Course
Syllabus
I. Basic
Information
Name of
Institution: Department of
International Studies (DIS),
Institute of
Foreign Languages (IFL),
Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP)
Course
Instructor: LCS, TSD, and TOD
Academic Date: (Semester I, 2014-2015)
Course Title: Politics and Governments in
Southeast Asia
Course Code: IS204
Credit Units: 3 (17 weeks: 45 hours)
II. Course Description
This course – Politics
and Governments in Southeast Asia – explores contemporary dynamic politics
of the eleven countries in Southeast Asia in a new international era following the
end of the Cold War. Despite heavy load of region’s sensational headlines and
stereotypical images, the current Southeast Asia populated by more than 600
million people has currently been experiencing unprecedented and dynamic
political and socio-economic changes. Neo-paradigm of wealth and poverty;
conflict over rights, identity, social justice, and particularly power;
emergence of new actors advocating against the governments; centrality of ASEAN
in the region and the world at large; and the like are emerging across the
countries in Southeast Asia. Therefore, the interconnectedness between
institutions and social groups, state-society relations and democracy, economy
and development, and foreign relations of those eleven countries transforming
the entire Southeast Asia has become a primary focus of international attention
and thus has been recently subjected to careful scrutiny.
To equip
students with better understanding of the today’s Southeast Asia, the course will
demonstrate historical politics of each particular country since 1930s and
1940s by focusing on the relationship between political institutions and social
groups or non-state actors, state-society relations and democracy, economy and
development, and especially foreign policy of those countries. It also
introduces students to have a cursory look at the escalated South China Sea
dispute, which has become spotlight of international relations in the region,
and other pressing conflicts and issues in the Southeast Asian region.
III. Learning Outcomes
This course is
designed for students to achieve three important learning outcomes as follow:
·
Examine
and explain the evolution of Southeast Asian politics since the end of the
World War II, the relationship between institutions and social groups/non-state
actors, state-society relations and democracy, economy and development, and
foreign relations of Southeast Asian countries, all of which are potential to
shape each country’s political landscape in the post-Cold War era;
·
Analyze
various factors contributory—unwittingly or undoubtedly—to the occurrence of
particular events, ranging from peace and conflict, democracy and
authoritarianism, improved and strained interstate and intrastate relations, to
economic success and failure in the region; and
·
Construct
and identify students’ interest in exposing themselves to various issues in
Southeast Asia, which is of help to prepare them for their future intense and
analytical assessment of the past and ongoing political and socio-economic
development of Southeast Asia.
IV. Textbooks and Supplementary
Readings
‘Southeast Asia
in the New International Era’, 6th edition, by Robert Dayley and
Clark D. Neher (2013) will be used as the core textbook for this course.
Core textbook:
Dayley, R. & Neher, C. D. (2013). Southeast
Asia in the New International Era. U.S.: Westview Press.
Supplementary readings:
Funston, J. (2001). Governments and Politics in Southeast Asia.
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
Knight, N. & Heazle,
M. (2011). Understanding Australia’s
Neighbors: an Introduction to East and Southeast Asia. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Osborne,
M. (2013). Southeast Asia: an
Introductory History. Australia: National Library of Australia.
Sardesai,
D. R. (2013). Southeast Asia: Past and
Present. U.S.: Westview Press.
V. Procedures and
Requirements
Throughout the entire course, students will be
assigned to do several tasks to accomplish their studies of Politics and Governments in Southeast Asia. The following list contains several items that are expected to be
carried out by the students:
·
Final
Examination at the end
of the semester – covering numerous points studied throughout the course. Those
points are key concepts or terms, some critical-thinking questions (and
short-answer questions if deemed fit) and an essay on one of the topics
provided by the instructors. Details on structure and contents of the final
exam will be explained in the due time.
·
Two
progress tests – aiming
to assess students’ learning progress and understanding of what they have been
studying in the course. The tests are to be comprehensive in nature and
effective in practicality and assessment. The tests will most involve key terms
as well as short and critical thinking questions to help students reflect on
the materials they have been studying since the beginning of the course. Further
details will be explained at least one week prior to the test dates.
