DIIPL 4601 Chinese Politics and United States - China Relations

The relationship between the United States and China is among the most important of the twenty-first century. This course will unpack, update, and explain the complexities of interactions between the two countries. It will be both historical and contemporary. Its thematic thrust will be more practical and policy-oriented than theoretical. Readings, lectures, and discussions will focus on the historical evolution of the relationship and major functional arenas of interaction between the two nations. This course aims to achieves the following objectives:1) Provide historical and domestic context, coupled with a factual foundation, to understand U.S.-China relations;2) Explore specific policy issues that either create conflict or foster cooperation between the two nations; and 3) Offer students the opportunity to write concise, policy-oriented analyses. By the end of the semester, students should be familiar with the key issues and debates central to the study of U.S.-China relations. Additionally, they should have developed the essential skills for conducting critical analyses of the U.S.-China relations and effectively conveying that analysis to both policy and academic communities

Global Health, Bioterrorism, and International Security

Global health issues have affected world history more extensively than most of us can imagine. As shown in the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel threatens transborder epidemics by transporting and spreading diseases globally at jet speed. The growing risk of exposure to infectious disease, coupled with the threat of intentional release of pathogens, creates a situation in which health and security are interacting with greater frequency and intensity. This development parallels efforts to redefine the concept of security to encompass new global challenges. This interdisciplinary course focuses on global health security by addressing the following questions: How did epidemics function as agents of historical change? What are the major linkages between health and security? Should new global health challenges such as non-communicable diseases be framed as problems that require response from the national security community? How does the securitization of health affect the governance of particular health problems? Conversely, how do the discussions and debates on health security transform our understanding of security as a concept? This interdisciplinary course focuses on global health security. It has four main content objectives: 1) to examine the historical impact of infectious disease; 2) to clarify the processes by which health problems function to threaten national or international security; 3) to assess the security implications of emerging global health challenges; and 4) to explore the pros and cons of securitizing global health challenges. By the end of the semester, students should have acquired knowledge and understanding of key concepts, theories, and debates involved in the study of global health security. Students should have also developed the skills to conduct analysis of global health issues and effectively communicate the analysis to the policy and academic community

Global Health Governance

The present global health crisis is not primarily one of disease, but of governance... . Ilona Kickbusch Public health challenges- pandemic flu, HIV & AIDS, COVID-19, obesity, neglected diseases, tobacco use, environmental degradation, and underperforming health systems- increasingly shape and are shaped by the political, economic, and social aspects of globalization. Meanwhile, international rules that fall outside the traditional health sphere- such as those governing intellectual property, agriculture, human migration, and greenhouse gas emissions- can have profound impacts on human health. While strong national health systems are critical for meeting population needs, the effects of and capacities to respond to a particular health threat often lie outside the control of any one nation state and outside the health sector. Translating lofty development goals into significant improvement in health outcomes depends on effective global health governance, which could be defined as the use of formal and informal institutions, rules, and processes by states, intergovernmental organizations, and nonstate actors to deal with challenges to health that require crossborder collective action. This course will examine the concepts, approaches and institutions of global health governance as well as the governance challenges of global health. It will address the following questions: What is the current institutional architecture of actors engaged in global health? How suitable are existing institutions for responding to the 21st century global health challenges? Which tools and mechanisms have succeeded or failed to govern trans-border health threats, and why? To what extent are the international relations theories relevant in accounting for the dynamics in global health governance? Where are the major governance gaps

Chinese Politics and United States - China Relations

No relationship will be as important to the twenty-first century as the one between the United States and China. This course will unpack, update and explain the complexities of interactions between the two countries. It will be both historical and contemporary. Its thematic thrust will be more practical and policy-oriented than theoretical. Readings, lectures, and discussions will focus on the historical evolution of the relationship and major functional arenas of interaction between the two nations. There are no formal prerequisites for this course other than a strong interest in China and U.S. diplomacy, and a willingness to do the assigned readings. Students with background in China studies, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations will be well served. This course has the following objectives: 1) To provide the historical and domestic context as well as the factual basis for understanding U.S.-China relations; 2) To explore the specific policy issues that create conflict, or foster cooperation, between the two nations; and 3) To provide the students the opportunity to write concise, policy-oriented analyses. By the end of the semester, students should have been familiar with key issues and debates involved in the study of U.S.- China relations. They should also have developed the essential skills to conduct critical analysis of the U.S.-China relations and to effectively communicate that analysis to the policy and academic community

United States-China Relations

No bilateral relationship will be as important to the twenty-first century as the one between the United States and China. This course will unpack, update and explain the complexities of interactions between the two countries. It will be both historical and contemporary. Its thematic thrust will be more practical and policy-oriented than theoretical. Readings, lectures, and discussions will focus on the historical evolution of the relationship and major functional arenas of interaction between the two nations