East Asian Governments and Politics PSC 335
Dr. Tan, Forrest Qingshan
Spring 2016
Office: RT 1749
Phone: 9282
Office Hours:
11:30-12:30 pm, Tue. Thur.
Or by Appointment
MC 306B
This course aims to introduce to students contemporary East Asian politics and
governments. The course examines political systems, institutions, government operations
with a brief cultural and historical introduction. It studies different aspects of political,
social, and economic life of East Asia and their impact on modern politics in East Asia.
Although this course is not to focus on particular political models that can explain
modern political development in East Asia, it does intend to provide students with
historical, social, and economic contexts in which modern political systems have evolved.
It is intended enhance students’ understanding of East Asian politics and political
practices. Specifically, this class will discuss and compare Japanese and Chinese political
concepts and developments and how they affect and influence political institutions, policy
decision making processes, and foreign relations in East Asia.
Students will read assignments and listen to lectures discussing basic themes underlying
Chinese and Japanese traditional political culture, political institutions, government
structures and functions, decision making processes, government-business relations, and
political reforms. Students are encouraged to engage in their own critical thinking and are
expected to be actively involved in class discussions. In addition, students need to come
to class fully prepared with reading assignments.
Requirements
Students are required to be actively involved in class discussion and presentation. Apart
from reading assignments and class attendance, each student is asked to make a class
presentation based on the term paper. There will be midterm and final exams. In addition
there will be a seminar paper. Paper topics can be selected by students, but they have to
be related to East Asian political developments. Students may select topics based on the
issues and themes of the lectures and textbooks.
WAC Requirements: This course fulfills the writing-across-curriculum requirements.
Students are required to write a paper of 3000 words (10 pages, double-spaced, in 12point font, with 1” margins). Students are encouraged to discuss paper topic and writing
strategies in class and I will give feedback to assist students in preparing drafts of papers.
Students will learn arguments, evidence, style, audience, citation, and library research. In
order to receive a C or better in the course, students must write at a satisfactory skill level
(C or better). If the student’s writing is weak, but shows understanding of the course
material, the student may be assigned a D, in which case WAC credit will not be received
for the course. Maximum enrollment for this course is 35 or 45 with a graduate assistant.
The assigned writing is in English unless the course is specifically geared to improving
writing at the 300-level in another language. The term paper is due on last day of class.
The following formula will be used to determine the final grade:
*Class participation:
Mid-term:
Final exam
Term paper
15 percent
25 percent
30 percent
30 percent
* This is defined as class attendance, discussion, and presentation.
There will be two textbooks that constitute the basic readings for this course. Other
reading materials will be given as the course goes on; some will be put on reserve. The
following textbooks will be available for purchase at the campus bookstore:
Tony Saich, Governance and Politics of China, 3rd Edition (Palgrave, 2011).
Louis D. Hayes, Introduction to Japanese Politics, 5th Edition (M.E. Sharpe,
2009).
Course outline and readings:
Week One: Introduction: A Geographic China
Readings: Saich, Chapter 1, and 2.
Cultural and Historical Overview
The Imperial System
Confucianism
Readings: Wang: Chapter 1 on reserve, lecture
Week Two: The Making of A New Republic and the Communist Party
The Opium War and the decline of China
The Chinese Nationalist Movement
The Rise of Communism
Readings: Wang: Chapter 2 on reserve.
Week Three: Mao’s China, Economic Reform and the Open Door Policy
The Land Reform,
The Great Leap Forward
The Cultural Revolution
Readings: Saich: Chapter 3
Decommunization
1978 economic reform
The Rise of China
Chinese integration into the world
Readings: Saich, Chapter 4, 11.
Week Four: The Chinese Communist Party and Government
Party Organization
The role of the CCP
Readings: Saich: Chapter 5
The Central Governing apparatus
The local government
Readings: Saich: Chapter 6, 7.
Week Five: State and Society
Political participation
State and society relations
Social policy
Readings: Saich: Chapter 8, 9, 11.
Week Six: Chinese nationalism and Foreign policy
Media and Internet
Foreign policy
Responsible power
Readings: Saich, Chapter 12,
Week Seven: Rise of China and Implications
Background of China Rise
Fragile power and domestic issues
Readings: China Rising in Historical Perspective, Part I, and II, By Dr. G. Wright Doyle,
http://www.globalchinacenter.org/analysis/chinese-history-culture/china-rising-inhistorical-perspective-part-i.php
Charles Glaser, Will China's Rise Lead to War? Why Realism Does Not Mean Pessimism,
Foreign Affairs, March/April 2011.
Amitai Etzioni, The End of China's Rise, The National Interest, July 25, 2012,
http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-end-chinas-rise-7220?page=show
Robert Fogel, Why China’s Economy Will Grow to $123 trillion by 2040, Foreign Policy,
January 2010.
Week Eight: China’s Foreign relations
Japan
The Taiwan issue
The United States
Mid-term exam
Week Nine: Spring Recess
Week Ten: Japan: An Introduction
The Meiji Restoration
Modernization
The Failure of Militarism
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 1, 2.
Week Eleven: Political System and Party Politics
The Structure of government
Political Parties
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 3, 4, 5.
Week Twelve: Political Corruption and the Politics of Electoral Reform
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 6, 7.
Week Thirteen: Japanese Social and Economic Development
The Social Order
Economic miracle and debacle
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 8, 9.
Week Fourteen: The Public Sectors
Education system
The Criminal Justice System
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 10, 11.
Week Fifteen : Japanese Foreign Policy
Peace Constitution
Defense Policy
Foreign Relations
Readings: Hayes, Chapter 12, and 13.
Class conclusion
Class Review
Paper presentation.