Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Geopolitics, Economy and Environment
Code: 44259Credits: 10
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Global East Asian Studies | OB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Hyerim Yoon
- Email :
- hyerim.yoon@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Just Castillo Iglesias
- Hyerim Yoon
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- Carles Brasó Broggi
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
None.
Part of the teaching is delivered in Spanish and part in English.
Course coordination: Hyerim Yoon
Objectives
"Geopolitics, Economy and Environment" is a compulsory subject worth 10 ECTS that focuses on the study of the geopolitical, economic and environmental dynamics of East Asia in its interrelation with the rest of the world, with special emphasis on the role of China as a global power, the renewed international role of Japan, and the emergence of South Korea as a middle power. The course integrates the theoretical and conceptual contributions of political science and international relations, geopolitics and economics, and geography and environmental sciences, with the ultimate goal of understanding changes in international politics, economic transformations, and the challenging environmental issues that stem from the global incorporation of East Asia.
Learning outcomes
- CA03 (Be able to interpret the geopolitical, economic and environmental role of East Asia in the contemporary world.) Be able to interpret the geopolitical, economic and environmental role of East Asia in the contemporary world.
- CA04 (Be able to understand in detail the economic, geopolitical and environmental dynamics that characterise East Asia in the global environment.) Be able to understand in detail the economic, geopolitical and environmental dynamics that characterise East Asia in the global environment.
- CA05 (Be able to communicate clearly and systematically the global relevance of East Asia in geopolitical, economic and environmental terms to a variety of interlocutors.) Be able to communicate clearly and systematically the global relevance of East Asia in geopolitical, economic and environmental terms to a variety of interlocutors.
- KA03 (Recognise the political, economic and environmental changes affecting East Asia in the contemporary scenario.) Recognise the political, economic and environmental changes affecting East Asia in the contemporary scenario.
- KA04 (Recognise the economic, geopolitical and environmental complexity and implications of East Asia's global incorporation.) Recognise the economic, geopolitical and environmental complexity and implications of East Asia's global incorporation.
- SA05 (Analyse the economic, geopolitical and environmental aspects of the globalising processes taking place from East Asia on a world scale.) Analyse the economic, geopolitical and environmental aspects of the globalising processes taking place from East Asia on a world scale.
- SA06 (Analyse the economic, geopolitical and environmental changes resulting from East Asia's active participation in the globalisation process.) Analyse the economic, geopolitical and environmental changes resulting from East Asia's active participation in the globalisation process.
- SA07 (Competently employ theoretical and methodological concepts and perspectives in the study of geopolitical changes, economic flows and environmental challenges related to East Asia, with a special focus on climate change and China's role as a global power.) Competently employ theoretical and methodological concepts and perspectives in the study of geopolitical changes, economic flows and environmental challenges related to East Asia, with a special focus on climate change and China's role as a global power.
- SA08 (Research human movements around East Asia, with a particular focus on the attraction and emission of tourist flows on a global scale.) Research human movements around East Asia, with a particular focus on the attraction and emission of tourist flows on a global scale.
Contents
The subject’s contents are oriented towards the acquisition of knowledge on the study of the geopolitical, economic and environmental dynamics of East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea/North Korea) in their interrelation with the rest of the world. The specific contents of the subject are:
1. Geopolitical dynamics: a) Legacies of the cold war: the division of Korea, the China/Taiwan conflict, security architectures and the role of the US; b) China: the Belt and Road Initiative; Japan: the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy; South Korea as a middle power, North Korea and "nuclear diplomacy"; c) Geopolitical challenges: the conflict in the South China Sea, the question of regionalism.
2. Economic flows: a) China as an economic superpower, internationalisation of Japanese companies, commercial expansion of South Korea, the Asian Tigers; b) Production and export, global trade flows, markets and consumption; c) Investments and foreign economic influence, presence in Africa, Latin America and Europe.
3. Environmental challenges: a) Industrialization and environmental costs: energy policies, water and energy management models, "green" technologies, global tourism and multidimensional impact; b) The problem of climate change: mitigation and adaptation policies in East Asia; c) Disaster management and environmental health.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures, talks | 62 | 2.48 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
| Oral defense of essays and debates | 25 | 1 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
| Essays writing, personal study, readings papers/specialized reports, cooperative learning | 163 | 6.52 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
- Lectures
- Readings papers/specialized reports
- Cooperative learning
- Debates
- Talks
- Essays writing
- Oral presentations
- Personal study
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical - practical written assessment | 10% - 40% | 0 | 0 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
| Submission of essays, reports and commentaries | 20% - 70% | 0 | 0 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
| Oral defense of essays and active participation in face-to-face sessions and activities | 10% - 40% | 0 | 0 | CA03, CA04, CA05, KA03, KA04, SA05, SA06, SA07, SA08 |
The above information on assessment, assessment activities and their weighting are meant as a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.
