Political Science

This course discusses the following topics: political sociology, current research, the source and rise of the nation state as we know it, the classifications and mechanisms of social movements and how they change, the relationship between the State and civil society, the source of the welfare state and how it arose, who the elite and rulers are and how are they recognized, the exclusionary/discriminatory forces in a democratic society, and globalization.

Globally, regional governance at both the transnational and national levels demonstrates that new forms of governance are being explored to meet the needs of states in various regional groupings. NAFTA and the EU represent regional governance that transects politics, economics and security. In contrast, initiatives such as the Kita-Kyushu Initiative are demonstrative on non-state regional governance to meet local needs. This course discusses regional governance from a comparative and multi-tiered perspective by investigating regional governance at the transnational state level and non-state level. Empirical cases studies related to economic, political, traditional, and non-traditional security will be employed to develop students' understanding of regional governance, especially within an East Asian context.

East Asia is the most economically dynamic, strategically significant, and politically significant region on the planet. In addition, the budding regionalism, along with the rise of China, ensures that the region will be a more crucial influence on international relations. The main aim of this course is to explore whether East Asia is heading towards greater peaceful and cooperative region, or of a war- and conflict-oriented region. This is to be carried out: 1) by delving into the theorization of regionalism in world politics; 2) by examining the weights of history of East Asia; 3) by exploring the distinctive character and evolution of the regionalism of East Asia, and 4) by investigating the prospects for the development of a more unified East Asia region in the context of the unique historical circumstances under that China is experiencing its remarkable rise over the last few decades.

This course examines the key conceptual, theoretical and and political debates relevant to humanitarianism as a field of study and practice; the historical evolution of the legal frameworks and organizations that shape contemporary humanitarian practice; and various theoretical and analytical approaches to important humanitarian issues in global politics.