Pristupačnost
Autumn School on Political, Economic and Security Aspects of East Asia
Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
During the academic year 2026/20267 winter semester, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb will organize the Autumn School on Political, Economic and Security Aspects of East Asia. The aim of this Autumn School is to provide students a broad knowledge base concerning political, economic, and security issues in various East Asian countries, namely China, Japan, South and North Korea, and Taiwan. The School will enhance the information and knowledge about political history of East Asia, its political and economic development, and regional security challenges among the students of political science and journalism. It is the first interdisciplinary school dedicated to the issues of politics, history, economy, international relations, diplomacy, and security of East Asia in Croatia.
The Autumn School shall include three modules of 20 teaching hours, with subjects covering political history, political economy and politics, security and diplomacy of the East Asia region. Each module shall be taught within the frame of one week (Monday to Friday: 17:00 to 20:00) and shall be divided in 10 hours of lecture and 10 hours of discussion. The Autumn School starts on 26 October 2026.
The School is offered to undergraduate and graduate students but also to exchange students studying at the Faculty of Political Science, as well as to students attending the University of Zagreb. Students who successfully complete the School and fulfill all requirements (class attendance, assigned literature reading, and submitting short essays or delivering oral presentations) shall be nominated for 5 ECTS points. The Course Convenors will provide literature for the students.
Teaching modules
The first module (26-30 October 2026) will cover the topics of politics and economy of East Asia. The course convenor of this module is Dr. Frank Cheng-Shan Liu, Professor at the Institute of Political Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Republic of China (Taiwan).
Topics covered by this module are:
1. Political history and democratization
2. Identity politics
3. Taiwan’s economy and its connections to East Asia
4. Generational politics in Taiwan
5. Taiwan’s strategic position and possible future pathways amid U.S.-China competition
The second module (16-20 November 2026) will cover the topics of political history of East Asia. The course convenor of this module is Dr. Dario Kuntić, Assistant Professor, Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb.
Topics covered by this module are:
1. The age of Western imperialism in East Asia
2. The fall of Qing Empire, founding of the Republic of China, and the Chinese Civil War
3. The rise and fall of Imperial Japan
4. East Asia in the Cold War
5. Changing Asian international order in the post-Cold War era
The third module (14-18 December 2026) will address the issue of politics and political systems of Taiwan and North Korea. The course convenor of this module is Dr. Davor Boban, Full Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb.
Topical issues covered by this module are:
1. Taiwanese political system under KMT’s autocracy
2. Democratization of Taiwan and the new political system
3. Cross-strait relations: China and Taiwan
4. Political system and history of North Korea
5. North Korean nuclear program and relations with the great powers
Applications are open until 21 October 2026! Please send your letter of motivation to Dr. Dario Kuntić at: dkuntic@yahoo.com.
