Asian Studies: Body Politics in East and South-East Asia

This course examines how the body has been a central site of power in various Asian societies. You’ll explore how ideas about gender, sexuality, race, disability, and the nation are imposed on the body, and how these ideas are challenged and redefined. 

The focus is on East and Southeast Asia, with examples from South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Topics include military prostitution, transnational adoption, population policies, LGBTQ+ activism, popular culture and more. 

You’ll draw on diverse fields, from gender studies, queer theory, and critical disability studies to anthropology, history, and sociology, to understand how power operates through bodies in everyday life, policy, and across borders. 

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

You’ll learn through a mix of lectures, seminars, presentations and film screenings. Seminars are small and interactive, giving you space to share ideas and learn from others. 
 
Active participation is expected and supported with regular feedback. The course encourages critical thinking and open discussion in a respectful setting. 
 
Assessment includes an oral presentation (1.5 credits), a short seminar paper (1.5 credits), and a final take-home exam (4.5 credits). 

This course is a strong choice if you're interested in power, resistance, and gender in Asian societies. It’s well suited for students considering careers in international development, human rights, journalism, cultural analysis or research. 
 
You’ll build skills in critical thinking, cultural awareness and interdisciplinary analysis, useful in roles across NGOs, policy, media and education. 
 
The course also prepares you for further study in Asian studies, gender studies, anthropology, history, or sociology. 

Prerequisites

Bachelor's degree in social sciences or humanities, and English 6. A general exemption from the requirement of proficiency in Swedish is applied.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 15,625
First payment: SEK 15,625

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.