INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

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 China and its interactions with other major actors in the region such as the US, Japan, the Korean peninsula, India and the ASEAN area. 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 the role of the People's Republic of China as a key actor in the region. 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 both the history modules integrated in the students' individual area of specialization

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 - China's new centrality: asymmetries and resistances in the Asia-Pacific

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.
- Diodato, Emidio e Dian, Matteo (a cura di) (2024) Geopolitica dell'Asia orientale: sicurezza, economia, ideologia. Il Mulino

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.

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

In-Class multiple-choice written test based on the course's contents and the attached reading list.

written

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

18-20: Sufficient knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the 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 Asian regional context.
23-24: Good knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Asian regional context.
25-26: Excellent knowledge of the key concepts and historical facts of contemporary international relations and their implications in the Asian regional context.

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.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "International cooperation" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development