Course Requirements

Class Attendance & Discussion

Regular class attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to attend class as well as participate in lectures, discussions, and review sessions. Class participation will constitute 25% of the final grade. Each student is allowed a maximum of two (2) and no more than two (2) unexcused absences during the semester. For each unexcused absence thereafter, five (5) points are deducted from your final grade. You are responsible for keeping the professor informed of any situation that prevents you from attending class. Students who have more than 5 unexcused absences will not pass the course

Readings

You have to read a lot – it’s one of the main requirements for the course. To intensify your understanding and to make your life easier I recommend you first of all to catch the main idea and the main trends of the development of East and SE Asia. Some details in this case could be dropped.

Students should be prepared to do a fair amount of reading and to confront a number of unfamiliar-looking names and places. If you find yourself confused, or not understanding what we are covering, please do not hesitate to inform me.

Grading

This is qualification course. It means that it will be no grading at all (you won’t get credit units). But you need to pass this course if:

- you have no previous background in Asian Studies

- you have a week background in East Asian Studies

You can check whether you need to pass this course from the manager of MA program

Textbooks

Borthwick, Mark. Pacific Century: The Emergence Of Modern Pacific Asia, Second Edition. 2nd ed. Westview Press, 1998.

Supplementary material

Although most of the readings will be in the textbooks, in several instances we will draw on outside readings.

You are expected to do all the assigned reading prior to all classes, and do it in a way that will allow you to raise critical questions and actively participate in the discussions. You should also bring your books to class (in digital form), since we will discuss the readings.

COURSE OUTLINE

(some topics could be excluded from the course by instructor)

Control questions

1. Does East Asia as defined above enjoy any unity beyond that imposed by race and geography?

2. What are the main ethno-linguistic divisions among East Asians?

3. Do these divisions necessarily coincide with cultural differences such as religion and subsistence patterns?

4. What are the main cultural divisions in the region?

5. Why did the Chinese see themselves as the "center" of the civilized world?

6. To what extent do pre-modern attitudes and rivalries carry over into contemporary East Asia?

7. What was the first reaction of Asian countries to the Western impact?

8. The British policy in East and South-East Asia: main trends, regional financial flows and trade.

9. What was the nature of early European Rivalry in China?

10. What were the main trends of the transformation of political systems in South-East Asia after the European impact?

11. Do you agree that "modern nation-states" did not exist in East Asia in 1800?

12. Why was the European impact relatively limited between 1500 and 1800?

13. Where and in what ways did the Europeans exert the greatest influence?

14. Why was East Asia unprepared to deal with the 19th century European imperialist onslaught?

Final essays

The general title is “The price of reforms in Modern East and South East Asia ” (Please, specify the region, e.g. China, Japan, Malaysia, etc.)

You have to write a short essay (2 pages) after watching the documentary (in English)

Readings:

Borthwick, Mark. Pacific Century: The Emergence Of Modern Pacific Asia, Second Edition. 2nd ed. Westview Press, 1998, pp. 403-457

Main topics to concentrate on:

1. The nature of reforms in East Asia: social and economic dimensions

2. Social conflicts as the price for reforms

3. Political guidance and social activities

4. Reforms as the mental challenge for ordinary people

5. China “next”: “overheating” of Chinese economy and the overloading of Chinese mind

6. Political and economic dimensions of the transition in East Asia

Requirements

1. You need to use knowledge and information from the materials your previously have red

You can criticize, approve, agree or disagree with the shown material. In any case essay should have a critical design and reflect your independent thinking. Any thesis or statement should be proved by historical or socio-cultural analysis.

2. It’s better to concentrate in several most important ideas than to try to write “in general”. Be brief, laconic, and specific in developing your ideas

4. Good English is mostly welcomed.

5. Time for writing the essay – no more than 120 min.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 956