Semester 2, 2015 Pacific and Asian History ASIA 2006 Gender in Korean History Hyaeweol Choi
This course is an introduction to the history and culture of women in Korea. The major focus of the course is on the various cultural, religious, political and economic factors that have served to define womanhood and change the role and status of women. Students will examine a variety of texts and visual materials to consider how Confucian gender ideologies, colonial experiences (1910-‐1945) and post-‐
colonial transformations have affected women and how women themselves have struggled to gain basic human rights and opportunities equal to those of men ASIA2036 Mongol Empire in World History Li Narangoa In the 13th century, Mongol armies created one of the largest empires in world history, stretching at its height from the Sea of Japan to the Mediterranean, from the South China Sea to the Baltic. Although short-‐lived, this empire had a profound influence on world history, creating unprecedented cultural and economic links between East and West and transforming political structures in China, the Middle East and Europe. This course examines the Mongol empire, its rapid rise and sudden decline, comparatively in the global context of empire-‐
building and the management of complex imperial structures. It assesses the long-‐
term impacts of the Mongol eruption on politics, religion and popular culture. ASIA2037 History of Modern China Thomas DuBois This module introduces the history of China from 1800 to the present day. At its height, the Chinese Qing empire was among the most powerful polities in existence. Yet by the end of the century, much of China was a virtual colony, and by the 1930s, the country appeared on the verge of annihilation. After 1949, the People’s Republic of China embarked upon a vast socialist experiment, yet has now emerged as one of the great capitalist powers. What drove these vast changes, and how does China’s historical experience help us to understand the challenges facing the country today? PASI 2002/6002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries Vicki Luker
Ever wondered: advance Australia WHERE??? Ever pondered Australia’s connections with the Island Pacific? If so, join us for Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries, PASI 2002/6002. Learn about Australia’s shared history with Oceania and the evolution of the Pacific community. Participation is open to students in person or online. Together we’ll explore the yesterdays, todays and tomorrows of a Pacific in which we’ll see Australia as another – albeit big – island. Your teachers are Chris Ballard, Paul Da’Arcy and Vicki Luker. Contact [email protected] PASI 2006/6006 War in the Islands: the Second World War in the Pacific Vicki Luker
World War II was fiercely fought in the Islands of the Pacific, where its legacies are felt and often unresolved today. Join us for a unique approach to World War II. We explore this huge conflict in the Island region from Allied, Japanese and Islander perspectives. We use a range of materials, including texts, images, film and objects. Do you have a special interest? Then you are encouraged to pursue. And skills in Pisin, Japanese and French are welcome! Your teachers are Chris Ballard, Paul D’Arcy, Vicki Luker and Keiko Tamura. Contact [email protected] ASIA2307 Empire in Asia Thomas DuBois Empire was not only a European phenomenon. It existed long before the rise of Western imperialism, and its effects continue to shape our “postcolonial” world. This year’s course examines the historical rise, operations and fall of three empires: Japanese Manchuria, the British Raj, and French Algeria. This year’s course will be taught in conjunction with professors and students at the National University of Singapore. Lectures will be shared online between the two campuses, and students will have the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas. ASIA 3814 Politics of the Korean Peninsula Hyung-‐A Kim
This course examines the contemporary politics of the Korean peninsula, the vortex in East Asia where the big powers of the US, China, Russia and Japan converge. It will focus on the post World War II development of Korean politics from a historical and comparative perspective. North Korea is treated mainly in regard to security and inter-‐Korean relations. The course aims to expand the understanding of the origin and nature of the rivalry between the two Korean states. It pays special attention to the theoretical issues concerning the Korean model of developmental state within the context of East Asian development.