The course provides a cross-regional context for understanding  the East Asian region since the post-WWII settlement.

The aim is to understand the historical trajectories that shaped the region and its constituent parts, China (Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau), Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Japan and Mongolia.  The lectures  address the legacy of regional divisions and conflicts during the Cold War, the Chinese transition economy, the emergence of the "post-Communist" world order, as well as dynamics promoting and/or counteracting regional integration.  We will look at main developments, factors and players from synthesizing, cross-boundary and cross-disciplinary perspectives. By completion of the course. students should have acquired skills in analyzing, synthesizing and debating specific events and phenomena in the context of cross-cutting trends in East Asia.