City University of Hong Kong

Course Syllabus

offered Department of Asian and International Studies

with effect from Semester A 2017 /18

Part I Course Overview

Course Title: The State and Development in Northeast Asia

Course Code: AIS 4140

Course Duration: One semester

Credit Units: 3

Level: B4
Arts and Humanities
Study of Societies, Social and Business Organisations
Proposed Area:
(for GE courses only) Science and Technology

Medium of
Instruction: English

Medium of
Assessment: English

Prerequisites:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Precursors:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Equivalent Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Exclusive Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Course Syllabus
Jun 2017 1
Part II Course Details

1. Abstract

The course explores the role of the state in political and economic development in China, Japan,
and North and South Korea, with reference to both theoretical and empirical issues. A range of
domestic social, political, institutional and economic topics will be considered in the regional and
global context.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

(CILOs state what the student is expected to be able to do at the end of the course according to a given standard of
performance.)

No. CILOs# Weighting* Discovery-enriched

(if curriculum related
applicable) learning outcomes
(please tick where
appropriate)
A1 A2 A3
1. Show familiarity with the history of each country in 
Northeast Asia
2. Identify critical political, economic and social issues 
affecting the countries of Northeast Asia
3. Demonstrate mastery of key concepts such as the 
state, democracy, civil society and the developmental
state
4. Evaluate the relevance and limits of these key 
concepts to the Northeast Asian cases.
5. Explore critically media coverage of a contemporary 
issue
* If weighting is assigned to CILOs, they should add up to 100%. 100%
#
Please specify the alignment of CILOs to the Gateway Education Programme Intended Learning outcomes
(PILOs) in Section A of Annex.

A1: Attitude
Develop an attitude of discovery/innovation/creativity, as demonstrated by students possessing a strong
sense of curiosity, asking questions actively, challenging assumptions or engaging in inquiry together
with teachers.
A2: Ability
Develop the ability/skill needed to discover/innovate/create, as demonstrated by students possessing
critical thinking skills to assess ideas, acquiring research skills, synthesizing knowledge across disciplines
or applying academic knowledge to self-life problems.
A3: Accomplishments
Demonstrate accomplishment of discovery/innovation/creativity through producing /constructing
creative works/new artefacts, effective solutions to real-life problems or new processes.

Course Syllabus
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3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)
(TLAs designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs.)

TLA Brief Description CILO No. Hours/week

1 2 3 4 5 (if applicable)
√ √ √ √
CILO 1-4 Lectures: the instructor will
present concepts, theories and
case studies on domestic
politics in Northeast Asia
√ √ √
CILO 2-4 Research: students will use
relevant materials to write
papers as set by the instructor
√ √ √ √
CILO 1-4 Quiz: students will explain
key concepts and issues in an
advanced format
√ √ √ √ √
CILO 1-5 Oral presentations: students
will work in groups to lead
class discussions and
structured question and
answer sessions in relation to
media coverage of a
contemporary issue

4. Assessment Tasks/Activities (ATs)

(ATs are designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs.)

Assessment Tasks/Activities CILO No. Weighting* Remarks

1 2 3 4
Continuous Assessment: ____%
√ √ 15%
Attendance and Discussion Students most not
only attend each
class but also raise
questions and
generate discussion
of the topic
√ √ √ √ 20%
Class Presentations and The presentation will
Group Work be conducted in
groups and will
address questions
relating to media
coverage of a topical
issue. This will be
followed by a Q&A
session from the

Course Syllabus
Jun 2017 3
 other students
√ √ √ 40%
Research Paper The research paper
will be between
1500-2000 words on
a list of questions to
be announced at a
later date
√ √ √ √ 25%
Quiz The quiz will feature
a short essay and a
combination of
short-answer and
multiple choice
questions
Examination: ____% (duration: , if applicable)
* The weightings should add up to 100%. 100%

Course Syllabus
Jun 2017 4
5. Assessment Rubrics
(Grading of student achievements is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities with the following rubrics.)

