INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (JAPAN)

The course will introduce the main IR theories and illustrate relevant aspects of international politics in the Asia-Pacific region. Its focus will be on Japan as a relevant actor at a regional and global level. The course is designed to provide the students within the East Asian economy and law-oriented curriculum with a comprehensive training enabling them to apply specific theoretical and methodological tools and expertise in international working environments.

At the end of the course, students will be familiar with the main theories of IR (such as realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxist theories, etc.) and will be able to apply a critical lens to the analysis of the events shaping today's Asia-Pacific, with a strong focus on Japan. In particular, the students are expected to acquire and deploy specific theoretical and methodological tools in order to avoid simplistic interpretations of the relations between nation-states in Asia and across the continents.

Participants should have passed History of Japan 2.

The courses will be divided into three main parts.
Part I - Introduction to the main theories of IR and to research tools. Discussion of specific real-world cases.
Part II - Global order and regional orders: China and the US in the 21st century.
Part III - Tokyo's foreign policy in the post-war era: Japan and the international and regional arrangements.

Textbooks
- Baylis, John; Smith, Steve & Owens, Patricia (a cura di) (2019). The Globalization of World Politics, 9th Edition, Oxford University Press, Parts 1-3.
- Dian, Matteo (2021). La Cina, gli Stati Uniti e il futuro dell'ordine internazionale. il Mulino.
- Zappa, Marco (2020). Il Giappone nel sistema internazionale: Asia orientale e sudorientale nella politica estera giapponese dal 1945 all'era Abe. Cafoscarina.

Or, alternatively to Dian (2021) and Zappa (2020), if Italian is not your first language:
- Goh, Evelyn (2015). The Struggle for Order: Hegemony, Hierarchy and Transition in Post-Cold War East Asia. Oxford University Press.
- Oros, Andrew (2017). Japan's Security Reinassance. Columbia University Press.

Further readings will be presented during the lectures and made available on Moodle.

The exam will consist of two parts: a short essay to be submitted in advance of the exam date and a written test with multiple-choice questions. The essay will be worth a maximum of 4 points, while the test will be worth up to 26 points. The final grade will be the sum of both scores. If the essay is not submitted, the final grade will be calculated out of a maximum of 26 points.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Attendance at the written exam is mandatory to pass the course, whereas submitting the essay remains optional.

1) Writing a Short Research Essay
Students must write a short research essay (maximum 5000 words) on a topic of their choice from a list of suggested subjects, such as the historical role of Japan in Asia or a theory-based analysis of Tokyo’s recent foreign policy initiatives.

In the essay, students must demonstrate their engagement with the bibliography and conduct a minimal amount of independent research on the chosen topic.

a) Writing Guidelines
The essay must be submitted 10 days ahead of the written exam date via the Moodle platform. Each essay must be individual and structured as follows:

Introduction
Literature review and presentation of the research question
Development
Conclusion
Bibliography
b) Evaluation Criteria
The assessment will be based on the following aspects:
a. Argumentative skills
b. Use of academic sources
c. Clarity and accuracy of expression (in Italian or English)

2) In-Class Written Test
The test will consist of 22 questions, each worth 1 or 1.5 points. The maximum achievable score will be 26 points. The exam will assess the candidates' factual and historical knowledge.

written

1) Written Test
18-20: Sufficient knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Japanese and Asian regional context.
21-22: More than sufficient knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Japanese and Asian regional context.
23-24: Good knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Japanese and Asian regional context.
25-26: Excellent knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Japanese and Asian regional context.
2) Short Research Essay
1-2 points: Demonstrates sufficient understanding of international relations dynamics in the Asian and Japanese context. Satisfactory exposition skills. Limited adherence to structural guidelines for the essay. Reliance on non-academic sources.
3 points: Demonstrates good understanding and satisfactory exposition skills. Good adherence to structural guidelines for the essay. Proper use of academic sources.
4 points: Demonstrates excellent understanding and satisfactory exposition skills. Full adherence to structural guidelines for the essay. Verified use of academic sources.

In situ lectures supported by powerpoint presentations.
Presentations are available on the moodle platform.
Teaching will be held in Italian. In case of attendance by non-Italian speaking students, the course will be held in English.

Italian