IR492      Half Unit
The Political Economy of China's Technological Rise

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Availability

This course examines the causes and consequences of China’s rise as an economic and technological great power over the past four decades. It provides a theoretically informed introduction to the political economy of contemporary China and to major debates surrounding China’s relations with the United States and its allies and partners. Topics covered include Chinese industrial and innovation policies, China’s capabilities in core technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, the prospects for U.S.-China economic decoupling, the risk of conflict over Taiwan, the future trajectory of China’s rise, and more.

China’s economic and technological rise may be the defining geopolitical event of the twenty-first century and, as such, will undoubtedly affect students’ future lives and careers regardless of whether they study or work on China-related issues. This course is highly relevant for students interested in careers in policy or business because it will give them a solid understanding of the main features of and issues facing China’s economy, as well as the impact of Chinese domestic and foreign economic policy choices on the future of the world economy. The course will also be of substantive interest to students interested in pursuing a career in academia or other research-oriented professions with a focus on China or international political economy.

15 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

A mock exam in the AT. The formative mock exam provides students with an opportunity to engage critically with key readings on course topics, and to receive constructive feedback to support their preparation for the summative e-Exam. 

• Farrell, Henry and Abraham Newman. 2019. “Weaponized Interdependence: How Global Economic Networks Shape State Coercion,” International Security, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 42-79
• Chen, Ling S. and Miles M. Evers. 2023. “Wars Without Gunsmoke: Global Supply Chains, Power Transitions, and Economic Statecraft,” International Security, pp. 164-204
• Tan, Yeling. 2021. Disaggregating China, Inc.: State Strategies in the Liberal Economic Order. Cornell University Press.
• Cheung, Tai Ming. 2022. Innovate to Dominate: The Rise of the Chinese Techno-Security State. Cornell University Press.
• Klein, Matthew C. and Michael Pettis. 2020. Trade Wars are Class Wars: How Rising Inequality Distorts the Global Economy and Threatens International Peace. Yale University Press.
• Naughton, Barry. 2021. The Rise of China's Industrial Policy, 1978-2020. Universidad Nacional Autónomica de México, Facultad de Economía.
• Wu, Mark. 2016. “The ‘China, Inc.’ Challenge to Global Trade Governance,” Harvard International Law Journal, Vol. 57, No. 20, pp. 261-324
• Miller, Chris. 2022. Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology. Scribner.

Exam (90%), duration: 120 Minutes in the January exam period

Course participation (10%)

The course participation mode of assessment with include in-class discussions and presentations in AT.