U.S. Rel with SE Asia

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course will examine the contemporary political, economic, and security landscape of Southeast Asia, U.S. diplomatic and economic policy toward Southeast Asia, and the region’s status as a locus of economic growth and diplomatic competition within a changing geopolitical system. The course will examine questions such as: What similarities and distinctions characterize Southeast Asian countries’ individual and collective responses to globalization and changing international economic and security dynamics? What cultural and historical factors underpin Southeast Asia’s diversity as a driver and limitation on regional collective action? How have external powers sought to exert influence and institute presence in Southeast Asia, and how have Southeast Asian governments navigated and exploited great power competition? How do diaspora communities inside and outside Southeast Asia affect the region’s global linkages and economic prospects? What has been the trajectory of U.S. policy toward Southeast Asia, and in what ways have policy shifts since World War II shaped U.S. influence and regional perceptions thereof? Why and in what ways does Southeast Asia constitute the great “contested space” in a new era of great power competition, and to what extent do competition and sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea and Mekong Delta constitute U.S. national security interests? The class schedule will be divided into related units that introduce historical antecedents, analyze the current regional landscape, and deep-dive on discrete political and economic topics. Guest lecturers from the Southeast Asian diplomatic community in Washington and overseas will enrich the curriculum and offer diverse, on-the-ground perspectives on regional developments. After each unit, students will produce and present orally a short policy-relevant essay on a topic of their choosing. As a final written assignment, students will draft and submit a policy recommendation and justification for future engagement for Southeast Asia, a sub-region, or an individual Southeast Asian country.