2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Area Studies: South and Southeast Asia
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Riho Tanaka
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - unknown
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.A505
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Southeast Asia is a region that boasts its diversity of geographical environment, society and political economy composed of countries with different charms. This feature, at the same time, makes it difficult to understand the region in a simple manner. This region faces numerous problems specific to newly developed countries too. On the other hand, surely many of you will go to Southeast Asia on a trip or for work in the future, or even in Japan, you will certainly meet more people from Southeast Asia, and you will also get access to more news and other information from the region. This lecture course will provide you with knowledge and perspective which will help you to understand the situation and circumstances and to have a deeper communication with others in that kind of scene.
This course will enable students to acquire basic knowledge of Southeast Asia from various aspects including the geography, livelihood, culture, society, economy and politics, and also to find a clue to understanding problems related to these topics.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will:
(1) have basic knowledge of the geography, livelihood, culture, society, economy and politics of Southeast Asian region and countries
(2) find a clue to understand issues and problems that Southeast Asian region and/or countries are facing
Keywords
Southeast Asia, development, geography, society, economy, politics, history, culture
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course will be conducted according to the slides prepared by the instructor. Other materials such as photos and videos will be used as necessary.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction: explore the meaning of studying about Southeast Asia | Gain an overview of Southeast Asia and think about the meaning of studying about it. |
| Class 2 | Geography, environment | Understand the geography of Southeast Asia and its environment-related problems. |
| Class 3 | Languages, ethnicities, religions, culture | Gain knowledge of Southeast Asian languages, ethnicities, religions and culture and understand related issues and problems. |
| Class 4 | Hostory, colonial rule and war | Understand the pre-colonial history of Southeast Asia and the impacts of colonial rule and war on the region. |
| Class 5 | Economic development and external economic relations | Understand the process of economic development and external economic relations of Southeast Asian countries. |
| Class 6 | Social change, education and development | Understand social change in Southeast Asia and the relationship between education and development through exploring examples from Southeast Asian countries. |
| Class 7 | Politics and related issues | Understand the political systems in Southeast Asia and the problems that the region has been facing. |
| Class 8 | Review and final exam | Review the content of the course and check your understanding. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to course materials.
Textbook(s)
None required. Materials will be provided in class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Hiroyoshi Kano (2012) Todai Kogi Modern and Contemporary History of Southeast Asia, Mekong. (Japanese) (ISBN:978-4839602611)
Ikuo Iwasaki (2017) Introduction to Modern Southeast Asian History (Kodansha Gendai Shinsho), Kodansha. (Japanese) (ISBN:978-4062884105)
Motoo Furuta (2021) 10 Lectures Southeast Asian History (Iwanami Shinsho), Iwanami shoten. (Japanese) (ISBN:978-4004318835)"
Evaluation methods and criteria
Reaction paper (for each class) - 45%, final exam - 55%.
A section in the reaction paper will be used to assess the level of achievement of the ‘Student learning outcomes’ of the course (2) “find a clue to understand issues and problems that Southeast Asian region and/or countries are facing".
Related courses
- LAH.A501 ： Area Studies: Europe
- LAH.A502 ： Area Studies: East Asia
- LAH.A503 ： Area Studies: Latin America
- LAH.A504 ： Area Studies: Middle East and Africa
- LAH.A506 ： Area Studies: North America and Oceania
Prerequisites
None.
Other
This course is 500-level course.
Science Tokyo (science and engineering fields) provides a wedge-shaped style education that allows students to continuously take liberal arts courses from a Bachelor’s Program to a Doctoral Program. Students are recommended to take liberal arts courses in ascending order of course level. In the semester right after enrollment in the Master’s Degree Program – i.e., 1Q and 2Q for students who enroll in spring, and 3Q or 4Q for students who enroll in fall – students may register only in 400-level Humanities and Social Science Courses.
Students may take 500-level Humanities and Social Science Courses after studying at least six months after enrollment, i.e., in 3Q and 4Q for students who enroll in spring, and in 1Q and 2Q of the following year for students who enroll in fall.