# Asian Studies: Social Movements in East and South-East Asia

**Source**: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/asian-studies-social-movements-in-east-and-south-east-asia-COSB45
**Parent**: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/university-glance/mission-vision-and-values/sustainability/sustainability-education-lund-university

Course • Bachelor's level • 7.5 credits

What do social movements look like in Asia today? From pop culture to political activism, this course explores how people across East and Southeast Asia stand up for change, negotiate power, and resist political pressures.

[Application dates](#nav-event-tab-1)

Start

Autumn 2025

Level

Bachelor's

Language

English

Place of study

Distance learning

Course code

COSB45

[Application dates](#)

- Overview
- Teaching and learning

## Overview

This course introduces you to social movements in East and South-East Asia. You will learn how people in the region organise around issues like human rights, gender equality, environmental concerns, and political freedom. You will also explore different types of activism, from youth protests and memory activism to digital campaigns and lifestyle movements.

By the end of the course, you will be able to explain how civil society works in Asia, how movements grow, and how people use different tools to make their voices heard. You will also gain insight into the challenges activists face, the obstacles that limit their ability to confront regimes, and the difficulties of achieving meaningful political transition. In addition, you will also learn how to compare movements across countries and understand their impact on society.

[How to apply
 ->](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/asian-studies-social-movements-in-east-and-south-east-asia-COSB45/how-to-apply)

### Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

[Syllabus (PDF, New window)](https://kursplaner.lu.se/pdf/kurs/en/COSB45)

### Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

[Course literature COSB45 (PDF, New tab)](https://kursplaner.lu.se/pdf/litteratur/senaste/en/COSB45)

## Teaching and learning

The course is taught online and includes recorded lectures, readings, film screenings, and interactive discussions. You will take part in three online seminars where you reflect on course materials and respond to your classmates’ ideas.

You will also have two optional Zoom sessions where you can ask questions and discuss the course with your teachers. All materials and activities are available on Canvas, the university’s learning platform.

You will be assessed through a final take-home paper. You choose your topic based on what interests you most, and use course readings and your own reflections to build your argument. The paper is worth 7.5 credits and is graded as Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction.

- Dates
- Requirements and selection
- Tuition fees

## Dates

### Applications for this course are currently closed.

You can find information about future application opportunities here.

## Requirements and selection

### Prerequisites

General entry requirements and at least 30 higher education credits. Oral and written language proficiency in English equivalent to English 6 from Swedish upper secondary school is a requirement. International qualifications will be assessed in accordance with national guidelines. A general exemption from the requirement of proficiency in Swedish is applied.

## Tuition fees

### 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](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/international-admissions/bachelors-masters-studies/applying-for-studies/tuition-fees)

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 14,375 \
First payment: SEK 14,375

[Convert currency – xe.com](https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=14375&From=SEK&To=EUR)

Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

[Application fee](https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/fees-scholarships-residence-permit/pay-your-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.

## Overview

This course introduces you to social movements in East and South-East Asia. You will learn how people in the region organise around issues like human rights, gender equality, environmental concerns, and political freedom. You will also explore different types of activism, from youth protests and memory activism to digital campaigns and lifestyle movements.

By the end of the course, you will be able to explain how civil society works in Asia, how movements grow, and how people use different tools to make their voices heard. You will also gain insight into the challenges activists face, the obstacles that limit their ability to confront regimes, and the difficulties of achieving meaningful political transition. In addition, you will also learn how to compare movements across countries and understand their impact on society.

[How to apply
 ->](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/asian-studies-social-movements-in-east-and-south-east-asia-COSB45/how-to-apply)

### Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

[Course literature COSB45 (PDF, New tab)](https://kursplaner.lu.se/pdf/litteratur/senaste/en/COSB45)

## Teaching and learning

The course is taught online and includes recorded lectures, readings, film screenings, and interactive discussions. You will take part in three online seminars where you reflect on course materials and respond to your classmates’ ideas.

You will also have two optional Zoom sessions where you can ask questions and discuss the course with your teachers. All materials and activities are available on Canvas, the university’s learning platform.

You will be assessed through a final take-home paper. You choose your topic based on what interests you most, and use course readings and your own reflections to build your argument. The paper is worth 7.5 credits and is graded as Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction.

## Dates

### Applications for this course are currently closed.

You can find information about future application opportunities here.

## Requirements and selection

### Prerequisites

General entry requirements and at least 30 higher education credits. Oral and written language proficiency in English equivalent to English 6 from Swedish upper secondary school is a requirement. International qualifications will be assessed in accordance with national guidelines. A general exemption from the requirement of proficiency in Swedish is applied.

## Tuition fees

### 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](https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/international-admissions/bachelors-masters-studies/applying-for-studies/tuition-fees)

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 14,375 \
First payment: SEK 14,375

[Convert currency – xe.com](https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=14375&From=SEK&To=EUR)

Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

[Application fee](https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/fees-scholarships-residence-permit/pay-your-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.

## Contact us

### Academic Advisor

Nina Brand

Email:
[nina.brand@ace.lu.se](mailto:nina.brand@ace.lu.se)

Phone: [+46 46 222 38 61](tel:+46 46 222 38 61)