Graduate
Courses
Illicit Economies in Asia
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Transnational Politics and History
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Colonial Legacies in Southeast Asia
course descriptions here
Courses
ASST 7019 Transnational Asia from the Margins
This seminar examines dynamics of state-building, nationalism and political economy across Asia from a transnational perspective that centers attention on the politics and histories of marginalized minorities. The weekly readings are designed to encourage students to rethink conventional understandings of the role of the state, society, and markets from the vantage point of migrants and foreigners, economic outsiders, and other groups discriminated on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, caste, and indigeneity.
ASST 741 Colonial Legacies in Southeast Asia
The region of Southeast Asia was once colonized by European, American and Japanese empires. What are the contemporary legacies of colonial rule? How do scholars—across the humanities and social sciences—theorize and assess the impact of colonialism upon contemporary outcomes today, such as the nature of states and political parties, governance, economic development, nationalism, contentious politics and civil society? This course introduces students to the“colonial legacies” debates of the 21st century, alongside historical case studies of various territories since the 19th century that comprise today’s Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
ASST 530 Illicit Economies in Asia
This course examines the "hidden" side to Asia's transnational economies. It introduces students to the dynamics and history behind how countries deal with clandestine flows of goods, people, and services across borders. We will explore different scholarly approaches to illicit economies and underground activities, alongside past and present studies on informal and illicit labor, organized crime, and illegal finance that thread across South, Southeast and East Asia since the early 20th century. This course emphasizes the importance of transnational and historical context for understanding the challenges that illicit economies pose for many Asian countries today.