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Last updated at Apr 1, 2026.

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Information, Technology, and Society in Asia 101

Introduction to Asian Studies: History and International Relations
This course will offer students a series of lectures on Asian history and international relations with the aim of providing a solid foundation in core topics and more recent scholarship in Asian Studies. This course is required by both M.A.S. and Ph.D. students in the ITASIA program (non-ITASIA students are also invited) and it aims to expand students’ knowledge beyond a few specialized countries or areas in Asia by providing a broader perspective on Asia as a whole. Another objective of the course is to offer a better understanding of Asian societies through the study of history. Students should complete the assigned reading assignments before the respective lectures (assigned readings are highlighted in italics below).
MIMA Search
Code
Course title
Lecturer
Semester
Period
4971010
GII-IA6101L3
Information, Technology, and Society in Asia 101
Yasuhiro Matsuda
A1 A2
Tue 5th
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Language
English
Credit
2
Lecturers with practical experience
NO
Other Faculty
YES
Course Offered by
Interdisciplinary Information Studies
Schedule
1.Introduction: What is Asia? 2.South Asia under Colonialism 3.South-East Asia under Colonialism 4.China-Centred World Order and Decline of the Qing Dynasty 5.The Meiji Restoration 6.Korean Peninsula and Taiwan under Japanese Rule and the Birth of the Divided Nations 7.ROC Era and Establishment of the PRC 8.Rise, Fall and Reconstruction of Japan 9. Decolonization of South Asia 10.Decolonization of South-East Asia 11.International Relations during the Cold War 12. International Relations after the Cold War 13. Comparative Politics in Asia: Authoritarianism, Democracy, and Democratization
Teaching Methods
In 2024 A1A2 semester, students are required to submit two kinds of assignments. 1: Comments on required readings: by one day before the scheduled lecture date, students are required to upload short comments (100-150 words) on what you learned from the required readings. You are required to upload comments on reading for October 8th lecture by October 10th. You should thus submit a total of 13 comments. 2: TWO take home exams: questions of each take home exam will be given on November 12th 2024 and January 7th 2025 which are related to the lectures taught in the first half and latter half of A1A2 semester respectively. Students are not allowed to choose a question related to the area/country where they come from or are familiar with (for example, students from Japan are not allowed to take a question related to Japan). This is to ensure that students are sufficiently challenged academically and encouraged to think beyond topics that are familiar to them. Students should submit them via UTOL within two weeks from the date the exams are distributed. 3. Multiple choice quiz is held on January 14.
Method of Evaluation
Marks are based on comments (20%) and two take home exams (30+30%). Multiple choice quiz. (20%)
Required Textbook
1. Ryo Sahashi, Yasuhiro Matsuda and Waka Aoyama eds., Asia Rising: A Handbook of History and International Relations in Asia, Springer (2024) https://link.springer.com/*****  2. Rhoads Murphey, A History of Asia, International Edition (New York: Pearson, 2008) 3.Warren I. Cohen, East Asia at the Center (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000)
Reference Books
Chapters of the textbook 1 is open-access. Besides, students can borrow the reference readings 2 and 3 from the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies Library (iii Library), or Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies Library <http://www.lib.iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp/***** for the entire semester. Syllabus, instructions for take home exams, and PDF files of relevant chapters are all available as PDF files at UTOL. *Please do not circulate the PDF files outside of ITASIA 101. They should be used only for individual study purposes.
Notes on Taking the Course
TBA