Successful completion of this course will provide the following learning outcomes:

A greater cognizance of the importance of East and Southeast Asia as a region in 
the everyday functioning of our society, and its crucial role in informing 
international policy and world foreign affairs

An ability to recognize the reciprocal interactions between Japan, Southeast Asia, 
and the United States, emphasizing their commonalities and differences as they 
affect development scenarios and past/future global environmental change

A basic understanding of physical and cultural patterns of Japan and Southeast 
Asia. 

An appreciation of the diversity of regional cultures and their linkages with 
economic development and forces of globalization.

An awareness of the dynamic nature of geopolitical systems, with emphasis on
historical and current democratic regimes and patterns of collaborative efforts
towards continental integration and sustainable development.


This course meets the following General Education Abilities by accomplishing the
specific learning objectives listed below:

Communicate effectively through writing.  This is met by a series of writing 
assignments associated with supplemental reading and data analysis.
 
Communicate effectively through speech.  This is met by oral presentations, 
discussion leading, and classroom participation.

Critical Thinking is central to the learning objectives of this class, and is
developed through homework assignments, lecture, classroom discussion, and inquiry-
based learning efforts.

Moral Reasoning (Ethics) is an important element of this course, as it explores 
the growing importance of East and Southeast Asia in world politics, economic 
development, and hemispheric well-being.  Moral reasoning is developed through 
lectures, writing assignments, classroom discussion, and inquiry-based learning 
activities.

The Physical Geography of East and Southeast Asia
The Peoples and Cultures of East and Southeast Asia
Japan:  Global Economic Powerhouse
Singapore and Malaysia:  Emerging Giants
Indonesia:  The Most Populous Islamic Nation
Burma or Myanmar:  A Troubled Polity
Thailand:  Tradition vs. Modern Culture
Vietnam:  Its Unique Place in Regional Culture
Laos and Cambodia:  Little Nation States
Urban and Industrial Forces in E/SE Asia
Rural and Agrarian Forces in E/SE Asia
The Future of the Region