ASIA 2024 - Asian Giants: Japan, China & India

After four centuries, Asia is re-emerging as the world's economic powerhouse and this will enable Asian states to acquire other kinds of power - both 'hard' and 'soft'. The result will be greatly enhanced capacity for the Asian Giants to influence regional and global issues.

Today we can see China's rapid rise, India's emerging role as a continental power and Japan's post-war standing as Asia's economic titan but never in history have all three been so strong at the same time. Hence, the unfolding of these nations' power and global reach particularly how they relate to each other bilaterally and as a triangle, needs to be studied carefully. Without any formed understanding, it is not possible to assess the profound significance this developing situation implies, not just for the region but for the entire world. This simultaneous rise creates a new centre of power - one perhaps qualitatively different from that of Europe or North America.

This course will use international relations perspectives to examine the rise of these nations and the implications of resultant changes. It will explore their inter-state and triangular relations in areas such as defence and security, energy, environment, economic aid, regional and international organisations.

The course will be offered at the upper level for students who are majoring in Asian Studies, Asian politics and foreign policy and international studies and politics. Asian Giants will enable students to gain a sound understanding of the importance of the rise of Japan, China and India. The students will also develop tools which are useful, not only for academic analysis, but also in future employment and in further studies.