Munk School of Global Affairs University of Toronto TRINITY COLLEGE

Contemporary Asian Studies

Contemporary Asian Studies (CAS) prepares students for new global dynamics, of which Asia’s rise over the past century is a key component. Several of the world’s largest economies are in Asia; indeed, the fastest growing economies are Asian and two of the top three largest are China and Japan, with India rapidly closing that gap. And yet, the outcomes of modernization in Asia more generally have been varied. Some are democratic, several are not; some societies are highly unequal and stratified while others are quite egalitarian in the distribution of income; some Asian countries are multi-ethnic while a few are ethnically homogenous; some governments have improved the balance of power and opportunity with respect to gender dynamics and socio-economic-political justice more generally, and others have resisted such trends; and some societies are quite open to liberal immigration regimes, while some countries’ borders remain relatively closed. The pathways to modernity in Asia are similarly varied. Several countries were European and Japanese colonies, while others were not; some countries had democracy imposed by external powers, while others evolved their democracies from within; some economies have continued to rely heavily on commodities exports, while several others have continually industrially upgraded; some adhere to the “Asian values” view, while several eschew this sort of cultural debate.

The CAS program provides students with the knowledge and analytical tools to dissect these outcomes and processes, to draw linkages between outcomes and processes while avoiding spurious connections. That CAS is multi-disciplinary in its delivery means that students are encouraged to engage in inter-disciplinary analysis of contemporary Asia. CAS graduates are particularly well-equipped to make significant contributions to academic research, policy studies and analysis, critical area studies, as well as practitioner-based professions such as government, industry and economy, and global civil society.