National and Transnational Histories in Asia and the Pacific

This course is a postgraduate-level seminar on (trans)national histories in Asia and the Pacific. It aims to challenge what we think of, and conceptualise as, “Asia” and "Pacific": not merely as a set of recent nation-states or as static, singular entities, but as a complex, dynamic, and interconnected region. In the weekly seminars students will explore a range of topics to build an advanced understanding of the key national and transnational issues in Asia and the Pacific: imperialism and anti-colonialism/imperialism, nationalism, identities, cultures, ethnicities, and resistance. Using a range of case studies, the course illustrates key issues in China, Japan, South Asia, mainland Southeast Asia, archipelagic Southeast Asia, and in transnational boundless spaces such as the broader Sinosphere and the Pacific. Students in this subject will research, present on, and write about topics on national and transnational history across the Asia and the Pacific, choosing area(s) of focus relevant to their degree. The seminar will (re-)introduce postgraduate students to the academic environment and advanced skills that are necessary for investigation, critical analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and communication of complex information. Postgraduate students plan and execute an individual research project related to one of the course themes and engage in an interactive learning environment that fosters a spirit of inquiry and reinforces intellectual standards.