Asian Studies Commons^™

Chinese International Graduate Student Agency In A Neo-Racism Context: A Narrative Analysis, Minghui Hou

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The United States is the top destination for Chinese international students, receiving around 372,532 students from China from the academic year 2019 to 2020. The host institutions and countries have benefited from economic gains, diverse cultures, global competence, and human capital. The motivation of recruiting international students is framed in a global imaginary that is embedded in colonialism and neoliberalism. International students are often framed as cash cows and objects. Meanwhile, international students, particularly Chinese international students have been experiencing discrimination, prejudice, and exclusion due to their nationality and culture. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to examine …

U.S.-China Trade War: Phase One Agreement And Self-Enforcing Contracts, Hameedullah Hassani

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Sino-American bilateral trade relations have increased significantly in the past four decades since China started its economic reforms in 1978. The bilateral expansion in trade has been accompanied by increased complexity and tensions, which emerged in the form of a trade war during the President Trump administration. After a series of tit-for-tat tariff increases, in an attempt to address concerns through negotiations, both sides reached a Phase One agreement. However, the commitments made in the agreement were not delivered. In my thesis, I use the “self-enforcing contracts” theory to analyze the status of Phase One deal. The examination indicates that …

The Philippines And The World: Which Country Do Filipinos Trust More And Why, Mark Gabriel Wagan Aguilar

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

Agreements between and among countries have been going on for centuries for the purpose of trade, security, employment, and peace among others, however, changes on these agreements do happen, for instance, when a new President gets elected and see a different direction for his/her country. When President Rodrigo Duterte became President of the Philippines in 2016, he have made it clear that he doesn't trust the United States of America, while expressing preference in working with China, in fact, in his 6 year term, he has never step foot on the country for an official visit, however, a new perspective …

The History Of Cold War Economic Polices: How The Panda Outlived The Bear, Daniel R. White

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

The Cold War is often regarded as a political and economic struggle between capitalism and communism. Recent post-Cold War scholars have uncovered that the nations allied to either side were not as united as the conventional understanding of the subject has previously been thought. Using recent publications, this paper reports on the how the diverging interests between the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China drove a wedge in the communist world. This led China to slowly embrace economic reforms and ties with the United States while the Soviet Union entered into a period of stagnation which ultimately led to …

Complex Global Value Chains And Economic Interdependence: A New Look At The Opportunity Costs Argument, Melle Scholten

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

The classical economic interdependence argument states that trade and investment between countries make conflict less likely, because they increase the opportunity costs of war. War means that trade and investment will dry up, to the detriment of society as a whole. The increased opportunity costs of war (vis-`a-vis peace) means war will be less likely to occur between interdependent states. Certain strands of realism have challenged this assertion. They argue that expectations that trade will decline in future can be a strong incentive for initiating conflict. Giving increasing political and economic tensions between the world’s superpowers – the USA and …

Tunisia: The Colonized Road To A Democratic Identity, Kara Broene

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

The death of one Tunisian man by self-immolation in 2010 created uprisings in 18 other Arab countries in what is known as the 2011 Arab Spring. As a result, Tunisia managed to overthrow its long-standing autocratic government and establish a democracy; it is the only nation who has managed to maintain those changes since 2011. As the first point of protest and the only success story, what makes Tunisia different from the other 18 nations? While there has been research on why Tunisia has succeeded, there is little on how Tunisia’s colonial history under France for 75 years might have …

At The Hands Of Fate: The Political Economy Of Islamic Insurance In Indonesia, Malaysia, And Pakistan, C. 1980 To The Present, Muhammad S. Rahman

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Why have Islamic insurance systems developed well in some countries, but not in others? Malaysia is considered as Islamic insurance elite due to its relatively large number of operators it houses as well as the sustained growth of Islamic insurance sales within the country, while Indonesia and Pakistan are still in early stages of development. Analyzing the political and social history of Islamization of insurance systems in these three Muslim majority countries in Asia since 1980s, this dissertation demonstrates the development gap between these countries on Islamic insurance results from; firstly, complex bargains made between various groups within each country …

The Effect Of Illicit Drugs Securitization In Indonesia, Yanu Widiyono

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Barry Buzan and the Copenhagen School scholars introduce the concept of Securitization in International Relations. This concept argues that threat is formed and based on the interpretation of the actors . Threat does not naturally arise from the situation of state. Rather, it arises because of how prominent actors politicize the issues.

