Outline of the programme for students accepted 2023 and 2024
Academic achievements (the student workload) at Lund University are measured according to a credit system. 1.5 credits equal approximately one week of full-time studies. Thus, after one semester of successful full-time studies (participating according to requirements and passing the examinations), you will be awarded 30 credits.
Courses at the Centre usually consist of 7.5 or 15 credits each. Courses are always taken consecutively one at a time so that there are no overlapping courses.
First semester
The semester begins with a course (6 credits) that introduces the students to Asian Studies. It is followed by two thematic courses (each of 12 credits) that discuss central political and economic issues in East and South-East Asia.
The course provides a critical, comparative and interdisciplinary introduction to studies of East and South-East Asia's societies. The course provides an overview of Asian Studies using central concepts and approaches in social sciences and the humanities and deepens the study of East and South-East Asia's societies by emphasising the shifting contexts and content of knowledge in this field. A critical perspective is applied. Western knowledge formation about East and South-East Asia. Furthermore, new theories and approaches that have arisen through the study of East and South-East Asia's societies, e.g. theories of post-colonialism that have been questioned and enriched Western social sciences, are discussed and analysed. The course takes a gender perspective on today's societies in East and South-East Asia that creates awareness about issues concerning gender, power and representativeness. The course provides an introduction to academic writing and the opportunity to apply this knowledge in short written works. Furthermore, the students practise critical thinking and deliberative discussions in discussing research ethics and academic freedom and their importance for knowledge development.
The course covers economic development in East and South-East Asia. The rapid industrialisation processes and the socio-economic modernisation processes in East and South-East Asia are studied and explained from a comparative historical institutional perspective. Basic factors and driving forces are analysed against the background of prevailing theories of economic and social development. All countries in the region can be used as examples, but there is a particular focus on the following groups of countries divided according to the degree of industrialisation: 1) Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, 2) Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and 3) China and Vietnam. Institutional theory is used to analyse the emergence of the so-called East Asian model for economic growth and development as well as current trends and driving forces for globalisation in the region.
The course provides an overview of general theories of political systems, governance and democratisation. This includes theories about authoritarian forms of government as well as political systems of a hybrid nature. The aim is that the student should gain the ability to make comparative analyses and apply these theories to the situation in East and South-East Asia.
The course is designed as an introduction to the different political systems in East and South-East Asia. Furthermore, different forms of political change and political leadership are discussed. The course covers the influences of religion, society and culture on political changes. The role of the military is also covered, as well as the influence of economics on both national and international policy. The course also discusses the significance of regional organisation and multinational cooperation for present-day political development.
Second semester
The second semester consists of three courses (the first of 15 credits and the following two of 7.5 credits). The first course is a country or regional specialisation course where the students choose to deepen their studies in contemporary studies of China, Japan/Korea, or South-East Asia, the second course is International Relations of East and South-East Asia, the third course is the first of two methodology courses on the programme.
The course surveys and analyzes the momentous cultural, social, political and economic changes that have taken place in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since the early 1980s. The course starts with a brief account of contemporary history, religion and culture, as well as geography and demography. The course examines the co-existence of continuity and change in relation to identity, beliefs, and social and political values. It particularly addresses how social and political developments affect different individuals and groups of people such as women, religious groups and ethnic minorities, workers, peasants and officials. The course also focuses on different institutions and organizations such as work places, civic associations, the media, and legal and political institutions. Furthermore, it discusses and contextualizes issues and problems concerning poverty and inequality, citizenship and governance, freedom of expression, demographic changes, environment and urbanization. All the questions in the course are discussed from a gender perspective. Digital development and its importance for Chinese society is a special focus, as is China’s growing regional and global role.
The course is divided into four parts: history, culture and traditions, geography and demography; media, law and civil society; rural and urban developments, ideology and politics; and welfare, economic developments and the environment. The course builds on theories from different disciplines at the same time as an interdisciplinary perspective is stimulated. The course also makes use of and analyzes visual materials such as documentary films.
The course analyses cultural, social and political issues in contemporary Japanese and Korean societies. The course takes a multidisciplinary perspective and is divided into four parts. The first part provides a general understanding of the social and political processes in Japan and North Korea and South Korea. The countries' history and impact on contemporary Japanese and Korean societies are discussed. The focus is on the post-Cold War era.
The second part of the course makes comparisons between Japan and Korea and in particular similarities between Japan and South Korea. The themes that are discussed include the impact of colonialism on North Korea and South Korea, the partition of the two countries, and the post-War authoritarian regimes.
