Understanding China and its historic relationship to its neighbors as well as its current role in the Pacific is critical to understanding the world. This course will explore China and Japan’s participation in the various international systems that organized their relations with each other and the world from before the 1800s to the present by exploring systems and forces that organize international relations. Primary focus will be on the relationship of China, Japan, and then also the United States once it becomes a force in the region. Topics covered can include state ideology and bureaucracy, imperialism, modernization, what constitutes a superpower, and relations between China, Japan, and the US today. No prior knowledge of Asian history is required. Students cannot receive credit for both HI 2344 and HI 2343.
This course will be offered in academic years, ending in odd numbers.