Elective Courses

Comparative Specialisation Electives

Students must do 3 comparative specialisation electives as part of the coursework requirements. Please see below for a list of suggested courses that students may consider.

Code Title Department/ Programme Description Units
CAS5660 Independent Study Comparative Asian Studies Independent research plays an important role in graduate education. The Independent Study course is designed to enable the student to explore an approved topic in Comparative Asian Studies. The student should approach his/her supervisor or appropriate faculty to draw up a course structure that gives a clear account of the topic, number of contact hours, assignments, evaluation, and other pertinent details. Head’s and/or Graduate Coordinator’s approval is required. Regular meetings and reports are expected. Evaluation is based on 100% Continuous Assessment. 4
CAS5880 Topics in Comparative Asian Studies I Comparative Asian Studies This course is designed to cover specialized topics in Comparative Asian Studies. The content of this course will vary according to the research interests and availability of the staff who may be a visiting professor. Students will be expected to attend lectures and seminars conducted by the staff. Written assignments and seminar presentations constitute part of the evaluation in this course. 4
CAS5880A Intersections and Comparison: Asia Observed Comparative Asian Studies This course explores historical and contemporary interconnections in Asia through scholarship’s use of comparative methods. Spanning across Asia, case studies are examined to understand the nature of regional interaction and how comparative approaches have been applied by scholars towards that project. Anchored by a range of seminal works, the course opens up broader discussions about the ways in which we compare our subjects including polities, religious traditions and cultural practices. As a result, this course seeks to re-evaluate comparison and intellectual interconnections across ‘Asia’ on a theoretical and methodological level. 4
CAS6880 Topics in Comparative Asian Studies II Comparative Asian Studies This course is designed to cover specialized topics in Comparative Asian Studies. The content of this course will vary according to the research interests and availability of the staff who may be a visiting professor. Students will be expected to attend lectures and seminars conducted by the staff. Written assignments and seminar presentations constitute part of the evaluation in this course. 4
CAS6102 Pan-Asianism and East Asian Integration Comparative Asian Studies This course provides students with a historical overview of ideas and practices related to East Asia regionalism. Beginning with early ideas of Asia and interactions between Japan, China, and Korea, the course goes on to examine the various ways regional integration has been conceived of and implemented over history. While comparative in nature, the course also offers a focused analysis of one comprehensive attempt at regional integration: Japanese Pan-Asianism. The course further examines in detail postwar and contemporary ideas of East Asian integration and the various ongoing attempts by multiple regional actors to facilitate working partnerships within the Asia Pacific. 4
CH6248 Studies In Sino-S.E. Asian Interactions Chinese Studies This course critically examines patterns and characteristics of socio-cultural interactions between China and Southeast Asia, focusing on the post-1945 era. It aims at providing students with critical capacities to analyse the changing configurations of contemporary Asia and their historical precedents. Topics include
cultural exchanges; Chinese new immigrants; transnational networks; the infusions of ideas about modernity and political transformation; literary influence of China and construction of
new cultural/political identities; and the role of ethnic Chinese in Sino-S.E. Asian diplomatic and economic relations. Target students are those interested in modern Asia and ethnic Chinese in the region.		 4
CSA6880 Topics In Cultural Studies In Asia Sociology This course is to be taught by an eminent visiting scholar in Cultural Studies in Asia, appointed as a visiting teaching fellow for one semester. The content of the course will therefore vary according to the specialised interests of the visiting teaching fellow.
Past visiting fellows include Associate Professor Maila Katrin Stivens, who was appointed the Visiting Associate Professor under the William Lim Siew Wai Fellowship for AY2010-2011 Semester 1. Her selected topic was titled 'Genders, Sexualities and Globalisation: Emerging Asian Perspectives'. For AY2011-2012 Semester 1, the visiting fellow was Professor Mike Featherstone, who was appointed under the Lim Chong Yah Professorship in Arts and Social Sciences. His selected topic was "Consumer Culture: Issues in Social and Cultural Theory".
For AY2014-2015 Semester 1, the visiting scholar is Prof Peter Van Der Veer.		 4
GE6222 Transnationalism And Society: Comparative Spaces Geography Transnationalism studies draw attention to social processes and relations that simultaneously transgress borders while remaining in some ways anchored on territorially defined spaces. This course examines the theoretical foundations, historical perspectives, methodological premises and innovative developments of transnationalism studies through empirically grounded analyses of transnational phenomenon. Topics offered may include but are not limited to transnational migration, institutional governance, socio‐political mobilisations, corporations, urbanism or popular culture and media. Comparative examples from Asia and beyond will be drawn upon to inform discussions. 4
