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

Key Chapter Title List

1. Introduction
2. Introduction to International Relations Theory: 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 Experiment in Idealism: The Washington System
7. The Overexpansion of the Japanese Empire
8. Cold War Blocs: The 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. The 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 examine the universality of mainstream international relations theories, which are rooted in the historical experience of European diplomacy and derive general patterns of state behavior from it, such as the balance of power, alliance politics, power transition conflict, 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, investigating their explanatory power and limitations.

To achieve this goal, the course content unfolds according to 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 club of great powers through internal reforms, while China experienced decline and fragmentation. Twentieth-century topics cover the idealistic experiment of the interwar Washington System, the expansion and failure of the Japanese Empire, the U.S.-led alliance construction during the Cold War (e.g., 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 East Asian economic miracle. 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 dissects 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 (often based on 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. Examples include 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 in 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* by Xinru Ma and Kang Canxiong, *Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power and Purpose* by Kenneth Pyle, and numerous specialized papers selected from top-tier journals such as *International Security*, *Foreign Affairs*, and *The Washington Quarterly*. These materials collectively form the intellectual foundation 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 East Asia, which lacks strong regional institutions similar to NATO or the EU, is marked by territorial and legitimacy disputes, where historical memory profoundly influences current interactions, and is undergoing U.S.-China strategic competition and power transition, are theoretical predictions based on European experience—especially the pessimistic discourse of Realism regarding the likelihood of conflict—inevitably 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.