This study mainly focuses on analyzing the effects of Illicit Drugs Securitization in Indonesia. Previous literature has analyzed the issue of Illicit Drugs Abuse and trafficking problems in Southeast Asia in general, but few focus on Indonesia in particular. As the biggest state in South East Asia and …

Measuring Vulnerability Interdependence: To What Extent Do Chinese Investments In Africa Make China Vulnerable?, Nurullah Ayyilmaz

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The pace of Chinese investments in Africa accelerated after the 2000s as one of many consequences of China’s “going out” policy. The importance of Sino-African investment relationship has been signified by conveying large-scale tri-annual collective dialogue forum, named Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), first in 2000. It is generally assumed that Africa needs China, mostly due to being recipient of Chinese investments, but what about the opposite and what would that mean for China? This dissertation looks at the bilateral relationship between China and Africa from the perspective of creating vulnerability for the investor party. Accordingly, the research questions …

The Memorialization Of Historical Memories In East Asia, Bo Ram Yi

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

East Asia is embroiled in one of the most titillating historical memory wars in present-day politics. A highly complex and intricate matter, conflict over history is the underpinning strain behind political and social relations between China, South Korea and Japan. Mired by the past, tension often rises from conflict over the Yasakuni Shrine visits, comfort women and the textbook matter.

This dissertation will examine how China, South Korea and Japan maintain their historical memory narratives. Through a case study method, each state is analyzed through five factors: commemoration, rhetoric, education, compensation and punishment.

Overall, China and South Korea have maintained …

In Search Of Autonomy: Nepal As A Wedge State Between India And China, Sagar Rijal

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Traditional International Relations (IR) theories consign small states to the reactive roles of "bargaining, bandwagoning or buffering." Small states are deemed to be inherently vulnerable, forever concerned with their mere survival. However, the present global system of states is characterized by numerous smaller states, many of which are not only surviving but also thriving in both economically and politically spheres.

To unravel this anomaly, this study proposes a theory of wedge states as a separate category of small states, which are compelled to deep engagement with two or more rival powers simultaneously. The study analyzes a case of a typical …

U.S. - Asean Organized Crime Cooperation As Part Of Washington's Rebalancing Policy Toward The Asia-Pacific, Tuan Anh Luc

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This research addresses the reasons why the United States of America (U.S.) has been involving in the effort of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to combat transnational organized crime. The author argues that Washington has been doing so because: first, it wants to prevent and suppress negative influences of Southeast Asian organized crime and protect national interests; second, it wants to increase regional capabilities, sometimes at the Association's request, and narrow differences so as to effectively deal with transnational organized crime; and third, it wants to justify its presence in the region and pave the way …

State-Centric Or State-In-Society: National Identity And Collective Memory In The Linkage Politics Of Chinese Foreign Relations, Ning Liao

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation, with a standpoint of disentangling China's diplomacy "inside-out," explores the Chinese state-society relationship in domestic-foreign-policy interaction. With its analytic focus resting on the collective memory of national humiliation in modern Chinese history and the derived national identity, this project delves into the linkage between the ideational impetus of the diplomatic decision-making of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the way that the authoritarian regime claims its internal and external legitimacy.

