Research seminar 'New Approaches to Sociopolitical and Economic Development of Asia"

Master 2022/2023

Type: Compulsory course (Socioeconomic and Political Development of Modern Asia)

Area of studies: Asian and African Studies

Delivered by: School of Asian Studies

Where: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

When: 2 year, 1-4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Andrey A. Kudelin

Master’s programme: Socioeconomic and Political Development of Modern Asia

Language: English

ECTS credits: 12

Contact hours: 126

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course is aimed at guiding participants in development and improvement of research skills (analytical, heuristic, creative, etc.) and deepening their knowledge of social science methodology related to conducting, structuring and framing of a successful research and completing of a Master’s degree thesis in Asian Studies. A special attention is paid to advanced examination of social science research specificities, challenges, logic and the structure with a focus on their performance in Asian Studies. The course introduces cutting-edge trends in Asian Studies methodology and ways of their application to a Master’s research. The seminar implies a detailed critical analysis of the main components of the Master’s thesis in Asian Studies, exploring the key techniques of effective collecting and analyzing various data, as well as theoretical and practical support of the paper completion process. The course introduces cutting-edge trends in Asian Studies methodology and ways of their application to a Master’s research. The seminar implies a detailed critical analysis of the writing of the Course Work and Articles in Asian Studies, exploring the key techniques of effective collecting and analyzing various data, as well as theoretical and practical support of the paper completion process.

Learning Objectives

The research seminar sets are perceived and designed as adjunct and support to regular courses in the MA programme. Students are expected to learn methods for research and apply them to course work of the other programmes, asking for assistance of the instructor when desired.
To identify the reasons for the change in regional dynamics and to understand the potential of the current rise of Asia and Africa
The development of an idea of the world as a geosocial system, the main driver of its development to higher stages is the significant and rather radical expansion of the accessible geographical environment (or resources)
The concepts of geoculture and civilization as ways and resultant of symbiotic interaction of society with the environment
The study of the features and laws of the development of the system of productive forces and socio-economic and political structures - formations - within which frameworks these processes take place
Identification of patterns of development of regional civilizations and cultures before the era of Great Geographical Discoveries and the development of the world as a single world-system since the long sixteenth century
The reasons of formation of geocultural variants (in the forms of countries with certain political economy and then regions as integrated unity of countries with different geocultures) within the modern world-system and the causes and features of imminent competition between them. Analysis of political economy, inequalities i.e. the geocultures of the countries and regions within the modern world-system
Studying the reasons and features of formation development and stadia and regional principles of the inner development of the certain formations
Analysis of regularities, tendencies and crises of the modern world systems, as well as exploratory and normative forecasts of its future
To develop the skills of conducting the analysis of regional phenomena of different levels and writing the work composing the results obtained. Students are to learn methods for research and apply them to course work of the other programs

Expected Learning Outcomes

Module 1: learning critical analysis and research development.
Module 2: focusing in on methods available for topic; organization of Research in Asian Studies
Module 4: Develop the habit to choose, ground, and present personal academic and public position concerning the discussed scientific and social issues. Advance sociological academic writing skills
Module 3: Master the core concepts and theories of world-systems analysis and geosocial vision of the world. Acquire the skills to analyze macrosocial and global processes and systems in a creative and critical way.

Course Contents

Critical Analysis: what it is
Critical Analysis: dissecting an article or book
Critical Analysis: writing an abstract
Selecting Research Topic
Doing Abstracts of Articles for Research
Elaborating Research Topic
Academic Paper Writing: assignment of articles, group work
Academic Paper Writing: presentations & discussions
Article Analysis: assignment of articles, group work
Article Analysis: presentations & discussions
Article Publishing: assignment of articles, group work
Article Publishing: presentations & discussions
Course Work Writing, other course’s article analysis: student guided
Course Work Work Feedback & Brainstorming: student presentations
Course Work Feedback & Brainstorming: student presentations
Course Writing, other course’s article analysis: student guided
Course Work Feedback & Brainstorming: student presentations
Course Writing, other course’s article analysis: student guided
Makarenko SEMINAR 1. Subject, object, purpose and objectives of Oriental (broader - regional) research.
Makarenko SEMINAR 2. The geographical shell of the Earth as a developing object.
Makarenko SEMINAR 3. Ethnos as the material basis of society: ethnos and its reproduction.
Makarenko SEMINAR 4. Society as a social system.
Makarenko SEMINAR 5. Patterns of development of the capitalist world-system.
Makarenko SEMINAR 5. Stadial-regional formation and development of countries.
Makarenko FINAL SEMINAR: Discussions of academic papers. Sample topics.

Assessment Elements

Class discussions
Class presentation
Academic paper 1
Academic paper 2
Academic paper 3
Final test
Participation
Introductive presentation
Module 1
Written & oral assignments
Final presentation
Module 4. In this case, short-term and long-term violations of the Internet connection do not matter.

Interim Assessment

2021/2022 4th module
0.15 * Class discussions + 0.15 * Academic paper 3 + 0.3 * Final test + 0.1 * Class presentation + 0.15 * Academic paper 2 + 0.15 * Academic paper 1
2022/2023 4th module
0.4 * Participation + 0.3 * Written & oral assignments + 0.2 * Final presentation + 0.1 * Introductive presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Critical thinking and language : the challenge of generic skills and disciplinary discourses, Moore, T. J., 2011
Introduction to logic and critical thinking, Salmon, M. H., 2013
Wang, G. T., & Park, K. (2016). Student Research and Report Writing : From Topic Selection to the Complete Paper. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1108252

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Manchón, R. M., & Matsuda, P. K. (2016). Handbook of Second and Foreign Language Writing. Boston, MA: De Gruyter Mouton. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1354412

Authors

VOLOSYUK OLGA VILENOVNA

Course Syllabus