A symposium in honor of Gerald L. Curtis, the Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University
Columbia University
Kellogg Center, Room 1501
420 West 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
December 17, 2015
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Please register here.
Tentative Schedule:
Welcome: 1:00 PM – 1:05 PM
Eugenia Lean, Director, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, and Associate Professor of Chinese History, Columbia University
Can Japan Compete?: 1:05 PM – 2:10 PM
Did the political reforms of the early 1990s enhance and strengthen Japanese democracy? Did they prompt a more open debate over policy options for the Japanese people? Have they had a beneficial effect on economic and security policies? Does Japan have the potential for significant economic and social reform? What institutional, cultural, and global forces will determine Japan’s future success in a changing world economy?
Moderator:
Frances Rosenbluth, Damon Wells Professor of Political Science, Yale University
Panel:
Peng Er Lam, Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore
Megumi Naoi, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California, San Diego
Takaaki Suzuki, Associate Professor of Political Science, Ohio University
A Return to Military Power?: 2:15 PM – 3:20 PM
What might a “normal” Japan look like in today’s Asia, where China is rising and the region is increasingly concerned about security and territorial disputes? How is postwar national identity changing, and what forces are shaping it? What are alternative liberal and conservative visions for Japanese security?
Moderator:
Sheila Smith, Senior Fellow for Japan Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Panel:
Takako Hikotani, Associate Professor, National Defense Academy of Japan
Akitoshi Miyashita, Professor of International Politics, Tokyo International University
Andrew Oros, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies, Washington College
Robert Uriu, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California, Irvine
Coffee Break: 3:20 PM – 3:35 PM
Japan’s Regional Relationships: 3:35 PM- 4:40 PM
What factors drive Japan’s attitudes toward and relationships with major security partners and rivals? And what factors influence other powers’ policies toward Japan? Are regional power dynamics moving in a direction that is adverse to Japan’s interests? How might Japan manage the major tensions that it faces in the region?
Moderator:
Bill Heinrich, U.S. Department of State
Panel:
Victor Cha, Senior Advisor and Korea Chair, CSIS; D.S. Song-KF Professor of Government, Georgetown University
Yongho Kim, Professor of International Relations, Yonsei University
Closing Comments: 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Gerald L. Curtis, Burgess Professor of Political Science, Columbia University
Program Concludes: 5:00 PM
Co-sponsored by the Columbia University Provost’s Office, the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, the Center on Japanese Economy and Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University, and the Political Science Department of Columbia University.
