International Relations in East Asia

2024/2025

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

3

Кредиты

Кто читает:

Департамент политологии и международных отношений

Статус:

Курс по выбору

Когда читается:

1-й курс, 2 модуль

Преподаватель

Севастьянов Сергей Витальевич

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course is meant for those who are interested in learning more about major trends and developments shaping East Asia’s international relations. East Asia is understood here as an international-political region comprising Northeast Asia (NEA), Southeast Asia (SEA) and the US as an external actor. The key emphasis in the course is made on NEA, including: China, Japan, Korea (North and South) and Russia. The standing of East Asia in the world order, which is already high, continues to rise. There are now hardly any doubts that this regional system will shape the global international order in the 21st century, though there is still a substantial amount of conflict and tension in the region. While it is lacking a solid system of cooperation to ensure mutual security, there exist systemic forces that generally contribute to peace and stable economic development in the region. Therefore, the course will examine East Asian international politics as a complex interplay of rivalry and cooperation between key actors in economics and security.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the theoretical concept of East Asia as an international-political region and examine its main features.
• Examine the strategies and policies of the leading actors in Northeast Asia – China, Japan, Russia, Republic of Korea, DPRK, and the US as an external actor.
• Research key features of China’s rivalry in politics, security and economics with the US (more globally) and with Japan in East Asia.
• Explore the traditional and most urgent non-traditional security threats in the region.
• Analyze the evolving multilateral institutional structure of East Asia with a special focus on ASEAN as a model for Asian regionalism.
• Investigate Russia’s so-called “Pivot” to Asia, especially its manifestation in a strategy for advanced development of the Russian Far East.
• Outline possible future scenarios for East Asia’s strategic landscape.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• acquires modern methodology to clarify interests of main regional actors to be able to foresee future development of the international situation in East Asia and to formulate recommendations to the leadership of Russia and RFE on their international policy in the region
• characterizes main traditional and non-traditional threats in the region, and major economic trends defining international order in East Asia
• finds, analyzes and comprehends new information, to propose theoretical concepts and models explaining practical behavior and policies of key states in the region, taking into account growing competition of China with USA and Japan
• knows main characteristics of the East Asia international relations, modern strategies, policies, and priorities of key states in the region

Course Contents

• Lecture 1 – Course Overview. The History of East Asia Region, its Identity and Theoretical Conceptualization. South East Asia and ASEAN Special Role in EA Regionalism.
• Lecture 2 – East Asian Regional Security Order and its Changes. Economic “Regionalization” Driven by Corporate Activities. Financial and Economic/Trade Integration as Priority Components of the East Asian Regionalism.
• Lecture 3 – The Economy-Security Nexus in NEA. The Key Role of the “Big Three” (China, Japan, RK). Rising China and Power Transition in East Asia. Exacerbation of the Taiwan problem.
• Lecture 4 – Japan as a Status Quo (Re-emerging?) Power. RK as an Important Middle Power. Difficulties on the Way to Rapprochement between RK and Japan. The Divided Korean Peninsula: Old Problems and New Approaches
• Lecture 5 – Russia’s Role as a Regional Player in East Asia.

Assessment Elements

• Participation in class discussion
  For each lecture and seminar topic, students are required to read at least two articles/chapters/books from the list of the recommended literature. Apart from the recommended titles, they are encouraged to read other materials relevant to the course’s general theme and topics. Substantial part of the relevant materials can be found in the web resources’ list below. Students are required actively participate in discussions during seminars.
• The essay
  Students are required to do one written assignment. They must write an analytical essay on any subject that is relevant to the general theme of the course or the course’s topics. Students should propose the essay’s subject/title on their own (some variations of possible themes for essays are listed below), subject to approval by the instructor, who may suggest necessary changes. The essay must be between 12 and 15 pages long.
• The PPT slides-based presentation of the essay
  Students are required to prepare an analytical essay (to prepare it the group of two students should be formed) that would be presented in two different formats (PPT slides-based presentation and a written text). Essay’ subject should be relevant to the general theme of the course’s topics. Students should propose the essay’s subject/title on their own (some variations of possible themes for essays are listed below), subject to approval by the instructor, who may suggest necessary changes. A short PPT-based group (two students) presentation of the essay should be made during the last class of the course, and essays (two students) should be sent to the instructor no later than five days after the last class. Specific requirements for preparing PPT presentations of the essay and the final written version of the essay will be provided by the instructor.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 2nd module
  0.3 * Participation in class discussion + 0.3 * The PPT slides-based presentation of the essay + 0.4 * The essay

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Beeson, M. (2009). Institutions of the Asia-Pacific : ASEAN, APEC and Beyond. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=236553

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Regional integration in East Asia theoretical and historical perspectives ed. by Satoshi Amako . (2013).

Authors

• Sevastianov Sergei VITALEVICH