The Political Economy of East Asian Development

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course examines the late 20th and early 21st century "economic miracles" of several East Asian countries. We will explore similarities, differences, and interdependencies in the development trajectories of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and mainland China, and will debate how accurate and useful concepts like "the developmental state" and "state capitalism" are in describing the political economy of the region. To what extent has China's economic rise followed the playbooks of its East Asian neighbors? What human costs and developmental distortions have accompanied booming industrial and urban growth? And what lessons does East Asia's experience offer for the contemporary developing world?