Intl Relations of SE Asia

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

This course introduces students to international relations and foreign policy of Southeast Asia from a local perspective. It traces the regional economic-security order during the pre-modern period, the colonial period, the post-independence period, and the post-Asian Financial Crisis period. It first explores the historical influence of China and India (as well as Persia) during the pre-modern period and of Western colonizers during the colonial period. It then reviews the roles and impact of the U.S., Japan, and China on the recent transformation of security and economic frameworks in Southeast Asia. Following the historical overview, it will examine regional organizations, including the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN-centered organizations such as ASEAN Plus Three (APT), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The course ends with an exploration of non-traditional security (or human security) concerns such as transnational organized crime, undocumented international labor flows, trafficking in persons, food security, and catastrophic natural disasters.