Lectures on Taiwanese Public Opinion and Cross-Straits Relations
[Lecture 1] Economic Dependence, Political Leverage, and War
International relations scholarship argues both that trade leads to peace and that economic dependence can cause conflict. This talk offers a theory that reconciles these two conflicting positions. Under stable conditions high adjustment costs of losing trade while fighting discourages states from fighting. However, these same adjustment costs can increase the probability of war when there is growing economic dependence or a risk of disruption of trade. Professor Benson shows how dangerous dependencies existed for Japan prior to its attack on Southeast Asia in World War II and for Great Britain in the Opium War. Benson also discusses implications for Taiwan and China, as there are economic dependencies in both directions.
Date: 11/16 (Thur)
Time: 12:00 n.n – 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Room 271338, 13/F, South Wing, General Building, NCCU
Speaker: Professor Brett Benson (Associate Professor of Political Science and Asian Studies at Vanderbilt University)
Moderator: Prof. Lu-huei Chen(Chair of Political Science at NCCU & Reseacher Fellow of Election Study Center)
[Lecture 2] Can Implementing a Military Alliance Provoke War?
Military alliances combine the warfighting capabilities of members to produce enormous shifts in the distribution of power between countries. This enormous shift in relative power can countries concern when rival country makes a bid to join a powerful alliance. When will a country targeted by a new alliance use
armed conflict or other means to stop a rival alliance? In this talk, Prof Benson offers a theory about when the process of implementing an alliance can be dangerous and what countries do to avoid armed conflict. Benson discusses the war in Ukraine, examples from Chinese history, as well as the China-Taiwan dispute.
Date: 11/20 (Mon)
Time: 12:00 n.n – 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Room 271243, 12/F, South Wing, General Building, NCCU
Speaker: Professor Brett Benson (Associate Professor of Political Science and Asian Studies at Vanderbilt University)
Moderator: Prof. Lu-huei Chen(Chair of Political Science at NCCU & Reseacher Fellow of Election Study Center)
*Both lectures will be given in English, welcome all for signing up.
*Successful registrants will receive one complimentary meal.