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
1. Attendance Active and informed Excellent Good demonstration Adequate Marginal demonstration Poor demonstration of
and Discussion participation in demonstration of of active and demonstration of of active and informed active and informed
class/class etiquette active and informed informed active and informed participation in participation in
participation in class/ participation in participation in class/excellent class class/excellent class
excellent class class/excellent class class/excellent class etiquette etiquette
etiquette etiquette etiquette
2.Class #Presence and Excellent presence Good presence and Adequate presence Marginal presence and Poor presence and
Presentations and communication (50%) and communication communication and communication communication communication
Group Work #Organisation and Excellent Good organisation Adequate organisation Marginal organisation Poor organisation and
quality of material organisation and and quality of and quality of material and quality of material quality of material
presented (50%) quality of material material
3. Research Paper #Quality of writing Excellent quality of Good quality of Adequate quality of Marginal quality of Poor quality of writing
(grammar, structure and writing writing writing writing
coherence) (25%)

#Application and Excellent application Good application Adequate application Marginal application and Poor application and
demonstrated and demonstrated and demonstrated and demonstrated demonstrated demonstrated
comprehension of comprehension of comprehension of comprehension of comprehension of comprehension of
theories and approaches theories and theories and theories and theories and approaches theories and approaches
covered in the course approaches covered approaches covered approaches covered in covered in the course covered in the course
(15%) in the course in the course the course

Excellent
#Demonstration of demonstration of Good demonstration Adequate Marginal demonstration Poor demonstration of
research and prudent use research and prudent of research and demonstration of of research and prudent research and prudent use
of research materials in use of research prudent use of research and prudent use of research materials of research materials
relation to argument materials research materials use of research
(25%) materials
Excellent and
#Quality and originality original argument Good and original Adequate articulation Marginal demonstration Poor deployment of or
of argument (35%) argument of argument of argument non-existent argument

4. Quiz Quality and Excellent Good Adequate Marginal Poor demonstration of

demonstration of demonstration of demonstration of demonstration of demonstration of knowledge gained
knowledge gained knowledge gained knowledge gained knowledge gained knowledge gained from readings and
from readings and from readings and from readings and from readings and from readings and lecture notes.
Course Syllabus
Jun 2017 5
 lecture notes. lecture notes. lecture notes. lecture notes. lecture notes.

Course Syllabus
Jun 2017 6
Part III Other Information (more details can be provided separately in the teaching plan)

1. Keyword Syllabus
(An indication of the key topics of the course.)
State, development, comparative politics, civil society, elections, democracy, authoritarianism,
democratisation, political culture, political parties, religion, student activism, corruption, nationalism,
civil-military relations, women and politics, leadership, modernisation theory.

2. Reading List
2.1 Compulsory Readings
(Compulsory readings can include books, book chapters, or journal/magazine articles. There are also collections of
e-books, e-journals available from the CityU Library.)

2.2 Additional Readings

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)

1. Gittings, John, 2005. The Changing Face of China: From Mao to Market, New York: Oxford
University Press.

2. Gries, Peter H., 2004. China’s New Nationalism: Pride, Politics and Diplomacy, Berkeley:
University of California Press..

3. Kim, Kyong-ju, 2006. The Development of Modern South Korea: State Formation, Capitalist
Development and National Identity, London; New York: Routledge.

4. Kingston, Jeff, 2004. Japan’s Quiet Transformation: Social Change and Civil Society in the
Twenty-first Century, London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon
5. Li Nan ed., 2006. Chinese Civil-Military Relations: The Transformation of the People’s
Liberation Army, London and New York: Routledge.

6. Oh, Kongdan and Ralph C. Hassig, 2000. North Korea through the Looking Glass,
Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

7. Rosenbluth, Frances McCall and Michael F. Thies, 2010. Japan Transformed: Political
Change and Economic Restructuring, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

8. Shin, Gi-wook, 2006. Ethnic Nationalism in Korea: Genealogy, Politics, and Legacy, Stanford,
Calif.: Stanford University Press.

Course Syllabus
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Jun 2017
Online Resources

http://www.state.gov
http://www.adb.org
http://www.un.org
http://www.mfa.gov.cn/
http://www.mofa.go.jp
http://www.mofat.go.kr
http://www.cfr.org

Course Syllabus
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Jun 2017