·
One
written assignment (group or individual) – the themes of the assignment will be provided by the
lecturers who teach the subject, and the students have the freedom to choose
any topics of their interest within the given themes. Topics then need to be
finalized with the consent of both the lecturers and the students. The students
are supposed to carry out a number of tasks to achieve the good assignment’s
score, namely drafting, collecting data, student-lecturer counseling,
peer-editing, and presenting. At the nearly end of the semester, the students have
to present their paper in front of the class.
·
Chapter
presentation – the
students working in groups will have an opportunity to present/debate a topic
of their interest in a specific chapter of the book. Such a presentation/debate
should be purely academic and non-political, so as to trigger their analytical
skills and improve their knowledge as well.
·
Class
participation – students
are highly encouraged to actively participate in a variety of class activities,
including in-class discussions, debate, homework, reflection, quizzes, etc. Several
short quizzes—informed or surprised—will take place throughout the course to
keep the students alert and prepared for the lessons.
VI. Methods of
Instruction
The
course will be conducted through a series of lectures, presentations, debates,
Q&A sessions, movies/documentaries, and hopefully a number of small competitions.
Student-center approach is preferred since such method enables more
input from the students and can generate more interaction in class. Besides
providing some key concepts and explanation during lectures, lecturers also act
as guidance, providing necessary help and advice for the students.
VII. Grading
Criteria/Assessment
·
On-going
Assessment: 60%
-
Progress
Test 1&2: 20%
-
Written
Assignment: 10%
-
Paper Presentation: 10%
-
Chapter
Presentation: 05%
-
Class Participation: 15%
·
Final
Examination: 40%
·
Total: 100%
VIII. Course Outline
and Schedule
The sessions are planned as a coherent series, and
students will gain a full understanding of the dynamic political and
socio-economic development in Southeast Asia only if they attend the class
regularly.
Week
|
Contents
|
Miscellaneous
|
1
|
·
Class commencement
·
Course orientation/introduction
v Course description
and objectives
v Course
requirements/instruction methods
v Course outline and
assignment/test schedules
·
Chapter Presentation and Group Selection
v Introduction to Chapter
Presentation
v Group Selection for
Chapter Presenters
|
|
2
|
·
Chapter 1: Introduction to Politics and
Governments in Southeast Asia
v Introduction to
Southeast Asia
v Influences and
Experiences in Southeast Asia
v Shared Social
Patterns in Southeast Asia
v Southeast Asia in
New International Era
v Comparing Political
Regimes in Southeast Asia
|
|
3
|
·
Chapter 2: Thailand
v Introduction to
Thailand
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 2: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
Major
Assignments (Group/Topic Selection)
|
||
4
|
·
Chapter 3: Myanmar
v Introduction to
Myanmar
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 3: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
5
|
·
Chapter 4: Vietnam
v Introduction to
Vietnam
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 4: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
6
|
·
Chapter 5: Cambodia
v Introduction to Cambodia
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 5: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
Progress Test I
|
||
7
|
·
Chapter 6: Laos
v Introduction to
Laos
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society Relations
and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 6: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
8
|
·
Chapter 7: The Philippines
v Introduction to the
Philippines
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 7: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
9
|
·
Chapter 8: Indonesia
v Introduction to
Indonesia
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 8: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
First Draft of Major
Assignment Submission
|
||
10
|
·
Chapter 9: Timor-Leste (East Timor)
v Introduction to
Timor-Leste
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 9: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
Progress Test
II
|
||
11
|
·
Chapter 10: Malaysia
v Introduction to
Malaysia
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 10: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
12
|
·
Chapter 11: Singapore
v Introduction to
Singapore
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 11: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
Final Draft of
Major Assignment Submission
|
||
13
|
·
Chapter 12: Brunei
v Introduction to
Singapore
v Institutions and
Social Groups
v State-Society
Relations and Democracy
v Economy and
Development
v Foreign Relations
·
Chapter 12: (Review and Q&A)
|
|
14
|
·
Major Assignment Presentations
v Presentation
v Review and Q&A
|
|
15
|
·
Teaching Assessment and Semester Exam Review
|
|
16 & 17
|
·
Semester Exam Preparation Break
|
|
Semester Exam
|
||
Note: This course
outline is subject to change if/when deemed necessary.
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