NSPC Seminar: Power Transition and the Rise of China with Mike Tierney

Power Transition and the Rise of China

Is war between the United States and China inevitable? Our second seminar devoted to the causes of war will explore theories of power transition along with in-depth analysis of China’s global economic activities and objectives.

Based on the current trajectory, many analysts believe that war is not only possible, but likely. After all, 12 of the past 16 cases in which a rising power challenged a ruling power resulted in conflict. However, others believe this is a dangerous, self-fulfilling prophecy with potentially disastrous implications for Washington and Beijing.

The seminar will be led by Dr. Michael Tierney, Director of William & Mary’s Global Research Institute and a co-founder of the AidData project, which tracks Chinese investments overseas.

Participants will gain an understanding of the structural and economic forces driving great power competition with China. The event is open to all UVA students and local partners.

Speaker: Dr. Michael Tierney

George & Mary Hylton Professor of International Relations, College of William & Mary

Director, Global Research Institute (GRI)

Professor Tierney received a B.A. from William & Mary in 1987 and a Ph.D. from the University of California at San Diego in 2003. Professor Tierney teaches courses on International Organizations and International Development Policy. He is also Director of William & Mary’s Global Research Institute, and a PI on the TRIP Project and a co-founder of AidData. Professor Tierney is currently working on three projects. The first uses open source data to explain the allocation and effectiveness of foreign assistance from China. The second explores the impact of teaching and research in the university on the beliefs and behavior of practitioners. The third employs methods of participant observation to describe and experience the globalization of multi-grained beverages.