Admission requirements
Completion of at least one 200-level course in the World Politics Major, ideally from the International Relations & Diplomacy track.
Description
This course aims to critically examine the key issues and processes related to China's politics and international relations. The primary focus is on developments since the end of the Cold War, with particular emphasis on China's economic and political rise and its multifaceted implications for international politics.
In the summer of 1989, protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square to demand greater political rights. The transformative changes brought about by the disintegration of the Soviet Union seemed to be taking root in China as well. However, hopes for political democratisation were swiftly extinguished when Deng Xiaoping decided to suppress the movement. Over the past three decades, the Chinese Communist Party has retained power and appears increasingly entrenched, laying the groundwork for China's emergence as a global power. Today, China is integrated into the global economy, becoming the world's second-largest economy, and plays an increasingly significant role in international politics. Nevertheless, numerous Western observers maintain that China's political system is inherently fragile and have long anticipated the collapse of the People's Republic of China. Western scholars, journalists, and analysts argue that the regime lacks legitimacy because it is not based on an electoral or democratic system. The unrest and protests in Tibet in 2008, Xinjiang in 2009, Hong Kong in 2014 and 2019, and the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 have, to some extent, corroborated their concerns about China's vulnerability. As Susan Shirk (2007) described, China is a ‘fragile superpower’.
Furthermore, many perceive China's rise as a threat. Foreign observers often worry that China's rapid development will destabilise the existing international order. Military and political tensions between China and Taiwan have the potential to undermine the stability of the Northeast Asian region, and historical animosity towards Japan persists. China continues its land reclamation activities on disputed islands in the South China Sea. Many Western countries, particularly the United States, are increasingly anxious about losing their preeminent status and are often more vocal than Chinese observers in proclaiming the imminent rise of a Chinese pole on the global power map. Today, with the rise of the Global South, global market instability, the widespread impact of the U.S.-China trade war on supply chains, the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ukraine conflict, the Gaza war, and more recently, the return of the D. Trump, the international political order may undergo significant reconfiguration. How precisely will the international order evolve? Are we transitioning from a U.S.-centric world order to a more China-centric world order, as Xi Jinping has suggested with the notion of ‘the East is rising and the West is declining’? If so, what are the implications of such a shift?
This course endeavours to integrate significant insights from International Relations (IR) and political theory to provide a sophisticated and nuanced analysis of China's ascent. The course is structured into three parts, encompassing twelve sessions in total.
The first part (Sessions 1, 2, 3, 4) offers an introduction to China's politics and international relations, covering its worldview, strategic thinking, and Chinese theories of international relations.
The second part (Sessions 5, 6, 7, 8) seeks to explore questions such as whether China's rise is a genuine phenomenon and what the defining characteristics of this rise are. It will critically examine China's hard and soft power, as well as the challenges contemporary China faces, including issues of stability and unity.
The third part (Sessions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) is designed to analyse China's foreign relations with various countries and regions around the world on diverse issues. The specific countries and regions discussed include Taiwan, Japan, Africa/Global South, the European Union, and the United States.
Course Objectives
In this course, students will learn valuable theoretical, methodological, and analytical skills, enabling them to interpret key issues in the politics and international relations of China. By the end of the course, each student is expected to develop the following skills:
Understanding of Chinese Politics and International Relations
Critically identify and discuss key issues surrounding the history and development of China’s politics and international relations.
A critical awareness of the key debates concerning the rise of China.
Knowledge of International Relations Theories and Its Applications
Critically reflect upon key theories and concepts of IR theories using a variety of case studies related to Chinese politics and international relations.
Apply conceptual tools to analyse key events and processes in Chinese politics and international relations.
Intellectual Skills
Demonstrate appropriate cognitive, communicative, and transferable skills, develop the capacity for independent learning, critique major texts on Chinese politics and international relations, and participate in class debates.
Display the confidence to present their arguments in relevant academic contexts (seminars, workshops, conferences) for specialists in IR of China.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2025-2026 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
The course is taught through two-hour seminars. During the seminars, students are expected to take part in both large and small group discussions, lead seminar discussions, present and defend their ideas within an academic setting, and take part in group projects. The role of the instructor is to ensure the efficient running of the discussion.
Assessment Method
Participation 15%
Presentations 15%
Book review 30%
Final research paper 40%
Reading list
There is no single textbook for this course. A given session of the course is based on three sets of readings.
‘Required readings’ provide the essential background to a given session; therefore, every participant must read them. This is a firm requirement, not a suggestion. Think of reading the required texts as the entry ticket to each session.
‘Recommended readings’ are highly and directly relevant to a given class and will help you tremendously get the most out of each session. The recommended readings are mandatory for those delivering a group presentation and optional for the rest of the class. It is important to your learning experience that you read widely around the topics, and these texts are a great way to start your independent exploration.
‘Further readings’ widen and deepen the core topic, establish links to other issues, and push the discussion further than we might be able to in a given session. They will be of interest if you want to study the topic further and prepare for your presentation and the other course assessments.
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Yih-Jye Hwang, y.c.huang@luc.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
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