U.S. Diplomacy toward Asia

The following is a tentative schedule: 1) Introduction 2) An overview of U.S. Engagement in Asia since the Second World War and the Structure of East Asian International Relations 3) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with China Part 1 -- The Tension-Stabilization Cycle 4) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with China Part 2 -- The Emergence of Great Power Competition 5) Discussion session 6) U.S. Competition with China Part 1 – The Technological Dimensions 7) U.S. Competition with China Part 2 – The Geo-political, Geo-economic, Political Dimensions 8) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with Southeast Asia -- From the Rebalance to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific 9) Discussion session 10) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with the Korean Peninsula -- North Korean Denuclearization and U.S. Diplomacy 11) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with Japan -- The State of the Alliance and its Prospects 12) The Dynamics of U.S. Relations with South Asia -- U.S.-Indian Relations today 13) The Future of U.S. Grand Strategy 14) Wrap-up -- concluding thoughts

The instructor will give a short lecture on a designated topic. Participants will then be required to write a short reaction paper by the following week’s session based on the lecture. There will be discussion sessions addressing some of the major themes.

Reaction papers for individual sessions, and contribution to class discussions.

Reading materials will be assigned in class.

To be announced in class.

The instructor might adjust the course format as appropriate. The maximum number of participants for this class will be limited to 12. (Students will not be admitted to class without the express permission of the instructor.) Those who wish to take this course will need to submit a one-page paper stating the following: 1) Personal topic of interest relating to international politics, 2) What you hope to learn from this class, and 3) What other classes you are taking for the current Academic Year 2020. Do not forget to write your name, student ID *****. Please submit the paper -- it must not exceed one page -- to the instructor's email address (*****) by 2 PM on Sept 23 (Wed). You will be notified whether you have been admitted or not by Sept 28. The instructor will communicate the names and ID ***** who have been permitted to take the class to the administrative offices, and then registration will be undertaken by the administrative offices -- students will not be allowed to self-register for this class. Those of you who have been permitted to take the class should check whether you are registered accordingly during the registration period.