Bachelor
2026/2027
Political Systems in Southeast Asia
Type:
Compulsory course (Southeast Asia: Languages, History, Cultures)
Delivered by:
Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
5 year, 1-3 module
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Alexey L. Ryabinin
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
52
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This course examines the political systems of Southeast Asian countries in the 20th and 21st centuries. It examines the 1932 revolution in Siam and the alternation of authoritarian and democratic political regimes in postwar Thailand. It also explores the anti-colonial struggles of the peoples of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as well as the various paths to the emergence of totalitarian (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) and authoritarian (Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines) political regimes. As the course examines these political systems, it will attempt to rank the "democratization" of Southeast Asian countries. The course will also analyze the various possibilities for democratic transition in Southeast Asian countries.
Learning Objectives
- The course aims to develop students’ understanding of the political development and transformation of Southeast Asian countries during the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will examine the emergence of authoritarian, totalitarian, and democratic regimes, compare different paths of political development, and assess the prospects for democratization in the region.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and explain the major political transformations and regime changes in Southeast Asia, analyze the factors that shaped different political systems, and compare the levels and paths of democratization across the region.
Course Contents
- Topic 1. Political Models of Asian States and Societies.
- Topic 2. Political System of Republic of Indonesia.
- Topic 3. Political System of Federation of Malaysia.
- Topic 4. Political System of Republic of Singapore.
- Topic 5. Political System of Republic of the Philippines.
- Topic 6. Models of Political Systems in the Countries of Indochina.
- Topic 7. Political System of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
- Topic 8. Political System of the Kingdom of Thailand.
- Topic 9. Political System of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
- Topic 10. Political System of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 2nd moduleЭкзамен * 0,6 + Накоп *0,4
- 2026/2027 3rd moduleЭкзамен * 0,6 + Накоп *0,4
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Eleonora Poli. (n.d.). Is the European Model Relevant for ASEAN? Http://Www.Iai.It/Sites/Default/Files/Iaiwp1413.Pdf.
- Emmers, R. (2012). ASEAN and the Institutionalization of East Asia. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=441166
- Haacke, J. (2002). ASEAN’s Diplomatic and Security Culture : Origins, Development and Prospects. Richmond: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=582124
- Party politics in Southeast Asia : clientelism and electoral competition in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, , 2013
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- The political economy of South-East Asia : an introduction, , 1999