Università Roma Tre

CONTENT:

PART I – Introduction and description of the course

1) Introduction : East Asia as a regional entity (geopolitics and culture)
2) Historical overview : The pre-war order in East Asia (the Sino-centric order and the Japanese particularism) – Part I
3) Historical overview : The pre-war order in East Asia (the Sino-centric order and the Japanese particularism) – Part II
4) Japan and China facing the first great challenge (the Modernity)
5) Japan and China facing the second great challenge (the Globalization)
6) Revision
6) Mid-term.

PART II

1) Security, identity and stability in East Asia
2) China and the Japan-U.S. alliance - The security dilemma in East Asia
3) Ambiguous Japan: Japan’s national identity at century’s end
4) Power and purpose in Pacific East Asia
7) Revision
8) Final Exam
Students are expected to write a 2.500 words, theoretically informed, research paper on a topic of their choice which has been previously discussed with the instructor.

REQUIRED READINGS:

John Welfield, An Empire in Eclipse. Japan in the Postwar American Alliance System, Bloomsbury.
Chi-Kwan Mark, China and the World Since 1945. An International History, Routledge.
Rémy Davison, “Asia’s ‘Great Game’”, in M. Connors, R. Davison & J. Dosch, The New Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific. Conflict and Cooperation in the Asian Century, Routledge.
M.K. Connors, “Between a doctrine and a hard place. Japan’s emerging role”, in M. Connors, R. Davison & J. Dosch, The New Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific. Conflict and Cooperation in the Asian Century, Routledge.
Rémy Davison, “The Chinese century?”, in M. Connors, R. Davison & J. Dosch, The New Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific. Conflict and Cooperation in the Asian Century, Routledge.

RECOMMENDED READINGS:


Mastanduno, M., Lake, D. and Ikenberry, G.J., 1989. “Toward a Realist Theory of State Action”. International Studies Quarterly, 33 (4) : 457-74.

Saich, T., 2011. Governance and politics of China. London and New York : Palgrave Macmillan.


Frattolillo, O., 2012. Interwar Japan beyond the West. The search for a new subjectivity in world history. Newcastle-upon-Tyne : Cambridge SP.

Frattolillo, O., 2013. “Sovereignty and Identity in EU-China-Japan Political Dialogue. A Theoretical Analysis”. Quarterly Journal of Chinese Studies, 2 (1) : 102-118.

Hook, G.D., Gilson, J., Hughes, C.W. and Dobson, H., 2005. Japan’s international relations. Politics, economics and security. London and New York : Routledge.

Lim, R., 2005. Geopolitics of East Asia. London and New York : Routledge.