Asian women are underrepresented in politics and governance despite notable gains exemplified by the rise of such prominent female leaders as Cory Aquino, Gloria Macapagal-arroyo, Aung San Suu Kyi, Megawati Soekarnoputri, and most recently Park Guen-hae. There is a prevailing perception that Asian women –especially those highly educated or from powerful families – can do well politically or even better than their male counterparts. In contrast, there is little understanding of how women strive and succeed as political leaders in the region. This course is to familiarize students with a broad range of issues involving women and politics, such as women’s political participation, the history of women’s movements, political divisions among women, and what we mean when we refer to “women’s issues.”