Teaching

This course is a seminar on comparative politics with special reference to Asia. It aims to (i) introduce students to some of the key themes, debates and concepts in the field of comparative political science, and to (ii) equip students with the tools of comparative politics to compare and analyze the political systems, policies, processes, and political outcomes within and across countries in Asia. It seeks to answer some of the key questions in the study of comparative politics including but not limited to the following: How do structures, institutions, and ideas impact the politics in Asia? What is the relationship between economic development and democratization? What are the key determinants of state capacity? Are pathways to political development in Asia similar to those in western democracies? The first part introduces students to the field of comparative politics, focusing on the logic of the comparative method, tools of analyses and origins and conceptualizations of the modern state. The second half of the seminar guides students to examine the complex processes of state-making in Asia through various lenses. The course will touch on a range on themes which include nationalism and national identity; state-society relations; power, politics and legacy in Southeast Asia; political development and transition; economic development; state power in China; as well as geopolitics. Readings will include country cases drawn from different regions of Asia – Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia. Students are strongly encouraged to critically review existing comparative politics literature and be prepared to apply the different theoretical and methodological approaches to examine contemporary political issues within and across the nations of Asia.

By the completion of this subject, the student should be able to: 1) have the basic and broad understanding of comparative politics, the comparative method (with different approaches) and the political scientific logic; 2) understand the main analytical frameworks in political science at different levels and some of the most important political concepts (e.g., state, power, nationalism, democratization, civil-military relations, state capacity, geopolitics); 3) begin to get familiar with the recent political history and comparative patterns of political development in Asian societies; and, 4) obtain the necessary tools to explore the differences in political systems and development within Asia and between Asia and other regions in the world.

This course examines the main theoretical and methodological approaches to China’s foreign and security policy in the post-Cold War era. Comprising two main parts, the first part will focus on the context surrounding the study of Chinese foreign and security policy – the rise of China. As one of the most critical economic, political, and military phenomena of the twenty-first century, the theoretical debates surrounding China’s rise; the history of its rise; the identities it presents to the world; its strategic approaches vis-à-vis this rise; and its relationship with the global order – is critical to our understanding of Chinese foreign and security policy and will enable us to better integrate the study with the field of international relations. The second part will focus on some key relationships in China’s foreign affairs, with particular emphasis on its relations with key actors in the Asia-Pacific region including the United States, Japan, the Koreas, and Southeast Asian states. The course concludes with a discussion on the question of Chinese use of force, how the rise of China is affecting global power relations, China’s economic, political, and military relations with the rest of the world, how other actors are responding, and the type of alternative international order it is building.

By the completion of this subject, the student should be able to:

Develop a fuller understanding of the contexts behind and logics in China’s rise;
Gain a better awareness of the issues in China’s key international relationships;
Gain a better appreciation of the nuances and complexities in China’s foreign and security policy;
Acquire additional knowledge and analytical expertise in the broader study of China.

Stefanie Kam

Teaching