University of Virginia: Theory and Practice of International Relations in East Asia

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. Introduction
2. Introduction to International Relations Theories: Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism
3. Pre-Colonial Era: The China-Centric Hierarchical World Order
4. Organized Hypocrisy: The Encounter Between East Asia and the West in the 19th Century
5. Darwinian Competition: Japan's Entry into the "Great Powers" and China's Fragmentation
6. An Idealist Experiment: The Washington System
7. The Overexpansion of the Japanese Empire
8. Cold War Camps: U.S. Occupation of Japan and the Korean War
9. Conflict and Alliances in East Asia During the Cold War
10. The Nixon Shock and China's Realignment in the 1970s
11. Economic Cooperation and the Rise of the "Asian Economic Miracle"
12. Challenges to U.S.-Asia Economic Cooperation in the Post-Cold War Era
13. Democratic Peace in Asia
14. Contemporary Challenge: Nuclear-Armed North Korea
15. Contemporary Challenge: China's Military Expansion in Its Region
16. Contemporary Challenge: China's Economic Gravity in Its Region
17. Contemporary Challenge: Japan and South Korea

Document Introduction

This course syllabus aims to provide a professional and systematic analytical framework for the theory and practice of international relations in East Asia. The core proposition of the course is to question and test the universality of mainstream international relations theories, which are rooted in the experience of European diplomatic history and deduce universal patterns of state behavior from it, such as the balance of power, alliance politics, power transition conflicts, and the fragility of international cooperation. The course plans to place this series of theoretical presuppositions within the unique historical context and contemporary geopolitical realities of East Asia to examine their explanatory power and limitations.

To achieve this goal, the course content follows a strict structure that combines history and theory. From a historical dimension, the course begins with the pre-colonial Chinese tributary system, analyzing its hierarchical order logic, which is fundamentally different from the European Westphalian system. Subsequently, the course traces how the impact of Western power in the 19th century dismantled the traditional order, how Japan successfully integrated into (and ultimately challenged) the Western-dominated "Great Powers" club through internal reforms, while China experienced decline and fragmentation. Twentieth-century topics cover the interwar idealist experiment of the "Washington System," the expansion and failure of the Japanese Empire, the U.S.-led alliance construction during the Cold War (such as the U.S.-Japan alliance, the Korean War), the strategic shift in Sino-U.S. relations from confrontation to détente (Nixon's visit to China), and the institutional and cooperative dynamics behind the post-war "economic miracle" in East Asia. The contemporary section focuses on a series of pressing security and economic challenges.

From a theoretical dimension, the course systematically introduces the four major schools of thought in the field of international relations: realism, which emphasizes power and the security dilemma; liberalism, which focuses on institutions and interdependence; constructivism, which emphasizes ideas and identity; and an analytical perspective that examines how domestic politics shapes foreign policy. The course readings are color-coded to clearly indicate their theoretical orientation. Students are required not only to read classic texts from each school (typically with non-Asian cases) but also to study academic works that apply these theoretical tools to analyze specific historical events and contemporary issues in East Asia, such as using the concept of "organized hypocrisy" to analyze 19th-century East Asian international norms, interpreting Japan's strategic transformation from a domestic politics perspective, or applying alliance theory to analyze U.S.-Japan and U.S.-South Korea relations.

The analysis of this course is based on a series of core academic resources, including "Beyond Power Transition: Lessons from East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations" co-authored by Ma Xinru and Kang Canxiong, Kenneth Pyle's "Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power and Purpose," and numerous specialized papers selected from top journals such as "International Security," "Foreign Affairs," and "The Washington Quarterly." These materials collectively form the knowledge base for a multi-level, multi-theoretical analysis of international relations in the East Asian region.

Ultimately, this course is not only a systematic review of the history of international relations in East Asia but also a rigorous exercise in theoretical testing and policy evaluation. It guides participants to deeply consider: in an East Asia lacking strong regional institutions similar to NATO or the EU, fraught with territorial and legitimacy disputes, where historical memory profoundly influences current interactions, and which is undergoing Sino-U.S. strategic competition and power transition, are the theoretical predictions based on European experience—especially the pessimistic discourse of realism regarding the possibility of conflict—necessarily destined to become reality? Through in-depth analysis of historical cases and a focus on contemporary challenges (such as the North Korean nuclear issue, the Taiwan issue, economic coercion, Japan-South Korea relations), the course provides crucial analytical tools and historical perspectives for understanding the region's prospects for strategic stability, alliance dynamics, and patterns of great power competition.