Bachelor 2024/2025

Political Systems and Sociopolitical Trends in the East

Type: Compulsory course (Asian and African Studies)

Area of studies: Asian and African Studies

Delivered by: Department of International Relations and Political Processes in Asia and Africa

Where: Institute of Asian and African Studies

When: 3 year, 1 module

Mode of studies: distance learning

Online hours: 20

Open to: students of all HSE University campuses

Instructors: Maria Chizhevskaya, Svetlana Krivokhizh

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 32

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course aims at familiarizing students with the specifics of the political development of the East Asian, Southeast Asian states and countries of the Middle East. Frist, the course will focus on the formation and evolution of the political regimes in these countries, their political actors: major state structures, as well as political parties and civil society. Students will learn about political culture and discuss role of ideology. Moreover, the course will introduce students to forms and drivers of social movements and protests in the regions. The final part of the course looks into several policy areas – ethnic, socio-economic and educations policies. On the seminars students will discuss relevant literature on the topic and take short tests, based on the discussion. The exam will be in a form of test with 20 questions of different type (open, multiple choice etc.).

Learning Objectives

• The course aims at familiarizing students with the specifics of the political development of the East Asian, Southeast Asian states and countries of the Middle East.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to take into account the cultural specificity characteristic of the countries of the studied region in their practical and research activities.
• Able to use the conceptual apparatus of scientific research, critically analyse the information.
• Able to work with information: find, evaluate, systematize and use information necessary for solving scientific and professional problems from various sources, (on the basis of a systematic approach).
• Understand and analyze socially and personally significant problems and processes occurring in society.
• Learn to communicate in English on professional topics, participate in in-class discussions.
• Learn to prepare explanatory notes in their professional field.

Course Contents

• Online course
• Lecture 1. Introduction. Political regimes and economic development in East and Southeast Asia.
• Lecture 2. Political systems and socio-political process in Turkey and Iran.
• Lecture 3: Major State Political Institutions in the PRC, Japan and South Korea.
• Lecture 4. Political systems and socio-political process in Arab states (Gulf states and Egypt).
• Lecture 5. Civil Society in East Asia.
• Lecture 6. Political systems and socio-political process in Arab states (Syria, Iraq) and Afghanistan.
• Lecture 7: Non-profit sector in Asia and Africa
• Lecture 8. Education policies in East Asia.
• Seminar 1.
• Seminar 2.
• Seminar 3.
• Seminar 4.
• Seminar 5.
• Seminar 6.
• Seminar 7
• Seminar 8

Assessment Elements

• Online-course test
  This course is blended and students have to study the following online course: Публичная политика и права человека. URL: https://edu.hse.ru/course/view.php?id=132863. The course is conducted by The HSE University. Online course test (10 questions of different format, 20 minutes).
• Test on literature
  5 questions of different format, 10 minutes.
• Exam
  The final exam will take the form of test (20 questions of different types, 30 minutes), based on the materials of the all lectures and seminars (of student’s region of specialization).

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 1st module
  0.3 * Exam + 0.3 * Online-course test + 0.4 * Test on literature

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Charlton, S. E. M. (2015). Comparing Asian Politics : India, China, and Japan (Vol. Fourth edition). Boulder, CO: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=983968
• Marlies Glasius, David Lewis, & Hakan Seckinelgin. (2004). Exploring Civil Society : Political and Cultural Contexts. Routledge.
• Roger Goodman, Huck-Ju Kwon, & Gordon White. (1998). The East Asian Welfare Model : Welfare Orientalism and the State. Routledge.
• The Palgrave Handbook of Political Elites edited by Heinrich Best, John Higley. (2018).

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• HU, A. (2016). Half the Sky, But Not Yet Equal China’s Feminist Movement. Harvard International Review, 37(3), 15–18.
• King, G., Pan, J. J., & Roberts, M. E. (2013). How Censorship in China Allows Government Criticism but Silences Collective Expression. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003055413000014
• Krauss, E. S. . (DE-588)171147138, (DE-627)061318272, (DE-576)16182062X, aut. (2010). The rise and fall of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party Ellis S. Krauss and Robert J. Pekkanen.
• Reilly, B. (2007). Democratization and Electoral Reform in the Asia-Pacific: Is There an Asian Model of Democracy? Conference Papers —— American Political Science Association, 1–33.
• Wael B. Hallaq. (2012). The Impossible State : Islam, Politics, and Modernity’s Moral Predicament. Columbia University Press.

Authors

• FEDOROV NIKOLAY VIKTOROVICH
• KRIVOKHIZH SVETLANA VALENTINOVNA