SOUTHEAST ASIA STUDIES

I-Tentative Syllabus

#1: HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Week 1: Course Introduction

-Naming main countries in Southeast Asia
-Naming the capital cities
-An overview of Southeast Asia
Reading:
Chapter 1: Getting acquainted with Southeast Asia (Douglas)

Week 2: History
-The habitat: water, hills and plains
-The rise of kingdoms
-Contemporary Southeast Asia and its nation-states
Reading:
Chapter 1: What is Southeast Asia (James)
Chapter 3: Historical geography (Douglas)

Week 3: History (cont.)

-European colonization in Southeast Asia
-Influences of kingdoms, culture, religion, and colonization on Southeast Asia today
Reading:
Chapter 1: What is Southeast Asia (James)
Chapter 3: Historical geography (Douglas)

Week 4: History (cont.)

-Major influences of World War II, Japanese colonization, and British colonization
-The rising of communism: Indochina
-Democratic movement: The Philippines, Thailand, and Myanmar
Reading:
Chapter 4: From colonies to countries (Douglas)

Week 5: History (cont.)

-Southeast Asia and the world
-Elites and national economies
Reading:
Chapter 1: What is Southeast Asia (James)
(*)Review Quiz #1
#2 CULTURE AND POLITICS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Week 6: Culture
-Cultural elements: demographics, language, religion
-Civilization: rice-growing, mandalas (India), China’s sway
Reading:
Chapter 5: People and cultures (Douglas)
Chapter 2: Kingdoms (James)

Week 7: Politics
-Forms of governments: dictatorship, monarchy, democracy, communism
-The positive impacts of colonialism
-The Cold War and authoritarianism
Reading:
Chapter 6: Political Geography (Douglas)
Chapter 4: Nations (James)

Week 8: Politics (cont.)

-A survey in each country
Reading:
Chapter 6: Political Geography (Douglas)

Week 9: ASEAN formation

-Formation and expansion of states in ASEAN
Reading:
Chapter 1: Beginnings and Expansions (Rodolfo)

Week 10: ASEAN formation (cont.)

-Impacts of ASEAN on maintaining regional security
Reading:
Chapter 2: ASEAN and regional security (Rodolfo)

Week 11: ASEAN formation (cont.)

-ASEAN and external relations
Reading:
Chapter 5: Relations with the rest of the world (Rodolfo)
(*) Review Quiz 2
#3 DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Week 12: Economic integration
Reading:
Chapter 7: Economic geography (Douglas)

Week 13: Southeast Asia today

-Sleeping mandalas
-India and China
-Lesson of the West
Reading:
Chapter 5: The past is in the present (James)

Week 14: Future perspectives

Reading
Chapter 8: Southeast Asia Looks Ahead (Douglas)

Week 15: Wrap up

Home-based examination: Questions and Instructions

II-Main readings:
1. Phillips, Douglas A. (2006). Southeast Asia. The United States: Infobase Publishing
2. Rush, James. R. (2018). Southeast Asia: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
3. Severino, Rodolfo C. (2008). ASEAN. ISEAS Publishing.

III-Assessment
Attendance: 25%
Review Quiz: 25%
Home-based examination: 50%