East Asian Studies

Overview

Having been established over 50 years ago, Edinburgh’s expertise in this area supports both in-depth and diversified, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research on the political, cultural and economic factors shaping international relations in the East Asian region and, comparatively, across the globe.

Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors. We have particular strengths in:

• ancient philosophy and religion
• the comparative politics of East Asia
• classical and modern literature
• East Asian media and films
• imperialism
• colonial rule and decolonisation
• political and economic transformation

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between languages and/or disciplines, including comparative literature, film studies, and translation studies.

Over the course of the East Asian Studies programme at The University of Edinburgh, you’ll be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of between 70,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

Facilities

Based in the Main University Library, the Centre for Research Collections is unique in the UK, bringing together a collection of more than 400,000 rare books (including Chengtze's 1440 Book of Changes), six kilometres of archives and manuscripts, and the University’s collections of art, historical musical instruments and other objects.

Notable collections include the East Asian Studies Collection of some 50,000 print and digital resources, including a dedicated Korea Collection supported by the Korea Foundation.