The evaluation in this subject is continuous assessment. This subject is not suitable for single assessment.
Continuous assessment
Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing various tasks and tests. These activities are detailed in the table at the end of this section of the Study Guide.
Review and missed/failed assessment activities
When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will outline the procedure to carry out their review and, once this is done, the resit procedure, if applicable.
UAB Assessment procedure: https://www.uab.cat/web/studies/graduate/university-master-s-degrees/evaluation/what-is-it-about-1345666815028.html
Misconduct in assessment activities
Any irregularity committed during an assessment (academic fraud, plagiarism, or misuse of AI, unless expressly authorized in the course syllabus) that could lead to a significant change in the grade will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment. If multiple irregularities occur during assessments for the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0. Furthermore, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any individual who commits any of these irregularities.
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies may or may not be permitted depending on the activity. The permitted and prohibited uses in each case will be detailed in the course introduction. Students must clearly identify which parts were generated using AI technologies, specify the tools used, verify and validate the information obtained and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced the process and the final result of the activity. A lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in graded assignments will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty on the assignment grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases. The teaching staff, in case of doubts, may require a face-to-face meeting to validate the authorship.
Bibliography
Brasó Broggi, Carles and Yuan Jia-Zheng, 2025, "The Changing Nature of Chinese Family Firms and the Enduring Character of Chinese Business Families," Paloma Fernández Pérez, ed., Global Family Capitalism: A Business History Perspective. Routledge.
Callicott, J. Baird and James McRae, 2017, Japanese Environmental Philosophy, Oxford University Press.
Connors, Michael K., Rémy Davison, Jörn Dosch, 2018, The New Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific, Routledge.
Delage Carretero, Fernando, 2023, “Europa en la era de Eurasia y del Indo-Pacífico,” Araucaria: Revista Iberoamericana de Filosofía, Política, Humanidades y Relaciones Internacionales, 25(53):11-40. https://revistascientificas.us.es/index.php/araucaria/article/view/23411]
Fernández Martín, C. Gladys y Ricardo Leyva Pérez, 2021, “Asia Oriental a la luz del siglo XXI: Importancia geopolítica de la región,” Observatorio de la Política China, 24.03.2021. [https://politica-china.org/areas/politica-exterior/xi-sei-asia-oriental-a-la-luz-del-siglo-xxi-importancia-geopolitica-de-la-region#_ftn1]
Gaviratti, Pablo, coord., 2022, La Naturaleza del Japonismo, Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani – Universidad de Buenos Aires.
Golden, Sean, 2012, China en perspectiva. Análisis e interpretaciones, Edicions Bellaterra.
Jia-Zheng, Yuan and Carles Brasó Broggi, 2025, "The metamorphosis of China’s automotive industry (1953–2001): Inward internationalisation, technological transfers and the making of a post-socialist market," Business History, 67(1): 211-238.
Kim, Eun Mee, ed., 1998, The Four Asian Tigers: Economic Development and the Global Political Economy, Emerald Press.
Li, Yifei and Judith Shapiro, 2020, China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism for a Troubled Planet, Polity Press.
Lovell, Julia, 2019, Maoism: A Global History, Bodley Head. [Maoísmo. Una historia global, Debate, 2021]
Marcuello, Carlos, 2024, "La globalización alternativa. Del sistema de Bretton Woods a la influencia de los BRICS," Escuela de Comercio Exterior (Iberglobal). [https://iberglobal.com/index.php/escuela-de-comercio-exterior/2153-la-globalizacion-alternativa]
Miller, Alice Lyman and Richard Wilch, 2011, Becoming Asia: Change and Continuity in Asian International Relations Since World War II, Stanford University Press.
Mitter, Rana, 2013, “China and the Cold War," Richard H. Immerman and Petra Goedde, eds., The Oxford Handbook of the Cold War, Oxford University Press.
Panitchpakdi, Supachai and Mark L. Clifford, 2002, China and the WTO: Changing China, Changing World Trade, Wiley & Sons.
Pardo Delgado, José Miguel, 2023, Dinámica geopolítica en Asia Central. Cooperación y competencia entre China y Rusia, Documento de Opinión IEEE 13/2023. [https://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/docs_opinion/2023/DIEEEO13_2023_JOSPAR_Asia.pdf]
Rossiter, Ash and Brendon J. Cannon, 2020, Conflict and Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific: New Geopolitical Realities, Taylor & Francis.
Soler-Matutes, Jacinto, 2008, El Milagro económico chino: Mito y realidad, Marcial Pons.
Stiglitz, Joseph and Shahid Yusuf, eds., 2001, Rethinking the East Asia Miracle, Oxford University Press & World Bank.
Studwell, Joe, 2013, How Asia Works: Success and Failure in the World’s Most Dynamic Region, Profile Books.
Yahuda, Michael, 2019, The International Politics of the Asia-Pacific, Taylor & Francis.
Software
We will not use specific sotfware.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | afternoon |