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Course Syllabus

Master 2024/2025

Contemporary International Relations in the Asia-Pacific Region: an Advanced Course

Type: Elective course (International Relations: European and Asian Studies)
Area of studies: International Relations
Delivered by: School of International Regional Studies
Where: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
When: 1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies: offline
Open to: students of one campus
Instructors: Aisylu Garaeva, Evgeny Kanaev
Master’s programme: International Relations: European and Asian studies
Language: English
ECTS credits: 6

Course Syllabus

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course initiates a comprehensive and interactive discussion on the present specificity of international relations in the Asia-Pacific region with an emphasis upon economic and political-security regionalism. The course is based upon an innovative approach combining a solid theoretical foundation with the hard factual data obtained from pioneering field studies. The course stimulates the students’ conceptual thinking and makes the learning environments exciting, challenging and rewarding Starting with theoretical perspectives on international relations and regionalism in the Asia-Pacific region, the course proceeds with the evolution of ASEAN and ASEAN-led institutions as multilateral dialogue platforms. Then the discussion turns to the Australian regional priorities and the conceptualization of the Indo-Pacific region as a new international phenomenon. Further, the security challenges of South Asia are carefully examined. The course concludes with insights in the potential of the Arctic dimension in the current priorities and policies of the Asia-Pacific states. By linking Asia-Pacific political, economic and security trends with theoretical insights, the course develops a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and perspectives of the Asia-Pacific region with a special emphasis upon its regionalism dimension.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • Initiate a broad discussion on key trends shaping the current evolution of the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Include discussions on: conceptual issues related to the evolution of Asia-Pacific regionalism; the specificity of key regional security challenges; the most recent trends related to the establishment of the Indo-Pacific region; issues related to the connectivity schemes spanning through the Asia-Pacific region; prospects for the rise of the Arctic dimension in the economic, political and security priorities of the Asia-Pacific states.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Analises the contradiction between area studies and international relations.
  • Analyses new nuances in major powers’ approaches to Southeast Asia in the late-1960s – mid 1970s and the ASEAN response.
  • Analyses the key reasons behind linking the Indian and the Pacific oceans.
  • Defines the arguments of the main theories of international regarding the Asia-Pacific dimensions.
  • Defines the importance of tribes in the political life of Afghanistan.
  • Defines the main imbalances and contradictions between the ASEAN’s prospective plans and the results obtained.
  • Defines the main reasons behind the ASEAN’s plans to establish the ADMM+8: the practical and the reputational dimensions.
  • Defines the offensive and the defensive narratives of India's and China's policy in South Asia.
  • Defines the practical dimension of Australia-Japan cooperation.
  • Defines the role of India as a new security partner.
  • Defines the specificity, stages and driving forces of India’s and Pakistan’s nuclear programs.
  • Defines the territorial disputes in relations between China and India: the specificity of Tibet dispute.
  • Describes ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific security regionalism, the key reasons and implications of the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
  • Describes Australia’s foreign policy.
  • Describes China’s and India’s policies towards Sri-Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan.
  • Describes New Zealand’s regional role in the Pacific ant its relations with the main partners (the US, China and Australia).
  • Describes Siachen Glacier issue and its specificity.
  • Describes the ASEAN’s expansions and its main aftereffects for regionalism in Southeast Asia.
  • Describes the Asia-Pacific dimension of The Arctic.
  • Describes the ethnic, political and international dimensions of the Kashmir issue.
  • Describes the Indo-Pacific region in the priorities of its key actors.
  • Describes the main motives of the “ASEAN-5” to establish a multilateral dialogue platform.
  • Describes the main reasons for India’s concerns regarding The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
  • Describes the specificity of self-perception of small countries of South Asia.
  • Describes the specificity of the international dimension of the Afghanistan issue.
  • Describes the stages of institution-building in Southeast Asia.
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • International relations theory: the Asia-Pacific dimension
  • Regionalism in Southeast Asia in the Cold War
  • ASEAN in the post-Cold war period: moving towards the ASEAN Community
  • ASEAN and Multilateral Dialogue in the Asia-Pacific Region
  • The Indo-Pacific region as an emerging political-security narrative
  • Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific islands in Asia-Pacific international relations
  • Relations between India and Pakistan: problems and solutions
