It is clear that the East Asian region will rise as a preeminent
region of productive and market power in the 21st century. The last
100 years of American relations with Asia--and of Asians' relations
among themselves--have been characterized by imperialism, war,
and ideological difference. Focusing on the nineteenth and twentieth-
century experiences of China, Japan, and Korea, the class will
unscramble these issues and provide insights into the early twenty-
first century vitality of East Asia's social, economic, and
political contributions to the emerging transnational world of the
future. We will also take a special look at the variety of post-
World War II artistic and popular-culture products of East Asia that
have so captured world attention. We will use primary texts, focused
historical readings, films, and lectures to build our knowledge of
East Asia.
Evaluation of students will be based on participation in discussion
sections and on quizzes, a final exam, and two essay assignments.