HY5210 Approaches To Modern SE Asian History History This course is designed to introduce graduate students to the major themes and issues that make up the chronological field of Southeast Asian history; A comprehensive study of secondary literature for the period as well as seminal works in Anthropology and Political Science will prepare students with the necessary training before embarking on their own research projects. Topics covered will include: modernity/traditionalism, constructing chronologies, colonialism, nationalism, rebellion/resistance, nation-building, the Japanese in WWII, the role of the Army/Communists, post-colonial critiques, border tensions, migration, and religion. 4
HY5305 Approaches To World History History This course examines major themes, methodologies and scholarship in the rapidly developing field of world history. Depending on the instructor, the content of the course might
focus on specific topics such as immigration, trans-imperial trade, or frontier studies. As special emphasis is placed on the integration of particular regions into global systems and networks, this course will be especially useful for helping students to locate the significance of their own research in a larger context		 4
JS5202 Reading In Japanese Studies
Literature		 Japanese Studies This course provides a coverage of the secondary literature on the social sciences component of Japanese studies. Students will be exposed to the latest advances in the field focusing on selected themes. They are also expected to gain a firm grasp of the development of the field through the examination of major methodological and theoretical debates 4
JS5204 Contemporary Japanese Social Issues Japanese Studies This course examines important social issues in contemporary Japan from the socio-anthropological perspective. It aims to develop students' critical thinking and to provide them with an advanced knowledge of the theories and methods in the socio-anthropological study of such important and current topics as aging, poverty, gender inequality, education, and the environment in Japan. 4
JS6203 Readings In Japanese Literature & Culture Japanese Studies This course focuses on selected texts in the Japanese literary field (including literary texts and theories) and cultural history. Students are expected to conduct critical reading and analysis of the texts. The course emphasizes on training students in acquiring both a general understanding of scholarship in the field of literature and culture, as well as the critical perspectives necessary in doing original research. Sources in both English, Japanese and other relevant languages will be used. 4
MS5101 Social Science And Malay Studies Malay Studies This course explores the relevance and applicability of selected major theories in the social sciences for Malay Studies. As far
as possible the course aims at combining theoretical reflection with research materials on major aspects of Malay society and culture. The course encourages the exploration of creative methodology and theorising in Malay Studies research beyond mere exposition of social scientific theories. The course is highly
relevant for students interested in understanding the promises as well as the pitfalls of the social sciences in Southeast Asian research.		 4
NM5201 State And Civil Society In The Information Age Communications And New Media This course will expose students to advanced topics in state-society relationship and governance within the context of rapid changes in information and communication technologies (ICTs). It addresses how the notions of `community', 'citizenship', and 'democracy' have been changed by the creation of a transnational public sphere due to ICTs. The course will also address how the emergence of an informational economy changes the role of the state, especially in terms of preparing society for the challenges ahead. Works of John Urry, Manuel Castells, Bob Jessop, Frank Webster and David Lyon, among others, will be discussed and critiqued 4
NM5209 Interactive Media Arts Communications And New Media This course will cover major artistic threads, such as networked art, that involve large numbers of geographically distributed participants, large-scale public works as well as virtual and augmented reality works that blur the distinction between real-world and synthetic information. The course will focus on interactive works where media consumers participate in creating their own artistic experience. It will also cover the historical development of ideas, put them into a social context and examine contemporary critical reflections about art. The course will culminate in the study of several works by some of the most important emerging new media artists. 4
NM6211 Political Communication Communications And New Media This course is an advanced introduction to theory and research in political communication. It explores important theoretical developments and debates in the field of political communication, which include, but are not limited to deliberation, public opinion, political participation, and topics more directly related to new media technologies. The purpose of this course is to aid students in developing theoretical insights and prepare them to effectively and efficiently navigate through the broad research literature on political communication. 4
PH5420 Advanced Political Philosophy Philosophy This course invites students to engage in normative thinking about a range of issues related to politics, most of which have to do with questions about the legitimate exercise of political power. We will consider liberal views of political legitimacy and various criticisms of these views. These debates concern issues such as liberty, equality, moral values, and rights. 4
PS5313 Seminar On State And Society Political Science Every state tries to govern effectively and to win popular compliance with its rule. Why are some states more successful than others in achieving this paramount