  • Contradictions between India and China in South Asia
  • Afghanistan as a security flashpoint in South Asia
  • Small countries of South Asia: challenges and tasks ahead
  • The Arctic and its Asia-Pacific dimension
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Analytical paper
  • non-blocking Exam
    The examination is carried out in a written form based on the course materials (multiple choice and a detailed answer to the question). The exam is conducted on the Socrative platform (https://socrative.com/) and parallel connecting to the Zoom platform (https://zoom.us/). Students must join Zoom conference 10 minutes before the exam begins (Zoom platform). Next, the examiners send the Socrative room number to the Zoom chat, after which the students join the Socrative platform and commit to completing the tests. Information with the date and time of the exam will be sent out by the teachers of the course to the students corporate mail. Examination time - 2 academic hours (1 hour 20 minutes). Technical requirements for the exam: camera on, microphone off, Zoom and Socrative support. To participate in the exam, the student is obliged: to put his/her photo and real first name and last name on the profile, appear for the exam according to the exact schedule, throughout the exam a student has to keep the camera turned on and the sound turned off. During the exam, students are forbidden to: turn off the camera, use notes and tips. In case of technical malfunctions, the student is obliged to immediately notify the teacher. A short-term communication disruption during the exam is considered a communication disruption of less than a minute. Long-term communication disruption during the exam is considered a violation of a minute or more. In case of a long-term communication failure, the student cannot continue to participate in the exam. The retake procedure involves the use of more complicated tasks.
  • non-blocking Class attendance and class participation
    The examination is carried out in a written form based on the course materials (multiple choice and a detailed answer to the question). The exam is conducted on the Socrative platform (https://socrative.com/) and parallel connecting to the Zoom platform (https://zoom.us/). Students must join Zoom conference 10 minutes before the exam begins (Zoom platform). Next, the examiners send the Socrative room number to the Zoom chat, after which the students join the Socrative platform and commit to completing the tests. Information with the date and time of the exam will be sent out by the teachers of the course to the students corporate mail. Examination time - 2 academic hours (1 hour 20 minutes). Technical requirements for the exam: camera on, microphone off, Zoom and Socrative support. To participate in the exam, the student is obliged: to put his/her photo and real first name and last name on the profile, appear for the exam according to the exact schedule, throughout the exam a student has to keep the camera turned on and the sound turned off. During the exam, students are forbidden to: turn off the camera, use notes and tips. In case of technical malfunctions, the student is obliged to immediately notify the teacher. A short-term communication disruption during the exam is considered a communication disruption of less than a minute. Long-term communication disruption during the exam is considered a violation of a minute or more. In case of a long-term communication failure, the student cannot continue to participate in the exam. The retake procedure involves the use of more complicated tasks.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2024/2025 4th module
    0.3 * Analytical paper + 0.3 * Class attendance and class participation + 0.4 * Exam
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Behera, N. C. (2008). International Relations in South Asia : Search for an Alternative Paradigm. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=278313
  • Bilgin, P., & Ling, L. H. M. (2017). Asia in International Relations : Unlearning Imperial Power Relations. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1456287
  • Elson, R. A. (2013). Globalization and Development : Why East Asia Surged Ahead and Latin America Fell Behind. [Basingstoke]: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=759453
  • Emmers, R. (2012). ASEAN and the Institutionalization of East Asia. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=441166
  • Haacke, J. (2002). ASEAN’s Diplomatic and Security Culture : Origins, Development and Prospects. Richmond: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=582124
  • Mahbubani, K., & Sng, J. (2017). The ASEAN Miracle. University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.b.ucp.bkecon.9789814722490
  • Nadkarni, V. (2010). Strategic Partnerships in Asia : Balancing Without Alliances. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=308020
  • Pan-Asian Integration: Linking East and South Asia. (2009). Philippines, Australia: Asian Development Bank. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.6DB85DC6
  • Wrobel, R. M. (2019). Chinese geopolitics in Southeast Asia : a new pattern of economic power within ASEAN? Asiatische Studien : Zeitschrift Der Schweizerischen Asiengesellschaft / Études Asiatiques : Revue de La Société Suisse-Asie, (1), 149. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-823081

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Yang, M., Qin, Y., & Lam, P. E. (2013). China And East Asia: After The Wall Street Crisis. Singapore: World Scientific. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=545471

Authors

  • Kanaev Evgenii Aleksandrovich