Issues in Contemporary Asia

The course seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the issues facing Asians in the 21st century and how these are likely to affect the United States and the rest of the world. A sense of global citizenship appears essential in our times.  In order to interact with Asia effectively concerning issues such as global warming and the international economy Westerners must try to understand various Asian perspectives.  How dangerous and desperate is North Korea?  Can Japan sustain its economy with stagnant population growth?   How is India's economic and technological surge likely to affect the global economy?  Can China cope with a growing population's strain on its resources?  These are just a few of the many possible topics students can explore.   Each student will choose an Asian country on which to become an expert and will have the opportunity to examine the challenges it faces in the 21st century.