UCL - Comparative analysis of Korea and North-East Asia

[SPRI2600]

[15h] 2 credits

This course is taught in the 2d semester.

Teacher(s):

Language: English

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The political landscape of Northeast Asia continues to exhibit dramatic change and contrast. Many people in Northeast Asia have experienced great improvements in political freedom in recent years. Yet continued stabil-ity and freedom are not guaranteed. Countries throughout the region are searching for the most appropriate po-litical responses to shifting social, economic, and security concerns. While some countries like South Korea and Taiwan move toward greater political stability, others like North Korea and China experience unrest that threat-ens their progress.
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of government and politics in the countries of North-east Asia including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. This course is also designed to prepare students for their future career development in foreign policy areas and international organizations concerning Northeast Asia, and serve as an adequate basis for further study.

Main themes

The course will examine and compare the major aspects and functions of political systems, processes, and changes in each pair of these countries to explore the general patterns of similarities and differences that exist among these nations and the dynamics that are deep-seated in their political and economic changes. The course will conduct a systematic comparison between nations utilizing a set of common integrated themes for each pair of countries under study: political culture, political development, political institution, political process, political economy, and political change.

Content and teaching methods

Ex cathedra reaching with participation of students.
I. Introducing Northeast Asian Politics
1: Introduction to the Course and its Requirements

II. China and Japan
2: Land and People: Political Implications for the Making of the State
3: Political Culture: Confucianism vs. Japanese Adaptations
4: Political Development: from Imperial Rule to Communism and Fascism
5: Political Institutions: Leninist Party State vs. Constitutional Democracy
6: Political Economy: Socialist Market Economy vs. Corporatist Developmental State
7: Political Change: Transition from Communism vs. Transition from One-Party Domination

III. Taiwan and South Korea
8: Land and People: Taiwan and South Korea at a Glance
9: Political Culture: Confucianism vs. Korean adaptations
10: Political Development: from Colonialism to Authoritarianism
11: Political Institutions: Presidential System
12: Political Economy: East Asian Model
13: Political Change: Transition from Authoritarian Rule to Constitutional Democracy

IV. East Asia and the U.S. / EU foreign policy
14: East Asian Security in the post-Cold War
15: US / EU foreign policy in East Asia

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation
Participation (10%). All students are required to attend every scheduled class. "Preparation" en-tails that students are required for a close reading of all the assigned materials and the preparation of short oral presentations on the sets of readings for the topics under study. "Participation" means that each of students should participate actively in class discussions based on careful preparation.

Exams (60%). A take-home essay exam with oral test constitutes 60% of students' final grade.

Research Paper (30%). All students are also required to write an analytical paper on the course theme, which accounts for 30% of their final grade.