150055 VU International Relations in East Asia (2024W)

In the first units, we will discuss the main theoretical International Relations (IR) theories, i.e. Realism and Neorealism (both the defensive and offensive variants), Liberalism and Neoliberalism as well as Constructivism and Human Security. In addition to lectures given by the course convenor, students will critically discuss related texts to be able to identify the theoretical and methodical strengths and shortcomings of the various approaches.

From week four or five on, we will analyze various bilateral and regional conflicts and threats in Northeast and Southeast Asia, starting with the the impacts of the Sino-US rivalry on the Liberal International Order (LIO) in East Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific, the regional centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the deepening of minilateral partnerships (AUKUS, Quad…). Specific case studies will be the Cross-Strait tensions; the territorial disputes in the South and East China Sea; the conflict on the Korean peninsula; as well as non-traditional threats such as climate change, poverty and underdevelopment, terrorism, organized crime or illegal migration. Also discussed will be bilateral relations, e.g., China-Japan, China-Russia and the Philippines-United States, and the foreign and security strategies and policies of selected East Asian countries, e.g., bandwagoning with the United States or hedging towards both the United States and China. The latter will demonstrate that small and middle powers are not merely responding to great power politics but have a considerable amount of agency, too.

The main aims of this course are:

- To familiarize students with the plurality of International Relations theories and approaches, including their strengths and limitations
- To enable students to apply selected theories on specific case studies in East Asia
- To highlight the importance of the geopolitical and geo-economic rivalry of China and the US and its impacts on the LIO in East Asia, while emphasizing the agency of small and middle powers
- To analyze conflicts and threats in East Asia as well as multilateral and national attempts to resolve or mitigate them.