Undergraduate Course: The Far East in World Politics Since 1894 (HIST10038)
Course Outline
| School |
School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College |
College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits |
20 |
| Home subject area |
History |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
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| Course description |
The course commences by setting the scene in terms of the opening up of China and Japan to the trade and political and cultural influences of the nations of the West in the nineteenth century and the very differing degrees of success in response to this of the two nations (with some reference also to Korea). Two of the major wars of the two decades before 1914 were in east Asia, the Sino-Japanese in 1894-1895 and the Russo-Japanese in 1904-1905. These placed east Asia at the centre of world politics for a time. However, it did not last; only some lesser origins of the First World War were Far Eastern. The Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the enhanced importance of Japan from simply emerging unscathed from the war led to a major effort by the also rising United States in the 1920s to reassert he Anglo-American concept of international order in the region, including a conciliatory response to China's demands for international equality of status. Japan at first responded positively and then, with economic problems as both a reason and a catalyst, completely rejected that order. That raised the questions of whether the Second World War really began with the Japanese aggression against China in Manchuria in 1931, the willingness of China, despite inferior resources, to resist Japan, the latter's relationship with the German Third Reich, the reasons why the 1939 war in Europe extended to the Far East with the Pearl Harbor attack, and the war aims of Japan and the Western Powers in east Asia between 1941 and 1945. |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites |
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| Prohibited Combinations |
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Other requirements |
A pass or passes in 40 credits of first level historical courses or equivalent and a pass or passes in 40 credits of second level historical courses or equivalent.
Before enrolling students on this course, Directors are asked to contact the History Honours Admission Secretary to ensure that a place is available (Tel: 503783).
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| Additional Costs |
None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites |
Visiting students should usually have at least 3 History courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| Prospectus website |
http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/visiting-exchange/courses |
Course Delivery Information
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
The course aims to develop students' historical skills and expand their knowledge of an area that is likely to increase in importance, despite recent economic misfortunes. Many of the benefits will arise from the study (inevitably not all-encompassing and not in great depth) of change over a period of about one hundred years. It will draw contrasts between two periods of roughly equal length. In the first (1894-1945) the Far East (except for Japan) was the object of the imperialist attentions of western powers and of Japan. Chiefly of interest to them as a source of raw materials and as an outlet for goods and services from more developed countries, it experienced exploitation and warfare. In the second half (since 1945) the course will focus on the Far East as a more autonomous set of agents in the conflicts of the Cold War and the complexities of the post Cold War world.
The core countries will be China and Japan. The course will start by focusing on the Far Eastern ambitions and interests of the Western great powers, including the ambiguities of American policy and of Japan and the responses to them of China in particular. A unifying issue will be the relationship between appearances (or claims) and reality. Was Japanese policy completely selfish or was there any basis to claims of a regional liberating mission? Was there any substance, other than self-interest, behind copious American expressions of goodwill for China? Did the post 1917 Soviet regime have anything new to offer east Asia or only a veiled continuation of tsarist imperialism? These are the sort of questions that will be in mind during our examination of wars and international crises in the area. After 1945 the course somewhat changes in character along the lines indicated above. |
Assessment Information
One essay of about 3000 words (one third of overall assessment); one two hour examination paper (two thirds of overall assessment).
Visiting Student Variant Assessment
One essay of about 3000 words (one third of overall assessment); one take home examination essay (two thirds of overall assessment). |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Enda Delaney
Tel: (0131 6)50 3755
Email: enda.delaney@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Mrs Caroline Cullen
Tel: (0131 6)50 3781
Email: caroline.cullen@ed.ac.uk |
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copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:07 am
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