This course is designed to introduce students to the leading theories and debates in the field of peace and conflict studies such as the causes of interstate conflicts, deterrence, and alliance formation, while simultaneously introducing students who are new to East Asia to the history of diplomacy, war, and economic relations of the region.
For the purposes of this course, East Asia is defined as the region encompassing the Russian Far East, China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Since it has been extensively involved in the region since the 1850s, we will also focus on the role of the United States in the region.
The course introduces all four major schools of thought in the field of international relations: realism, liberalism, constructivism, and domestic politics. Students will read classic works in each of these schools (typically NOT focused on Asia) as well as works that apply insights from these schools of thought to East Asian history and contemporary events.
- Lehrende(r): Ruixing Cao