East Asian Studies and Politics
East Asian Studies and Politics is a joint degree that brings together two disciplines with deep and growing relevance to the contemporary world. East Asia, encompassing countries such as China, Japan, Korea, and their neighbours, represents some of the most dynamic economies, complex histories, and influential cultural traditions on earth. Politics, meanwhile, trains you to analyse power, institutions, governance, and the forces that shape societies.
Together, these two fields create a programme that is far greater than the sum of its parts, equipping you to think rigorously about how region-specific knowledge and political theory illuminate each other.
Studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies, you will develop expertise in the languages, histories, philosophies, and contemporary affairs of East Asia alongside a grounding in political science. You will examine questions of state authority, international relations, nationalism, and democratisation through a regional lens, considering how concepts developed in Western political thought translate, adapt, or fail when applied to East Asian contexts. The programme includes a foundation year, giving you a thorough academic grounding before you proceed to degree-level study.
Your learning will draw on primary sources in translation, area studies scholarship, and political theory, encouraging you to move between close textual analysis and broad comparative argument. Small-group teaching at SOAS, a specialist institution with unrivalled depth in Asian and African studies, means you will engage with leading scholars in their fields.
Graduates of East Asian Studies and Politics follow a wide range of paths. Many enter careers in diplomacy, international relations, and the foreign service, where fluency in East Asian political and cultural contexts is highly valued. Others move into journalism, think-tank research, or policy work focused on Asia-Pacific affairs.
Business roles in trade, finance, and consultancy with an Asia focus are equally common. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in international relations, area studies, law, or public policy. Whatever direction you choose, the analytical rigour, cultural literacy, and geopolitical awareness developed on this degree provide a strong and versatile foundation.