In the state legitimation, collective memory and national identity are instrumentalized to enact the moral justification of the CCP's political authority and to justify China's persistent quest to …

The Complexity Of Armed Conflict In Mindanao: Beyond Economic Deprivation, Discrimination, And Inequality, Nasser Pendatun Lidasan

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Studies on internal conflict focus on bringing a violent conflict to non-violent. Economic development and good governance are most attractive since essential services are provided to people, regardless of ethnic affiliation. Autonomy for minority groups to maintain the integrity of a state is another option. Applied in Mindanao conflict, negotiated settlement, separation, and military victory did not create a lasting peace. This study applies the levels of analysis framework to investigate the conflict and considers the sub-state level as vital. It suggests the role of local actors as crucial in intrastate conflict. It examines the dynamics of conflict at the …

Social Trust In Contemporary Rural China: Its Sources And Impacts On Public Goods Provision, Narisong Huhe

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Social trust, as an essential element of political culture, is assumed to strongly affect the effectiveness of political institution. However, such studies in non-democratic settings are scarce, and even scarcer in the Chinese context. This dissertation, using data drawn from an original survey in rural China, examines the extent, sociopolitical origins, and political consequences of social trust in China. The results suggest that China has a unique pattern of social trust owing to its dual Confucian and Communist heritages. While trusts in relatives, neighbors, kinsman, and other villagers (i.e., particularized trust) are extensive, trust in strangers (generalized trust) is scarce. …

Becoming A Good Neighbor In Southeast Asia: The Case Of China's Territorial Disputes In The South China Sea, 1989–2006, Dirk Richard Morton

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between China and the ASEAN states following the end of the Cold War, Sino-ASEAN relations have widened and deepened considerably. This is surprising, considering that most ASEAN states viewed China as a revisionist power and threat to regional security during the Cold War and Vietnam and the Philippines have a history of armed conflict with China over as-of-yet unresolved territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Given the withdrawal of American military forces from the Philippines in 1992 and the steady growth of Chinese economic and military power, one might expect ASEAN's traditionally-held …

The Middle Class And Political Change In China: Chinese Middle Class's Attitudinal And Behavioral Orientations Toward Democracy, Chunlong Lu

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Does the middle class in China think and act democratically and hence serve as the harbinger of democratic development in that country? Little empirical work has been done to systematically address this crucial question. The primary goals of this dissertation are to explore the level of attitudinal support for democracy among Chinese middle class individuals, examine their behavioral orientations toward politics, and provide a comprehensive assessment of the role of the Chinese middle class in the evolution of the Chinese political system. This dissertation argues that the middle class in China consists of the following four occupational groups: self-employed laborers, …

The Role Of The Internet In Chinese Foreign And Domestic Affairs, Jean Bowman Leedy

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Problem: Rapid dissemination of Internet technology and the free access to information it affords poses a threat to non-democratic states that rely on control of information to maintain power and stability. This is of substantial concern to the Communist regime in The People's Republic of China due to the fact that its repressed population constitutes the fastest growing body of Internet users in the world.

Methods: This paper examines the potential impact of the Internet on Chinese foreign and domestic policy through interpretation of existing literature as it applies to the Internet, interviews with experts studying the emergence of China's …

Institutions, Developmental Alliances, And Economic Development In Korea And Brazil (1950-1985), Charles Paul Winebarger

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This paper compares the development of Korea and Brazil, 1950-85. These newly industrialized countries developed at above-average rates among less developed countries. Korea developed more rapidly than Brazil. The paper contends that institutions, interest groups (especially firms) and the state, enter into developmental alliances. Alliances affect policies. Policies, then, affect development.

Findings reveal interesting trends in the 1950s' democracies of the cases. Both countries had semi-autonomous states, equivocally committed to industrialization. Industry was the growth point in each. Korea used local firms to industrialize; Brazil used foreign firms. In both cases, the state allied itself with firms. Policy mostly favored …

Russia's China Policy Under Yeltsin And Its Effect On The Korean Peninsula, Jong Dyuk Lim

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis studies current developments in Russia's China policy and their effect on the Korean Peninsula. This thesis asks these questions: how has the Russia's China policy changed since Gorbachev era, what are the determinants of Russia's current China policy, what is the effect of this policy on the Korean Peninsula, and what is the prospect for Russo-Chinese relations? Russia's China policy has been profoundly influenced by a series of domestic Russian institutional changes. Russia may be developing a political-economic system more consistent with "Eastern" notions of democracy and capitalism than those of the West. The result has been a …

