Dark Shadows at High Speeds: The Dramatic Changes in China Since 2000.

This set of four lectures explores what has happened in the last 25 years to China, a country seemingly destined to dominate the 21st century – and yet now increasingly proceeding under a cloud of economic, political, social, and foreign relations instability. Where is this great power going? How has this recent history reflected President Xi Jinping’s policies? How has US policy impacted China’s plans? Will uncertainty and decline make regional conflict more or less likely?  We will be examining key areas of change such as demography, real estate development, raw materials and energy acquisition, and industrial flight from China – all in a domestic political world tightly controlled by one man.