International Relations Concentration (MP2)

 

Concentration leader: Associate Professor Chey Hyoung-kyu

 

1. Goals

 

The IR Concentration aims to foster the development of future policy leaders through systematic and comprehensive training in the methods and approaches necessary for understanding and solving major contemporary challenges in the world. We welcome students with interests in international affairs, covering a variety of issues from security to political economy, as well as those who wish to analyze domestic politics and/or political economy in an individual country context or from a comparative perspective. 

 

2. Main subjects and methods

 

The major subjects that the IR Concentration covers include (but are not limited to) the following:

- Global governance in various issue areas, including security, economy and development

- International cooperation in various issue areas including security, economy and

  development.

- Regional cooperation in various issue areas including security, economy and

  development.

- Politics of international trade, international finance, foreign investment, development,

  etc.

- Foreign policies of diverse individual countries in various issue areas

  embracing security, economy and foreign aid.

- Cross-country comparison of domestic politics and political institutions

- Comparative political economy

- Domestic politics and/or political economy of diverse individual countries

 

Both qualitative and quantitative methods can be adopted for analyses.  

 

3. Requirements

 

To graduate, students must fulfill all requirements for the MP2 program, including successful completion of the Required Courses and Master’s theses. In addition, in order to cultivate an IR specialty students are strongly advised to take: 

 

(1) –     International Relations（Yamamoto)

 

(2)       at least one course from the following two courses:

     -      International Political Economy (Chey)

     –      International Security Studies (Michishita)

 

(3)      at least three courses from the following courses:

     –      International Relations in East Asia (Takagi)

     –      Comparative Development Studies of Asia (Kawano)

     –      Government and Politics in Japan (Masuyama)

     –      Japanese Foreign Policy (Kitaoka, Presselo)

     –      Military Operations, Strategy, and Policy (Hironaka)

     –      Comparative Politics (Takenaka)

     –      Structure and Process of Government (Horie)

     –      Politics of Global Money and Finance (Chey)

     –      Comparative Political Economy (Kanchoochat)

     –      International Relations in Europe (Iwama)

 

4. Research supervision

 

In writing a Master’s thesis, each student will be assigned a supervisor who will offer individual supervision. In addition, a collective form of supervision, such as research workshops and seminars, will be provided through the Policy Debate Seminars.  

 

 

5. Examples of past Master’s Theses

 

- China’s Economy Strategy toward Bangladesh
- Sister Cities in Japan-Southeast Asia Relations: Determinants and Contribution
  to Foreign Policy
- Breakdown of Semi-Democratic Regime: Case study of Regime Collapse in
  Burma (1962)
- China’s Health Diplomacy