The course combines disciplinary studies in international politics with an explicit focus on East Asia. Different theoretical analyses are applied to East Asian case studies that are often overlooked in mainstream International Relations (IR), International Political Economy (IPE), and Policy Studies. It offers strong disciplinary expertise combined with genuine regional expertise.East Asia is home to several security crises that represent potential flashpoints, including those between the US and China it is one of the most dynamic regions in the global political economy it is riven by historical, ethnic, religious, and ideological divides and it offers alternative approaches to security, economic development, and regionalism that challenge presumptive norms in often-Eurocentric mainstream theories.It remains an important region for multiple disciplines and offers new perspectives on mainstream approaches that help us re-think our broader approaches to studying Politics and International Studies.