Asian Studies: Civil Society, Movements, and Politics in Contemporary East and Southeast Asia

This master’s-level course offers an interdisciplinary perspective, linking Asia-focused Area Studies with Social Movement Studies. It examines the development of social movements across Asia and critically analyses concepts such as civil society, activism, and political change.

You will engage with theoretical frameworks on social mobilisation and collective action, applying them to diverse Asian contexts, particularly in illiberal or semi-democratic settings. The course explores how social actors emerge, negotiate power structures, and resist political control. Case studies – from street protests to digital activism – illustrate the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary movements. Lectures, seminars, and film screenings provide a critical lens on how social movements interact with political regimes and social structures.

Key topics include human rights, environmental activism, youth movements, collective memory, new social movements, and authoritarian dynamics. You will work with perspectives such as resource mobilisation, political process theory, transnational activism, and everyday resistance to understand movements in East and Southeast Asia.

The teaching combines lectures, film screenings, and interactive seminars where you present and discuss your analyses. Active participation in the seminars is compulsory. The assessment is based on a seminar assignment (2.5 credits) and an on-campus written exam (5 credits). 

This course is ideal for students with a background in social sciences or the humanities who want to deepen their understanding of civil society and social movements in Asia. It suits those considering careers in international organisations, NGOs, policy analysis, journalism, or research. You will develop analytical and critical skills that are highly relevant for roles involving global affairs, advocacy, and development work. The course also provides a strong foundation for further studies on the master’s or doctoral level in Asian Studies, political science, sociology, or related fields.

Prerequisites

To be admitted to the course, the student must have a degree of Bachelor in social sciences or humanities and English 6 A general exemption from the requirement of proficiency in Swedish is applied

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

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 16,875
First payment: SEK 16,875

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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.