POLGA 2774
ECGA 2620
Spring 2015
Prof. David B.H. Denoon
Office Hours: Rm 324, 19 W. 4 th
WED. 4:30 - 6:00 PM
PHONE: 212-998-8505
St.
E-mail: David.Denoon@nyu.edu
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE PACIFIC BASIN
This is a graduate seminar designed to provide students an opportunity to survey political, economic and military trends in one of the world’s most critical regions. For our discussion, the region will be defined as all nations whose borders touch on the Pacific, but the reading will concentrate on Asia. Students in both politics and economics should be able to explore the interrelationship between theory and policy choices in several areas of current controversy.
The course has three basic objectives:
1) to identify the major trends shaping economic developments in the
Pacific Basin;
2) to suggest ways to integrate and explain the political, economic and military factors which have shaped the region's turbulent cycles in the past two decades;
3) to have students do an in-depth research paper on some aspect of the region or the region’s relationships to another part of the world.
There is a substantial amount of reading necessary, and much of it is in recent articles.
The reading must be done before you come to class.
Requirements
A)
B)
Reading:
Papers:
Assignments are on the attached list.
There will be one research paper required of approximately
20-25 pages, depending upon the research methodology and availability of the sources. Presentations of the papers will take place on April 29 and May 06. The Major Paper is due May 06 .
C)
D)
E)
Exam:
Class
Discussion:
Grading:
There will be a Mid-Term Exam
All students will be expected to participate fully in class discussions.
Class discussion and presentations 20%, mid-term
exam 30%, major paper 50%.
on March 11 .

2
The Political Economy of the Pacific Basin
POLGA 2774
ECGA 2620
1. Pacific Basin Concepts:
Jan. 28
J. Kurth
D. Denoon
“Pacific Basin vs. the Atlantic Alliance,”
The Annals, Vol. 505, Sept. 1989, pp. 34 - 45
Real Reciprocity - Balancing U.S. Economic and
Security Policy in the Pacific Basin , Chapts. 1,5
Economic Scene :
2. Economic Performance:
Feb. 04
World Bank The East Asian Miracle Chapts. 1, 3
K. Jackson, ed. Asian Contagion, Chapt. 7
D. Acemoglu & “Economics vs. Politics…” Journal of Economic
J. Robinson Perspectives, 27, 1, Spring 2013, 173-192
3. Macro Issues:
Feb. 11
I.M.F. World Economic Outlook, October 2014 http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2014/02/
C. Horioka
“The Causes of Japan’s Lost Decade,” Stern Working
Paper Series, No. N-002, November 2006
D. Denoon The Economic and Strategic Rise of China and India,
Chapts. 1,2

3
4. Regionalism:
Feb. 18
H. Yashimoto
H. Nesadurai &
J. Djiwandono
C. Dent
The Political Economy of Regionalism in E. Asia
Chapts. 1,2
SE Asia in the Global Economy Chapts, 1,2
“Paths Ahead for East Asia and Asia-Pacific Regionalism,”
Intl. Affairs, 89:4, 2013, 963-985
R. Baldwin “Managing the Noodle Bowl: The Fragility of
E. Asian Regionalism,” ADB, Feb. 2007, 1-31
5.
China’s Impact:
Feb. 25
D. Denoon
“Evolution of the Chinese Financial System,”
China-US Focus, Jan. 2012
T. Hanemann
“China’s Foreign Direct Investment,” Presentation to
2 nd NYU Conf. on Chinese Capital Markets, 12/7/12
IMF
“Staff Report on the Status of the Chinese Economy,” 7/14
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2014/cr14235.pdf
China St. Council Defense White Paper, April 2013 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013- 04/16/c_132312681.htm
The Strategic Setting :
6. Long-Term Issues:
Mar. 04
R. Ross
“The Geography of Peace,” International Security,
Spring 1999, 81-118
T. Christensen
“Fostering Stability or Creating a Monster?” International
Security, Summer 2006, 81-126
R. Kaplan “The Geography of Chinese Power,” Foreign Affairs,
May/June 2011, 22-41
K. Cukier & “The Rise of Big Data,” Foreign Affairs, May / June 2013
V. Mayer-S.

4
8.
7. Mid-Term Exam:
March 11
Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia :
Japan:
March 25
L. Hughes
“Why Japan Will Not Go Nuclear (Yet),” International
Security, Spring 2007, 67-96
Econ. Intell. Unit
“Japan: Country Report,” Dec. 2014
K. Togo
“Abe’s Foreign and Security Policy Agenda,” PacNet #91,
Dec. 2014
S. Smith “Abe’s Stronger Mandate,” Council on Foreign Relations
Interview, Dec. 2014
9. The Korean Peninsula:
April 01
E. Chanlett-A. & “North Korea” Congressional Research Service R 41259
I. Rinehart Dec. 2014
J.A. Lewis “Sony and North Korea: Making the Case,” CSIS,
Washington DC, Dec. 2014
P.R. Chari &
V. Raghavan
Comparative Security Dynamics in Northeast and
Southeast Asia, Chapt. 5, 147-174
10. Southeast Asia:
April 08
Ian Storey SE Asia and the Rise of China, Chapts, 3,4,9
Econ. Intell. Unit
“Vietnam: Country Report,” Dec. 2014
V. Shekhar
& J. Liow
“Indonesia As A Maritime Power,” Brookings Article, Nov. 2014
Econ. Intell. Unit “Indonesia: Country Report,” Dec. 2014

5
Region-Wide Topics :
11. Current Issues:
April 15
D. Denoon
& S. Brams
“Fair Division: A New Approach to the Spratly Islands
Controversy,” International Negotiation, 1997, 2: 303-329
M. Malik “China and India Today,” World Affairs, July/August 2012
A.
Friedberg A Contest for Supremacy, 1-35
J. Bader et.al.
“Keeping the South China Sea in Perspective,”
Brookings Foreign Policy Brief, Aug. 2014
Z. Chen “China Update & Overseas Investment Trends,” ms.
Dec. 7, 2012, 2 nd
NYU Conf. on Chinese Capital Markets
12. Future Security Issues:
April 22
J. Mirsky
“Tibet: China’s Gaza,” Asian Affairs, Vol. XL,
No. 3, November 2009
A.
Pannell
“China Gazes West: Xinjiang’s Growing Rendezvous
With Central Asia,” Eurasian Geography & Economics,
Vol. 52, No. 1, 2011, 105-118
K. Katzman et.al.
“The ‘Islamic State’ Crisis and U.S. Policy,”
Congressional Research Service R43612, Dec. 2014
D. Byman & “Why Drones Work,” “Why Drones Fail”
A. Cronin Foreign Affairs, 92, 4, July / August 2013, 32-54
13, 14 Presentations of Student Papers:
Apr 29 May 06