Politics of Southeast Asia (354-0-20)

Instructors

Jeffrey Winters
Scott, #403

Meeting Info

Locy Hall 111: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

We will explore the modern politics of one of the most important and dynamic regions of the world. The course is designed to be stimulating for political science majors, but also highly accessible for non-majors. No prior knowledge of Southeast Asia is required. Stretching between India and China, the eleven countries of Southeast Asia range from poor to rich, tiny to massive, democratic to authoritarian, and from Buddhist to Muslim to Catholic to atheist. No world region is more diverse. The core theme of the course is centered around struggles for voice and equality. We will grapple with questions like: What does democracy mean under conditions of extreme wealth and poverty? What role does the rule of law play? And why are important democratic gains of the past 25 years eroding? Beyond students interested specifically in Southeast Asia, those doing comparative work on Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia will find this course useful.

Learning Objectives

You will gain a rich understanding of the politics of the region, key historical influences, as well as detailed case studies of several major Southeast Asian countries. We will grapple with large and important themes like struggles for democracy, and the role of powerful actors like oligarchs and elites.

Teaching Method

This is a lecture course with many opportunities for questions and conversation. There are also weekly discussion sections.

Evaluation Method

Course evaluation is based on three components -- participation in sections, a midterm exam, and a final exam.

Class Materials (Required)

Milton Osborne. Southeast Asia, An Introductory History, 14th edition (Allen & Unwin, 2024). ISBN: 978-1761470943.

All other readings will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for Political Science students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites.

Associated Classes

DIS - Lunt Hall 105: Thurs 4:00PM - 4:50PM

DIS - Parkes Hall 212: Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM