International Relations Of East Asia

UAB

The International Politics of East Asia course offers an in-depth academic examination of one of the world's most economically and politically important regions. Home to China and Japan, the world's second and third largest economies, East Asia is a major global hub for finance, manufacturing, and trade. However, this economic dynamism exists against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and unresolved conflicts that are the focus of this course.

The course begins with a historical context, tracing East Asia's development during the Cold War, a period marked by superpower rivalry and proxy wars. This historical perspective is crucial to understanding the region's contemporary political landscape, particularly the continuing impact of the Cold War legacy on current geopolitical tensions.

From there, the course moves on to an in-depth analysis of the modern dynamics within East Asia. Key areas of focus include:

The evolving roles of major powers such as China, Japan, the United States and South Korea, and their influence on the regional geopolitical landscape.
The strategic and political implications of China's rise as a regional and global power.
Developments in East Asian regionalism.
Issues concerning intra-regional security, with focus on the main flashpoints of tension such as the unresolved status of Taiwan, North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The course takes a multi-dimensional approach, using lectures, readings, and discussions to explore these issues. In addition, students will participate in a simulation exercise designed to provide practical insight into the region's complex political dynamics and future challenges. This exercise is designed to reinforce theoretical knowledge with experiential learning, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of East Asia's international politics.

Upon completion, students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of the key factors shaping East Asia's international politics, armed with both historical context and an appreciation for the region's current geopolitical intricacies.

Courses generally have little or no prerequisite knowledge required for a given topic, however if students face any doubts, we recommend they contact course professors to clarify.

International Relations of East Asia
Week	Contents	Teaching and Learning Activities
1	Introduction to the study of International Relations in East Asia. East Asia at the end of WWII: the onset of the Cold War in the region. The occupation and transformation of Japan The establishment of the People's Republic of China The Korean War and division of the Peninsula	Class attendance Discussions: East Asia in maps, the onset of the Cold War in the region
2	Southeast Asia: decolonization and the Vietnam War. The evolving relationship between China and the US. Nixon’s Triangular Diplomacy and its impact on the regional order. Japan’s new role in the region. Relations between the USSR and East Asia’s powers. China, from rapprochement to Tiananmen. East Asia in the Post-Cold War period: change and continuity. The Asia-Pacific in the post-Cold War period: the return of geopolitics. China’s emergence as a regional and global power.	Class attendance Discussions: impact of Nixon's Triangular Diplomacy on Taiwan; the sequels of the Cold War in East Asia Preparation for the simulation activity Quiz 1 (mid-week)
3	Japan’s emerging international role. The Korean Peninsula: South Korea, in search of a Middle Power status. Why will North Korea not change? Taiwan and its quest for recognition Regional cooperation and East Asia’s security architecture. Other actors vis-à-vis the region's power shifts: India, Australia, Russia, the EU, Mongolia... Future perspectives: conflict or cooperation?	Class attendance Quiz 2 Simulation

Class attendance: 30%
Participation in discussions and other class activities: 35%
Quizzes (two, equally weighted): 35%.

Class attendance: Students are expected to attend all this course’s lectures. Attendance will account for 30% of the overall course grade.

Participation in discussions and other class activities: Students are expected to participate in the proposed discussions and classroom-based activities, read the suggested materials, ask questions, listen to others and help generate a positive atmosphere in which everyone can contribute. The lecturer will propose a discussion at the end of each unit. Toward the end of the course, students will prepare and take part in a simulation exercise. Participation will account for 35% of the overall course grade.

Quizzes: students will take two short quizzes, which will account for 35% of the overall course grade. One to be conducted during the second week, and the other during the third week. The quizzes will cover the subjects covered in the lectures, proposed reading materials and discussions. Students will be allowed to refer to their class notes and suggested materials when taking the quizzes.

Books:

Connors, M. K., Rémy Davison, and Björn Dosch. The New Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific. London: Routledge, 2018.
Li, Xiaobing. The Cold War in East Asia. London: Routledge, 2018.
Miller, Alice, and Richard Wich. Becoming Asia: Change and Continuity in Asian International Relations since World War II. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2011.
Yahuda, Michael. The International Politics of the Asia-Pacific. Taylor & Francis Group, 2019.

Academic journal articles:

Waler, J. & Azuma, H. (2016). The Rise of the Abe Doctrine. The National Interest, 1 February.
Ramirez, C. (2017). Abe’s Trump Challenge and Japan’s Foreign Policy Choices. The Diplomat.
Yan, X. (2013). Let's Not Be Friends. Foreign Policy, June 6.
Chang-Liao, N.-C. (2019). From Engagement to Competition? The Logic of the US China Policy Debate. Global Policy, 10(2), 250-257. (in PDF)
Mearsheimer, J. (2014). Can China Rise Peacefully. The National Interest, 25 October.
Lankov, A. (2009). Why the United States will have to accept a nuclear North Korea. Korean Journal of Defense Analysis, 21(3), 251-264. doi:10.1080/10163270903087147 (in PDF)
Lankov, A. (2017). Why Nothing Can Really Be Done about North Korea’s Nuclear Program. Asia Policy, 23(1), 104-110.
Kuo, M. (2017). Regional Security Architectures: Comparing Asia and Europe. The Diplomat.
Kang, D. C., & Ma, X. (2018). Power Transitions: Thucydides Didn’t Live in East Asia. The Washington Quarterly, 41(1), 137-154. doi:10.1080/0163660X.2018.1445905

Podcasts:

News:

Asian politics and economics (general):
Japan:
South Korea
- The Korea Times
- The Korea Herald
North Korea
- KCNA
China & Taiwan

Just Castillo Iglesias is a political scientist specialized in International Relations. He has developed his professional and academic career in prestigious institutions in Europe and Asia, including the European Institute of Public Administration (2007-2010), Osaka University (2011-2015), the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (2012), the Ocean University of China (2015- 2017), and Waseda University (2017-2018). His main fields of interests are the international politics of East Asia and EU-East Asia relations. In 2014, he received a Ph.D. in International Public Policy by Osaka University with a thesis on the EU’s political and security relations with Japan and China. Currently, he is tenure-track professor at the at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) where he teaches Politics and International Relations of East Asia.

E-mail: just.castillo@uab.cat
Departament of Translation and Interpreting and East Asia Studies

International Relations Of East Asia

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