The third part of the course addresses the role of the media and how it creates both continuities and changes in Japan and Korea. The study of the role of media provides a deeper understanding of the countries' political and socio-cultural dynamics. In this part of the course, China’s influence on Japan and Korea is also discussed.
The fourth part of the course addresses the challenges that Japan and Korea are facing. In this part the countries changing demographics and the connection between an ageing population, gender inequality and migration are discussed.
The course is divided into four parts where the first part provides a basic understanding of the region’s sociocultural processes. The historical context and its impact on contemporary South-East Asian societies are discussed. It discusses religion as a field of meanings that informs individual people’s lives and strengthens social and political identities and influences social and political discourses.
The second part of the course addresses the political and economic context of South-East Asia. Theories from different disciplines and ethnographic material are used to discuss these topics.
The third part of the course addresses the socio-economic development in South-East Asia. The aim is to investigate the gap between rich and poor and address development from a gender perspective.
The fourth part of the course discusses contemporary culture and popular culture in South-East Asia and provides a broader perspective on contemporary societies.
The course deals with the international relations in East and South-East Asia. It begins with an introduction to basic theories about international relations and continues with a short historical overview focusing on the post-war period. Subsequently, the course deals with the following most important regional questions: power rivalry, identity and historical memory, territorial disputes and non-traditional security issues, such as public diplomacy, soft power and environmental and food safety. The course is based on the student's active participation, and will enable students to develop their ability to critically assess and analyse theories and use empirical examples from the region.
COSM27 Course syllabus in English (PDF - new window)
COSM27 Course plan in Swedish (PDF - new window)
The course deals with methodological issues linked to the structure, design, and writing of a thesis for a master's degree in Asian Studies. In addition to a general overview of ontological and epistemological discussions in the social sciences, the course provides knowledge of tools for organising research material.
The course presents the content of the central theoretical and methodological schools within the social sciences. From a theoretical perspective, the course focuses on issues such as the nature of evidence in social research, on the difference between causal explanations and interpretations, on ‘language’ in social research, on historical and philosophical meanings of ‘science’ and the importance of ethical and normative issues in social science.
Third semester
In the third semester, students can register for three thematic elective courses, each valued at 7.5 credits, offered at the Centre.
Another option is to select courses from different departments within Lund University or from accredited universities in Sweden or abroad, with a maximum total of 15 credits. These courses should align with your thesis topic and require approval from the Director of Study. If you intend to take courses at other institutions, please be aware that you must apply for these courses during designated application rounds.
You can also apply for exchange studies and spend this semester abroad provided that your application is successful and you are nominated for exchange studies by the Faculty. You apply for exchange studies in the first semester. Find out more about the possibility of exchange studies.
The elective courses should be in line with the student's thesis topic and should be approved by the Director of Study. The elective courses will enable you to tailor the programme to suit your particular interests and will deepen your understanding of various aspects of Asian societies and prepare you for your thesis work.
The third semester concludes with the second compulsory methods course (7.5 credits). Students opting to study abroad during the third semester will be required to take the methodology course remotely.
The Centre offers a range of elective courses (see list below). Please note that courses may be cancelled and new courses may also be added. This is meant as a guide and represents some of the courses that have regularly been given at the Centre.
Elective courses
The course examines and analyzes Asia's role in the global economy. The course initially introduces theoretical reasoning regarding economic geography and development and applies them to case studies in Asia. The course then focuses on theories and concepts that explain national and global economic conditions with an emphasis on global supply chains. The course analyzes the global organization of production systematically with a focus on five different areas: financial market, trade, industrial relations, multinational companies, and innovation.
The aim of the course is to provide an understanding of the factors, processes and consequences that globally organized production brings to individuals and nations in Asia. The course discusses economic theories from an interdisciplinary perspective to promote a critical understanding.
The aim of the course is to enable the students to critically analyze the problems and prospects that exist for human rights work in Asia. The focus is on the cultural, social, economic and political factors that prevent or promote the application of human rights protection in different societies in Asia. Differences and similarities with regard to problems and policies regarding human rights in the region are analyzed and discussed. The participation of various Asian countries in the international system for the protection of human rights and in various rights instruments is analyzed.
The course examines the relationship between international legislation to protect human rights and national legislation. It also provides an introduction to local and regional debates as well as the work on human rights, with a particular focus on the major differences between different states and NGOs regarding the work and priorities regarding human rights. The course is based on central texts in the international legislation on human rights but aims to integrate international law theory with social and political science theory and area studies. The course advocates and applies an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human rights, which is reflected in the teaching, choice of subjects and course literature.
