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Fall 2021 Reading Group

Engaging China

Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

This one unit course will examine the role that China has been playing in a world order in flux. Models of development, trade, and rights are among the areas likely to be addressed. We will consider, inter alia, China’s engagement of existing global norms, ways in which China may (or may not) now or in the foreseeable future be shaping such norms, and their impact on China. The intention is to hold three of our likely six 2-hour sessions of the class jointly with a comparable class at Renmin University of China, via electronic means — hence, our evening meeting times. Each session will cover a specific topic. In past years topics have included trade, law and development, legal education, the legal profession, corporate social responsibility, corporate governance, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, rights (through the prism of disability),  climate change and the roles of the US and China in Africa – with the precise configuration from among these to be determined closer to the start of the semester. We have each year done with a mock negotiation jointly with students from Renmin University School of Law and hope to do so again in AY 21-22.  

Note: This course will meet twice each month. Please note that after November 7th, we will need to meet from 8:15-10:15pm to accommodate our counterparts at Renmin (who will be joining us at 8:15-10:15am their time). Please direct any questions to Professor Alford.