POL 317 East Asian Politics and Society
East Asia is the region of the world that has experienced the most rapid and dramatic industrialization and modernization in the second half of the 20th century. This has turned East Asia today into a global powerhouse, but it has also deeply transformed East Asian societies and their political organization. What is East Asia? Is it a united region, built upon a shared history and culture, or is it a disparate assemblage of very diverse societies and political systems? What are the foundations of the region’s dramatic economic development and staggering transformations over the second half of the 20th century? What are the challenges that the region currently faces? This course will provide students with comparative tools to answer these questions. Students will learn about the political evolution of the region, contrast different types of states and regimes currently in place, discuss different theories behind East Asia’s development, address social changes related to globalization in East Asian contexts, and engage with debates on East Asia’s political culture(s). Additional topics will include the global success and contents of East Asian pop culture products, and the emergence of nostalgia in contemporary East Asian societies. Film will be used as a medium of instruction that students will analyze with the help of the instructor.
This is a writing course, and a significant component of the total grade will depend on a variety of writing assignments that students will work on throughout the semester.
(This writing-intensive course counts towards the Academic Writing requirements.)