The course offers an interdisciplinary study of central theories on how socio-economic development has occurred in today's Asia. The purpose is to give the students tools for theoretically analyzing, discussing, and debating contemporary development issues by critically examining how development is conceptualized - from modernization theories to neomarxist theories, from neoliberalism to post / alternative development - and this with a special focus on historical heritage. and future challenges.
In the course, a critical approach is taken to development theories and their impact on the most urgent areas for development, while illuminating contradictions and convergence points between different theoretical traditions. The course also deals with the development practice and actors as well as the role that NGOs play through detailed case studies that the students discuss and learn from. The course starts with a discussion of the group's "knowledge" and "needs" and makes it possible for the students to focus on a specific question among the many areas the course addresses.
The course deals with the international relations in East and South-East Asia. It begins with a very brief introduction to basic theories about international relations and continues with a short historical overview focusing on the post-war period. The primary focus of the course is a series of in-depth case studies which define the region today. These include the territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas, the North Korean nuclear issue, Japan’s turn away from pacificism, Cross-Straits relations (China and Taiwan), and the past, present, and future of US involvement and military bases in the region.
The course is based on the student's active participation, and will enable students to develop their ability to critically assess and develop theoretically-informed analyses of the dynamics of these cases.
This course aims to examine East and South-East Asian societies through the lens of the body, focusing on how the bodies of children, women, and families have been critical sites of politics and governance. The course situates body politics within broader regional and global contexts, and also emphasises the local particularities of how such politics are articulated and manifested. By engaging with topics ranging from military prostitution and transnational adoption to bereaved families’ safety movements and the entertainment and cosmetic surgery industries, students will gain insight into the vital role that the bodies of children, women, and families play in shaping and reshaping modern governance in East and South-East Asia. In addition to examining how governance operates, the course also explores how those subjected to governance respond, from maneuvering within systems to more direct forms of resistance. Through an exploration of governing practices and processes, this course will uncover the complexities of political membership in East and South-East Asia, revealing how these dynamics are entangled with intersecting lines of gender, race, class, disability, and sexuality.
The course examines international relations in East and Southeast Asia. Initially, the course covers the fundamental theories of international relations and then provides a brief historical overview, with an emphasis on the post-war period.
Subsequently, the course focuses on the following key regional issues: power rivalry, identity and historical memory, territorial disputes, and non-traditional security issues such as public diplomacy, “soft power,” and environmental and food security.
The primary focus of the course is a series of in-depth case studies that define the region today. These include the territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas, the North Korean nuclear issue, Japan’s shift away from pacifism, the relationship between China and Taiwan, and the past, present, and future involvement of the United States and its military bases in the region.
The course relies on active student participation, and students develop their ability to critically evaluate and develop theoretically informed analyses of these case studies and their dynamics.
Mandatory course
The course deals with methodological issues linked to the structure, design, and writing of a thesis for a master's degree in Asian Studies. The course covers different methodological approaches within the social sciences as well as specific research methods and related techniques.
From an organisational and methodological perspective, the purpose of the course is to develop skills in designing, planning, implementing, writing, and evaluating research on Asia. The course covers central methods for qualitative and quantitative research with associated techniques and during the course the student develops skills to effectively deal with and report data, findings, and conclusions.
Fourth semester
During the fourth semester, you concentrate entirely on your thesis. You collect material, possibly through fieldwork in Asia with the support of one of our partner universities, and you submit your thesis at the end of the semester.
The Master’s thesis is the culmination of the student’s work during the programme and should address social, cultural, political and/or economic issues in contemporary Asia. The work consists mainly of the student completing a study and collecting material, possibly in the region, and writing an independent thesis of 30 credits. The work is guided by a supervisor who provides constructive feedback on the basic structure of the study and during the course of the work. The length of the thesis should be approximately 15,000 words and have to be defended at a seminar.
The work consists mainly of the student completing a study and collecting material, possibly in the region, and writing an independent thesis of 30 högskolepoäng. The work is guided by a supervisor who provides constructive feedback on the basic structure of the study and during the course of the work.
The length of the thesis should be approximately 15,000 words and have to be defended at a seminar.
Academic Calendar
The official academic year at Lund University (autumn + spring) is divided into two semesters of 20 weeks each:
Spring semester 2025:
20 January 2025 – 8 June 2025
Autumn semester 2025:
1 September 2025 – 18 January 2026
Do fieldwork in Asia!
During the fourth semester you have the possibility to travel to Asia to carry out fieldwork and collect material for your master thesis
Student theses
Read theses by previous students