INTR9018A The East Asian Economy

Approval is required for enrolment in this topic. Students should apply via email.

The topic introduces students to a range of contemporary theoretical and historical approaches to the rise of the East Asian economy and its impact on the global economy over the last 50 years. After some reference to 19th century developments, the topic focuses on the post-war re-emergence of Japan as a global economic power and then moves to current debates about the prospects for a China-centred 'Asian Century.' This topic is focused on economic change within major East Asian economies (China, Japan and Korea) and the place of East Asia and East Asian states in the global economy.

This topic aims to:

• Provide an introduction to East Asian political economy
• Examine specific regional cases: China, Japan, Korea
• Explore the historical and future likely development of these economies
• Explain how these cases relate to wider theoretical and empirical debates in the subject of International Political Economy

1. Critically assess the way the East Asian Economy has developed over the last five decades
2. Analyse the key factors, including historical, behind Japan, South Korea and China’s rapid economic growth
3. Critically assess the structures and processes of the International Political Economy
4. Evaluate the place of East Asia in the global economy
5. Effectively use a variety of statistical sources and scholarly writings on the subject
6. Produce written work in accordance with good scholarly practice