East Asia has become more dangerous than ever with heightened geopolitical rivalry between the US and China, and US policy rebalancing toward the Indo-Pacific. This is the region with the largest number of nuclear states, unsettled border disputes, and contested waterway in South China Sea, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait. At the same, East Asia is a dynamic region of great importance by virtue of its population size, and economic dynamism. The impact of the region’s international relations is felt not only by the countries geographically located in the region but also by the rest of the world. The region is characterized by diversity in terms of historical, civilizational, and ethno-cultural backgrounds, political systems, levels of economic development, and foreign relations, as well as global impact, making regional relations very complex and sometimes very difficult, for major powers and smaller powers alike.

This global course will include three components:

1) The pre-departure sessions (meet once a week) will prepare students with the necessary background knowledge, including past conflict transformation initiatives, and research skills training before their immersive experience, followed by

2) an immersive field experience from March 14 to 22, 2026. This experience offers academic engagement, policy insights and cultural immersion.

3) A post-trip research and writing. Each group of students will meet with professor to process the information collected during the trip, analyze and write a final research paper.

Paper presentation will be open to the Middlebury community at the end of spring semester 2026 so that what the students learn can be shared more broadly.