Introductory description

This module analyses the patterns and characteristics of political, economic and cultural change in Southeast Asia. It investigates common and competing understandings of economy-state-society relations in the region. After briefly reviewing the region's modern history, the module will look at a number of topical issues in the region such as the politics of financial development, markets/consumption cultures, people/mobilities and the emergence of new forms of regional cooperation.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Weekly Topics

1. Introduction: Southeast Asian transformations
2. Political economy meets Southeast Asia
3. Tracing economic change: peasant societies to hyperglobalisation
4. The state in Southeast Asia
5. The politics of financial development
6. Reading week – no classes
7. Consumption cultures
8. People and mobility
9. Regionalisation and ASEAN Economic Community
10. Southeast Asian futures

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the historical development of the political economy of the Southeast Asian region.
• Provide analytical accounts of the configuration of state-society relations in the Southeast Asia region and their impact on the economy.
• Demonstrate awareness of various economic flows - money, goods and people - and how they unfold and are governed in the Southeast Asia region.
• Critically assess past and current regional economic cooperation initiatives.

Indicative reading list

Alice D. Ba and Mark Beeson (2018) Contemporary Southeast Asia, 3rd edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Toby Carroll, Shahar Hameiri and Lee Jones (eds.) (2020) The Political Economy of Southeast Asia. Politics and Uneven Development under Hyperglobalisation, 4th edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Juanita Elias and Lena Rethel (eds.) (2016) The Everyday Political Economy of Southeast Asia, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Research element

Timed essay

Subject specific skills

Understand and explain the historical development of the political economy of Southeast Asia
Understand and explain the impact of globalisation on the political economy of Southeast Asia
Understand and explain key features of regional economic cooperation in Southeast Asia
Understand and explain key drivers of economic and political change in Southeast Asia

Transferable skills

Communication skills
Lateral thinking skills
Skills in the distillation and application of information and ideas
Critical thinking skills
Research skills
Problem solving skills
Time management skills