East Asia in the World
MIT OpenCourseWare traces the relationships between China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Central Asia and the wider world from roughly 1500 to 2000. The course examines diplomatic, commercial, military, religious, and cultural exchanges alongside internal political and social developments, asking how these forces together shaped East Asian societies over five centuries. Primary attention goes to China and Japan, with material on how East Asians and foreigners perceived and misread one another across this long period of contact and conflict. Course materials include the syllabus, readings list, and assignments as published by MIT, following the standard OCW format of lecture topics and study questions rather than recorded video lectures. The course is free to study, with no certificate offered, consistent with MIT OpenCourseWare's model of publishing course materials for independent learners and educators.