150055 VU 'FOCUS International Relations': VU Non-traditional security threats in East Asia (2015S)

Since the end of the Cold War, East Asia, composed of China, North/ South Korea and Japan, has exhibited diverse security challenges, such as transnational crime, terrorism, disaster relief, information security, climate change, and public health epidemics. In addition, these challenges as well as many others have started to be taken into consideration as core national security issues. Thus, the course “Non-traditional Security in East Asia” is aimed at providing the students with an overview of the most pressing human security issues in East Asia, and at the same time develop the students’ skills in analyzing and explaining East (and Southeast) Asian internal, transnational and regional issues and potential triggers of conflict. Special attention will also be paid to the question whether new non-traditional security threats would foster greater cooperation or competition among the key players in the region. Special emphasis will also be paid to the multilateral institutions that address these issues in East Asia and to the challenges that impede international cooperation in non-traditional security in the region.