objective? This seminar explores some answers to this question through intensive reading and discussion of some major works in comparative politics.		 4
PS5314 Seminar In International Relations Political Science This is a core course in international relations which also challenges post-graduate students to begin original research in the subfield. Masters and Ph.D. students who specialise in international relations will be required to read this course. The course will introduce to students important and influential theories on international relations, including realism and liberalism, that attempt to explain cooperation and conflict among nations. Students will also be exposed to some of the important methods of analysis - such as case studies, formal modeling, and statistical analysis - that help distinguish the current study of international relations from that of previous eras. Important approaches, such as constructivism and rational choice, will also be discussed. Under the instructor's guidance, students will undertake an academic-quality presentation to the class and write a paper which proposes in detail an original research project in international relations. 4
PS6402 International Conflict And Security Political Science The main emphasis of the course will be to explore major theoretical concerns in international conflict. The connection between basic theories about the nature, determinants and dynamics of international conflict will be analyzed. Protracted conflicts like the ones in the Middle East, South Asia and Northeast Asia will be studied in depth. Conflict termination strategies and the role of track two diplomacy and third party mediation will also be explained. The seminar will also discuss other non-traditional security issues, including environmental protection, terrorism, and migration, in light of theories on conflict resolution and cross-country cooperation. Students interested in International Relations are encouraged to take this course. 4
SC6212 Global Transformations Sociology This seminar will examine the complexities and the challenges to global social order and peace. With global transformation and the emergence of an interdependent world society, there has been a proliferation of risks. From ecological crises to the intensification of poverty, social inequality and social exclusion to the conflicts and violence on ethnic and religious lines have made the world a risky place. Theories of globalization will be applied to examine the social contexts and consequences of these crises, risks and violence. Globalization will be viewed as a complex process of cultural clashes intersecting with modern economy and polity. Using an inter-disciplinary framework, the seminar will explore the possibilities of minimizing risks and violence in a new global social order. 4
SC6214 Gender, Culture And Society Sociology This is a very advanced course which explores various societal domains in which gender plays a definitive role in structuring the way men and women interact, how it constrains or facilitates opportunities. The emphasis is on making sense of the production and reproduction of gender, gender inequalities and gender politics across a range of societal domains, its institutions and cultural practices ? using insights from micro-sociological and macro-sociological theoretical perspectives. It is crucial to adopt a critical approach towards the intellectual (including sociological) approach to theorizing gender, and the role of feminist theoretical positions in shifting the discourse and effecting concrete changes. The overall aim is to generate amongst students sophisticated and nuanced sociological understandings of how gender is understood in contemporary society, and how it intersects and interacts with race, class, political ideologies and sexuality. 4
SC6230 Institutional Varieties And Asian Capitalisms Sociology This course explores distinctive institutional arrangements in Asian capitalism(s). The course is composed of three parts. The first part reviews foundational studies in comparative capitalism and economic sociology. The second part covers institutional varieties of Asian capitalism such as developmental states, business groups, social networks, and value systems. The last part provides case studies of key capitalist economies in the region. Towards the end of the course, students will assess the relevance and the limitations of existing
theories, which have been established based primarily on Western experiences, in explaining the unique characteristics and the internal diversity of capitalisms in Asia.		 4
SE5151 Approaches To The Study Of Southeast Asia Southeast Asian Studies Important contributions to the study of Southeast Asia in fields as diverse as archaeology and history, ethnography and anthropology, economics and political economy, and sociology and geography are surveyed in this course.  It seeks both to familiarize students with the contributions of these disciplines to various contemporary and historical understandings of the region and with the assumptions and interests inherent in those understandings.  The course is required of all Master's (coursework and research) students in their first year of enrolment. 4

Free Electives

Students are to choose at least 2 courses drawn from a “free elective” basket of existing graduate courses offered by other departments/programmes in the faculty:

Where appropriate and with the approval of the Programme Convenor and the faculty/school concerned, candidates may also take relevant graduate courses in other faculties/schools such as:

Please refer to the websites of the relevant departments/programmes/faculties/schools for courses offered in any particular semester.

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