East Asia and the Modern International Order

From Imperialism to the Cold War

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This crucial interdisciplinary work brings together historians and international relations specialists to re-examine fourteen events in twentieth-century East Asia that shaped world and regional politics. In a series of case studies framed by conceptual essays the authors examine key moments and their wider significance, including the Chinese Exclusion Acts in the United States; the Japanese racial equality proposal at the Versailles conference of 1919; anti-colonial movements in Southeast Asia before 1945; and the changing nature of sovereignty in the Pacific Islands. The authors decenter the Cold War in Asia away from American and European perspectives and examine how countries in the region positioned themselves given distinctive domestic coalitions. These historical examples demonstrate the unique East Asian experience of war, empire, and political independeence, shedding valuable light on contemporary international relations and the challenges faced in Asia-Pacific today.

• Brings together interdisciplinary research on key events from twentieth-century East Asian history
• Highlights the wider significance of historical examples from East and Southeast Asia to inform the study of contemporary international relations, including issues raised by China's rapid rise
• Accessible to scholars of both history and international relations