There are a substantial number of courses taught at Columbia Business School (CBS), Columbia Law School (CLS), and the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) that cover topics relevant to APEC goals and the region. In addition to courses in history and political science, the following graduate courses, offered during the 2023-24 academic year, were particularly relevant for students interested in APEC.
Asian Energy Security
This course is offered by SIPA in the spring and is taught by Zongyuan Liu, Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs at SIPA. This course surveys the distinctive character of Asian energy security requirements, how they change over time, what political-economic forces drive their transformation, and what those requirements imply for broader economic and political-military relationships between Asia and the 15 world. The course gives special attention to Asia’s energy dependence on the Middle East and the extent to which Russia and alternative sources, including nuclear power, provide a feasible and acceptable alternative. Cross-national comparisons among the energy security policies of China, India, Japan, Korea, and Western paradigms explore distinctive features of Asian approaches to energy security.
Asian Financial Markets
This course is offered by SIPA in the spring and is taught by Takatoshi Ito, Professor of International and Public Affairs at SIPA. This course will give an overview of the history, function, and future prospects of the financial markets in Asian countries (mainly ASEAN10, Japan, Korea, China, and India), as well as how financial supervision and regulation should be formed. The financial crisis, as well as financial development, will be covered as an instrumental event for reforms. The stages of financial and economic development will be explained, and Asian countries will be placed on the development stages. Economic and financial policies will be examined from an efficiency point of view.
China in International Human Rights Regime
This course is offered by SIPA in the spring and is taught by Lucie Lu, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program. This seminar will examine the causes of human rights violations and explore how external forces can address them, with a specific focus on China. Throughout the course, students will contextualize China within the international community, which plays a defining, framing, and exercising role in one of the core liberal norms, human rights. Consequently, this seminar will encompass a comprehensive survey of broader themes within the international human rights regime. It will also involve a critical assessment of China's role in shaping this regime, in comparison with other key actors in various regions throughout history to the present day. Throughout the course, students will be expected to critically evaluate the assigned readings, actively engage in discussions on contemporary human rights issues, and gain research experience in presenting and writing their final projects. By the end of this seminar, students will have developed a deeper understanding of the intricate landscape of human rights and the influence of external forces, particularly China, in shaping this crucial global discourse.
Economic Development of Japan
This course is offered at Columbia in the fall and is taught by ASC co-director David E. Weinstein. This course covers the growth and structural changes of the post-World War II economy; its historical roots; interactions with cultural, social, and political 16 institutions; economic relations with the rest of the world. In addition, there is considerable discussion of Japan’s recent economic conditions.
Japanese Foreign Policy
This course is offered by SIPA in the fall and is taught by Ayumi Teraoka, Lecturer at SIPA. This graduate seminar course provides an overview of modern and contemporary Japanese foreign policy and the strategy behind its engagement with the world. It examines the following questions: What are the key determinants of Japanese foreign policy, and how have they evolved over time? How should Japan approach, navigate, and shape the increasingly uncertain strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific in the years ahead, including China’s growing power, the shifting role of the U.S.-Japan alliance, and the intensifying great power rivalry? In the first few weeks, the course will cover the making of modern Japan and the enduring themes that have long animated Japan’s strategic thinking. In the following weeks, it will survey Japan’s foreign policies toward key countries and regions while discussing topics relevant to the respective relationships, such as security, trade, identity, historical memory, and values and norms. Each week, students will identify Japan’s ends, ways, and means in its approach to a particular region or issue and end class by discussing current policy questions Japan faces.
Philippines: Asia's Rising Tiger
This course is offered at CBS in the spring and is taught by Medini Singh, Senior Lecturer in Discipline in Business at CBS. The course examines the Philippines as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, with average annual growth of 6 to 7 percent per year. After a dip in GDP growth during 2020 due to Covid, the Philippines’ economic growth rebounded to 7.6 percent during 2022. Average annual GDP per person has risen dramatically over the past two decades, from below US$ 1,000 per person in 2000 to US$ 3,500 by 2022. The Philippines is on track to become a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2033. The central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is well-managed and follows a sound monetary policy. The long-term prospect for the country is contingent upon improvement in governance, reducing income inequality, tackling corruption and a better regulatory environment. After losing its way for the past few decades, the Philippines seems to be on the right path. Students in the course will develop a strong foundation in understanding the Philippines’ history, economy, industry and competitive position, before they visit the country as part of Columbia’s Global Immersion Program.
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