China Studies and International Relations（CSIR）
China Studies and International Relations（CSIR）
The international order is currently undergoing a major transformation. Perceptions of values and interests shared by the international community are changing, and the rules of the game, such as norms and institutions of the international community, are becoming unstable. Because Japanese society has enjoyed peace and prosperity within the existing international order, it is necessary to be sensitive to these changes, calmly analyze the current situation, formulate countermeasures, and disseminate and implement them.
China, the subject of our seminar's research, is a major actor driving changes in the international order. China is a huge player that is no longer allowed to rest on its laurels and play with arbitrary images of itself. The increase in China's national power, accompanied by rapid economic growth, has changed the distribution of power in the international community and has had a profound impact on the dynamics of international politics.
The purpose of our seminar is to try to understand the characteristics of the mechanisms of Chinese politics and the social context that gives rise to them, and to deepen our understanding of contemporary Chinese political diplomacy. Furthermore, our seminar will provide insights into "how to deal with China" and clues for the future of international politics.
Our seminar will address another important research question. We will try to understand authoritarian politics. Authoritarianism is on the rise and democracy is in retreat. In the past, authoritarian politics was always viewed as unstable, while liberal democratic politics was seen as a necessary condition for a nation's economic development and stability. China, however, presents a different reality from this view. Why has Chinese politics maintained one-party rule? Why has Chinese society accepted one-party rule? Through the study of China, we should be able to obtain clues for understanding the politics of authoritarian states, which account for more than half of the world's population, and international politics, in which authoritarian states are rapidly expanding their influence.
In our seminar, we will (1) deepen our understanding of contemporary Chinese political diplomacy and (2) obtain clues to understanding authoritarian states. We will discuss contemporary Chinese politics and comparative political science literature materials to build the intellectual foundation necessary for a systematic understanding of Chinese politics, authoritarian politics, and international politics.
Our seminar is a place to provide the intellectual training necessary to analyze and disseminate knowledge and systematic understanding of Chinese politics, authoritarian politics, and international politics, which is necessary for Japanese society and for you to play an active role in the international community, using Chinese politics and diplomacy as the subject matter.