Summer school: The Rise of China in Domestic, Regional and Global Contexts

Summer school on the changing roles and policies of China in the international system

Information about the course, admission criteria, application deadline, credits etc can be found here: https://polsci.ku.dk/uddannelser/summer_schools/#Courses

Introduction and objectives

The Rise of China is reshaping the regional and global distribution of economic, political and military power. What kind of world power will China be? This question and more generally questions about how to approach the Rise of China theoretically and politically are among the most debated in Western International Relations environments. How Chinese leaders use China's newly gained power in the coming years will have profound consequences for the rest of the world. Recent developments in Chinese international behaviour perceived as increasingly assertive and aggressive have further raised the stakes and the demand for well-informed analyses.

This summer school sets out to thoroughly analyse and discuss the changing roles and policies of China in the international system - what are the driving factors and dynamics, the main implications and challenges? Specific emphasis is on gaining insights and knowledge about how the Chinese perceive, discuss and decide on the changing responsibilities and policies of China in the international system.

Structure

The course is divided into four parts. The first part constitutes a general presentation of the course with focus on the background, objectives and expectations as well as a general introduction to China and China as an international actor. The first part also includes introduction to the ongoing debate about ‘how to study China', i.e. introduction to the main theoretical and historical approaches and arguments in the Western and Chinese academic debates on the Rise of China. In the second part the focus is on identifying the driving factors and dynamics behind the changing roles and policies of China in the international system. Understanding of the driving factors and the way they interact and exert influence is needed to comprehend the complexity behind the Rise of China on the world stage. The analysis is divided into three ‘levels' - the domestic sources (e.g. cultural, historical, ideological and political factors), regional sources (developments in economic, political and security relations with regional states and in the U.S. role and policy in the region) and global sources (unipolarity/change of polarity/end of global polarity, globalisation/global financial and governance crisis, multilateralism/unilateralism) of Chinese international behavior. The findings are investigated in more detail in the third part, where several case studies are conducted examining recent developments in Chinese international behavior on certain issues in the area of international economy, politics and security hereby specifying how the identified driving factors interact and influence Chinese international behavior. In the fourth and last part, focus returns to the overall questions of the driving factors and dynamics, the main implications and challenges related to the Rise of China for Chinese leaders as well as for the region and the U.S. Specific attention is given to the way the U.S. is trying to ‘manage' the Rise of China. The discussion also returns to the Western and Chinese academic debates on the Rise of China assessing the main theoretical and historical approaches and arguments.

Form

The summer school consists of lectures, class discussion, group work and exercises, student presentations and guest lectures. Students must participate actively in all lessons and hand in written assignments in order to pass. It is an intensive course, and all students are therefore strongly encouraged to prepare thoroughly before the course begins.

Requirements

Students are expected to have knowledge and understanding of theoretical concepts, insights and approaches from International Relations and Comparative Politics. Strong knowledge of Chinese history, politics and security is not required, but some basic knowledge is advised (see recommended readings below).

Qualifications acquired

Upon conclusion of the summer school, students will be able to conduct theoretically sophisticated and well-researched analyses and discussions related to the ongoing debate on the Rise of China and the role China will play in future world affairs. Also, students will become highly knowledgeable of important current developments and challenges in Chinese politics. Students will also develop valuable skills on how to write short policy reports based on theoretically-informed analyses of concrete cases and issues.

The use

Academically as well as professionally, the demand for students with comprehensive knowledge and understanding of developments in and around China and more generally speaking in Asia is growing. This is evident both within government institutions and private organizations and companies.

Readings

(full reading list - in total 1200 pages - will follow later)

Articles and parts of the following books:

  • David Shambaugh (ed.), Charting China's Future. Domestic and International Challenges, London and New York: Routledge, 2011
  • Brantly Womack (ed.), China's Rise in Historical Perspective, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010
  • Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy. An Introduction, London and New York: Routledge, 2009
  • Yong Deng, China's Struggle for Status: the Realignment of International Relations, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008
  • Avery Goldstein, Rising to the Challenge: China's Grand Strategy and International Security, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2005
  • Michael D. Swaine, America's Challenge. Engaging a Rising China in the Twenty-First Century, Washington D.C.: CEIP, 2011


The following books are recommended if no background in Chinese history, politics and security:

  • John King Fairbank & Merle Goldman, China: A New History, Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2006
  • Andrew Nathan & Robert Ross, The Great Wall and the Empty Fortress. China's search for security', New York: Norton, 1997
  • Kenneth Lieberthal, Governing China. From Revolution Through Reform, New York: Norton, 2004
  • Joseph Fewsmith (ed.), China Today, China Tomorrow. Domestic Politics, Economy, and Society, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010
  • David Shambaugh, China's Communist Party. Atrophy and Adaptation, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008
  • Yan Xuetong, Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011
  • David C. Kang, China Rising: Peace, Power and Order in East Asia, New York: Columbia University Press, 2007
  • Yong Deng & Fei-Ling Wang (eds.), China Rising. Power and Motivation in Chinese Foreign Policy, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005
  • Alastair Iain Johnston & Robert S. Ross (eds.). New Directions In the Study of China's Foreign Policy, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006
  • Aaron L. Friedberg, A Contest for Supremacy. China, America and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2011

Camilla T. N. Sørensen is Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen researching and teaching on Chinese and East Asian politics and security as well as on International Relations Theory. She has since 2010 been in Beijing affiliated as a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of International Studies, Peking University, where she is currently conducting a 1½ year research project "What kind of world power will China be? Answers from the Chinese debate".