NS3645 Political Economy of Asia

This course explores the reasons for the different timing and paths of economic development in Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea. It examines the reasons for the lateness of development of East Asia relative to the West, and especially the lateness of development of China compared to Japan. Emphasis will be on the evolution of institutions in the course of state building, and the international geopolitical context of Asian development. Prerequisites: None.

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

0

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·      Assess the comparative economic development status of East Asian and othercountries using basic quantitative and qualitativedata.

·      Understand and assess different approaches used by governments in the quest for industrialization and economic success, in the context of an evolving globaleconomy.

·      Analyze the political, economic, institutional, and societal underpinnings of economic success,stagnation,andtransitionintheAsia-Pacificregion,withaparticularemphasison how political economic trajectories evolve overtime.

·      Understand the root causes and dynamics — both international and domestic — of financial crises,aswellasthepotentialpolicyresponsestomitigatetheireconomicconsequences.

·      Identify contemporary political economic challenges in the Asia-Pacific, along with their implications for regional security and stability, and assess the prospects for theirresolution.

·      Develop a deeper understanding of the PE dynamics in at least one country in Asia