• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of major schools of international relations theory, and be able to identify their different assumptions, logics and arguments.
• Show a basic understanding of the role of the state, institutions and politics in social and economic affairs at the national, transnational and international levels.
• Be able to apply international relations theories on empirical realities in the Asian region, with an emphasis on China and Japan.
• Develop an understanding of the heterogeneity of Asian countries and how it shapes dynamics among them in regional and global affairs.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically think about and discuss international relations in Asia, both from a conceptual angle and from empirical evidence.

This course introduces major theories of international relations, and discusses how they can help us understand issues of conflict and security in Asia. Particular attention will be paid to developing strong analytical skills for dissecting the complex nature of relations among Asian countries and thus situate security issues in the wider economic and social dynamics of the region. Throughout the course the history and positions of enmity and amity of important regional actors such as China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries will be discussed.
 
The course is divided into two parts. The first part is organized according to schools of international relations theory: Realism and Liberalism, Neo-realism and Neo-liberalism, The English school, Marxism and Critical Theory, Constructivism, Securitization and Regional Security Complex Theory as well as theories on foreign policy and domestic agendas. These theories are applied to explain and interpret Asian phenomena, but at the same time Asian experiences are employed to critique existing theories that are mainly based on Western history.
 
The second part discusses international issues central to Asia with an emphasis on Asian values, growth and development, climate and sustainability, regionalism, and the relations between Asia and the rest of the world. 

This course is part of the overall Year One theme, "Comparative Cultural and Social Analysis". The course is intended for students of the Asian Studies Programme in general and serves as an intellectual preparation for the 2nd and 3rd year courses.

John Baylis and Steve Smith (eds.). (2001). The Globalization of World Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     
Waltz, Kenneth. (1979). Theory of International Politics. McGraw-Hill, pp. 79-128.
 
Keohane, Robert. (1989). Neoliberal Institutionalism: A Perspective on World Politics. In: Robert Keohane. International Institutions and State Power: Essays in International Relations Theory. Westview Press, pp. 1-20. 
                                

Dunne, Tim. (2013). The English School. In: Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith (eds). International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 132-152.

Bull, Hedley. (1984). The Emergence of a Universal International Society. In: Hedley Bull and Adam Watson (eds.), The Expansion of International Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 117-26.

Wendt, Alexander. (1992). ’Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics’, International Organization, vol. 46(2), pp. 391-425.

Jepperson, Ronald L., Alexander Wendt and Peter J. Katzenstein (1996). Norms, Identity, and Culture in National Security. In: Peter J. Katzenstein (ed). (1996). The Culture of National Security: Norms and Identity in World Politics. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 33-75.

Buzan, Barry, Ole Wæver and Jaap de Wilde. (1997). Security: A New Framework for Analysis. London: Lynne Riener, pp. 21-47.

Buzan, Barry and Ole Wæver. (2003). Regions and Powers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 3-26; 144-182.

Please note: these reading materials are only tentative and changes may occur. Final literature lists will be uploaded on LEARN before the course begins.