Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - IS 314 D300

National, Regional, and International Politics in Southeast Asia (4)

Class Number: 3309

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Provides an overview of national and political issues in Southeast Asia. Surveying politics in individual countries and regional political institutions, focus is given to particular themes such as democratization and civil society, communism and other forms of authoritarianism, the role of the military, decentralization, religion and politics, the impact of China on the region, and security concerns.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course offers an anthropological introduction to the diversity of Southeast Asian politics and economy. Broadly focused on the nation-states that have emerged since the end of World War II (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar [Burma], Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), the course explores the benefits and limits of a regional perspective. By drawing on ethnographies of states and social institutions, the course will introduce students to Southeast Asian geography, history, belief systems, marriage and family, agriculture, industrialization and urbanization, politics and government, from the grounded perspectives of ordinary people. In addition to providing a broad and comparative survey of “traditional” Southeast Asia, the course will place special emphasis on the role of global powers such as China and the United States in shaping Southeast Asian modernization and development, highlighting the ways different Southeast Asian nations contend with the forces of globalization.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

After completing this course, students will have developed:

  • a foundational understanding of key concepts in Southeast Asian Studies
  • a critical assessment of some of the key social, economic, and political challenges that shape the lives of people in Southeast Asia
  • the capability to critically analyze media and scholarly discussions of the politics of Southeast Asia to discover their core arguments and underlying assumptions
  • the ability to articulate core themes and arguments of the course in the form of written work

Grading

  • Weekly reading responses 20%
  • Attendance and participation 20%
  • Case study essay 20%
  • Final exam 40%

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

All readings will be made available on-line.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.