Course: Contemporary Southeast Asia

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Course title Contemporary Southeast Asia
Course code ASI/CSA
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction English
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Arnez Monika, doc. Ph.D., M.A.
  • Kratochvíl František, M.A., Ph.D.
Course content
1) Air and water pollution, 2) Energy, 3) Resource Extraction, and 4) Climate change. In many Southeast Asian rivers the water is heavily polluted; large quantities of plastic waste end up in the sea. Air pollution caused by industrial and car exhaust fumes and burning down of forests for palm oil plantations has led to health problems in the population. ASEAN has set the target of gaining 23 percent of primary energy from renewable resources until 2025 but there are several challenges ahead due to high expenses and lacking infrastructure capacity, for example. Natural resources are extracted in several Southeast Asian countries to stimulate the economy. Examples are coal, tin, and sand mining. Rainforest had to make way for palm oil plantations. Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions of the world to the effects of climate change. Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines are among the most vulnerable countries to climate change worldwide. In this seminar we deal with the causes and consequences of environmental crises. We will also discuss what solutions exist to date for the respective issues. Students will read academic texts as well as NGO reports and newspaper articles. Audio and film material will also be used.

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified
Learning outcomes
This seminar is dedicated to environmental crises in Southeast Asia. It is open to both BA and MA students. It covers four main topics: 1) Air and water pollution, 2) Energy, 3) Resource Extraction, and 4) Climate change.
By the end of this class students will -demonstrate a good understanding of environmental crises in Southeast Asia -critically reflect on the four main topics of this class: air and water pollution, energy, resource extraction, and climate change -apply the insights gained to other cases in and beyond Southeast Asia -record the results of the critical thinking process in the form of a learning diary
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
1. active participation and contribution to the discussions in class 2. essay (3000 words)
Recommended literature


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Indonesian Studies (2022) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Indonesian Studies for Tourism (2019) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Indonesian Studies for Tourism (2023) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -