Over the last decades, China has developed into an economic powerhouse. According to the theoretical predictions of offensive realism, China will almost certainly translate its economic power into military power and develop into a regional hegemon dominating Northeast Asia because hegemony is the best way for any state to guarantee its own survival. Further, offensive realism predicts that in response to the rise of China the United States will begin to contain China both economically and militarily in order to maintain its status as the world’s only superpower. In this seminar, we aim to assess these predictions by offensive realism empirically and theoretically. Moreover, we will draw on alternative approaches such as neoliberal institutionalism that provide alternative explanations of how China and the United States will behave in the future. The seminar will be organized as a research seminar, in which different student groups will conduct their own research projects over the course of the semester. The seminar is based on a book by John J. Mearsheimer entitled ”The Tragedy of Great Power Politics”. If you are interesting in attending this seminar, I strongly recommend to reading this book before the seminar starts.
Prüfungsleistung: According to the examination regulation.
Literature: John J. Mearsheimer (updated edition 2014): The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, W.W. Norton & Company, New York and London.
- Lehrende/r: Thomas Dietz
- Lehrende/r: Marius Dotzauer