STV4234 - East Asian Security
Course description
Course content
This course offers an analytical perspective on the strategic conditions of post-Cold War East Asia. It examines the regional political structure, the strategic characteristics of the region’s great power relationship – U.S.-China relations – and the implications for the conflicts on the Korean peninsula, in the Taiwan Strait, and in the East and South China Seas, and the role of alliance relationships in regional diplomacy. A central theme is China's rise as a great power and how that power might be used in its relations with other states. From these different perspectives, it attempts to understand the sources of state behavior and prospects for regional stability and instability.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
Students will acquire improved understanding and knowledge of:
- key concepts and perspectives in theories of international relations
- Geopolitical developments and global power shift: The emergence of an Asia-centered world and a shift from unipolarity to bipolarity or multipolarity. Regional security dynamics in East Asia, including the U.S., China, Japan and Russia. Particular attention will be given to China’s foreign policy, U.S. foreign policy towards East Asia, Japan’s security policy, and China-Russia relations
- China’s foreign policy and strategic thinking, how international and domestic factors drive Chinese foreign policy behavior, and the interplay between them
- Maritime strategies in East Asia, including the geopolitical friction that arises when the traditional land power China also seeks to become a leading sea power.
Skills
Students will learn to:
- critically assess the significance of security dynamics in East Asia
- be able to use basic concepts and perspectives in international relations theory and conduct independent and critical analyses of foreign policy and security policy behavior
- develop their oral and written presentation skills of analyses that satisfy academic standards.
Competences
Students will:
- improve their knowledge and understanding of some of the major players in international politics
- enhance their competence for professional work in academic institutions, governmental bodies and corporations working with strategy, security studies, and East Asia, and international relations at large.
Admission
Students admitted to other Master programmes may be qualified to apply for the course. Please see the webpage on Admission to single master's courses.
For incoming students: All Master's courses in Political Science must be registered manually by the Department, they will not appear in Studentweb. Contact your international coordinator at UiO.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Bachelor's degree in Political Science or similar.
Teaching
10 lectures will be given. The lectures are held intensively for a period of 5 weeks, with the exam in the sixth week.
The course is part of the regular course offerings at the Faculty of Social Science. Teaching is mainly held during the daytime. Detailed course-information is found on the Webpage for the current semester.
Examination
Written exam of three hours, and a term paper that addresses a research question chosen by the student.
The term paper should be 4000-5000 words including footnotes, excluding references. The number of words must be noted on the title page. The term paper must fall within the thematic scope of the course. The term paper counts 40 per cent of the final grade and written exam counts 60 per cent.
In order to pass the course, your term paper and your written exam must be passed in the same semester as your course is taught. As you will receive one overall grade for the course you must pass both exams in the same semester.
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
- Explanation of grades - deadline and processing time
- Appeal about grades
- Complaint about formal exam errors
Ask for explanation of your grade in this course
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
If you wish to withdraw from the exam you must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.