U.S. Policy toward Northeast Asia

This course examines contemporary issues in U.S. foreign policy towards China, Japan, South and North Korea, Russia and Taiwan. It will look at US interests and objectives in Northeast Asia, the dynamics and drivers of U.S. policy and its historical evolution. The course will focus in more detail on US relations and policy toward Japan, Korea, and China. It will also look at specific dimensions of US foreign policy - security relations, economic and trade relations, human rights, and democracy. The course will look at contemporary issues including the response to the pandemic as well as the policies of the incoming Presidential administration. The class will combine lectures with student led presentations on the issues under discussion. Students will be asked to make presentations on those issues and to lead discussion - after the first opening lectures on US policy, the first class each week will have a lecture on the assigned topic; the Thursday class will be built around student presentations.There will be midterm and final papers.