The Entry Of The People's Republic Of China Into The Korean War, Yueliang Shen

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

China's entry into the Korean War in October 1950 took both its friends and foes by surprise and quickly escalated that conflict into the first major hot war since the start of the Cold War. This thesis analyzes the Chinese decision making process and the factors that led China into the Korean conflict. Official documents, statements, and speeches of American and Chinese Communist leaders between 1945 and 1950 indicate that historical mistrust and animosity, geopolitical considerations, and a breakdown of communications all contributed to the tragic showdown that caused millions of casualties. Extensively used for this study were declassified foreign …

The Nuclear Contamination Of Kazakhstan, Rebecca Marie Matter

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis studies the radioactive contamination of Kazakhstan's environment, concentrating on the period between February 1989 and January 1993. For each type of nuclear degradation in Kazakhstan the thesis asks the questions: what is its cause and extent, what are its consequences for humans, and what are the human responses. The main causes of Kazakhstan's nuclear devastation are atomic weapons' tests, uranium mining, manufacturing of uranium fuel, and the operation of a fast breeder reactor power generator unit. The amount of radioactive contamination is colossal. The consequences for the health of the population, especially at Semey, are severe. The human …

Japan Looks At An Uncertain China: The Role Of Japan's Aid To China, Yixin Yang

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis discusses the role the Japanese aid has played in accommodating the structural change of Sino-Japanese economic relations and in dealing with the economic and political crisis that has jeopardized their bilateral relations and Japan's own national interest. Japan's early resumption of economic aid to China after Tiananmen reflects how aid philosophy differs from that of most of the other Western aid donors. The conclusions are that Japan's large loan to China has played a vital role in maintaining and strengthening Sino-Japanese economic relations, that the aid has made the interdependent relations between the two countries an asymmetric one, …

The Origins Of The Department Of Defense Recommendation To Cross The 38th Parallel During The Korean War, Wayne A. Kirkbride

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis considers the reasons the Department of Defense (DOD) developed its recommendation concerning the U.S. involvement in the Korean War. The United states initially committed its forces to restore the status quo antebellum. However, by 31 July 1950, the DOD recommended that a free, unified, and representative Korea should be the policy object of the war and that the occupation of all of Korea and the defeat of the North Korean armed forces north and south of the 38th Parallel should be the military objectives.

Several factors contributed to the recommendation of a change in policy and strategy. A …

Containment, Cliency And The Revolution In Vietnam, Deborah Tompsett-Makin

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis addresses the question, why does U.S. foreign policy contribute to political instability in developing nations? To ascertain the answer, it analyzes the post-World War II administrations from Truman through Johnson. One mode of containment, cliency, a foreign policy relationship between a major power and a weaker state, is developed within the framework analyzing containment. The cliency model provides a theoretical basis for explaining how the domestic structure of the client state is systematically distorted by the patron's actions in pursuit of its global interests. The cliency model is also linked to the pattern of development and stability of …

Curtain Of Silence Japanese In Soviet Custody, 1945-1956, William F. Nimmo

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The Soviet Union attacked- and defeated Japanese forces in Northeast Asia in the final days of the Second World War, and 2,100,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians suddenly fell into the hands of the Red Army. This thesis examines the experiences of Japanese in Soviet custody, efforts to obtain their release, and their eventual return to Japan. Repatriation of civilians from Soviet-controlled areas was slow, and military personnel were taken to the USSR for use as forced labor for several years. The Soviets conducted an intensive Marxist-Leninist indoctrination program for prisoners of war, and a professed acceptance of communism was a …

The Gift Of The Gods: The Impact Of The Korean War On Japan, John P. Bowen

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The Korean War was a benchmark in the modern history of Japan. It became a catalyst for political action, and the fountainhead of the "economic miracle" that raised Japan once again to a prominent position among nations. The Korean War helped solve many political problems, including the tricky question of a peace treaty. It confirmed Japan's commitment to a no-war constitution. It also permitted the Japanese government to relax the restrictions imposed by occupation authorities. The war created a fortuitous economic stimulus that permitted Japan to emerge from the recessionary period that followed World War II and to establish the …