now the leader of TTIP), FOIP (ideologically a founding farther). Australia and India as Important Actors in Regional Integration in the APR and Beyond. Seminar 8. Historic Memory, DPRK Security Problem and Competition for Leadership between China and Japan as Key Stumbling Blocks for Multilateral Cooperation in NEA (Six Party Talks, Greater Tumen Initiative, CJK Trilateral Summit). Seminar 9 – Russia’s Turn to the East and New Development Institutions for the Far East. Russia’s Active Participation in the APEC and NEA Multilateral Institutions. Growing Importance of China-Russia Partnership, and Russia’s Support of BRI. Special Role of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Seminar 10 – Challenges and Prospects for Multilateral Cooperation in the APR. China – US Hegemonic Competition. China-Japan Leadership Rivalry in East Asia. Differences in View on Regional Security System. Market Democracy vs. Chinese Values of Shared Destiny. BRI vs. FOIP. TPP vs. RCEP. Economic and Trade Wars. Seminar 11 – The Covid-2019 Epidemic as a Catalyst for Accelerating Profound Forces of Changes in the Asian Regional Order. The Need for a More Cooperative Form of Regional Leadership and Global Governance. Research Papers’ Presentation. Seminar 12 – Research Papers’ Presentation and Course Conclusion.
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking In-class Participation
  • non-blocking In-class presentation
  • non-blocking Essay
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (3 module)
    0.5 * Essay + 0.25 * In-class Participation + 0.25 * In-class presentation
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Fisher, C. M., & Buglear, J. (2010). Researching and Writing a Dissertation : A Guidebook for Business Students: Vol. 3rd ed. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall.
  • HU, C.-P., & CHANG, Y.-Y. (2017). John W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.BCEBF1CE
  • Regional integration in East Asia theoretical and historical perspectives ed. by Satoshi Amako . (2013).
  • Rothman, S. B., Vyas, U., & Sato, Y. (2017). Regional Institutions, Geopolitics and Economics in the Asia-Pacific : Evolving Interests and Strategies. Routledge.
  • Torsten Weber. (2012). Book Review: Mark Beeson & Richard Stubbs (Eds.). Routledge Handbook of Asian Regionalism. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon; New York: Routledge. 2012.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Brown, R. B. (2006). Doing Your Dissertation in Business and Management : The Reality of Researching and Writing. SAGE Publications Ltd.
  • Walliman, N. (2018). Research Methods: The Basics : 2nd Edition (Vol. Second edition). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1588568