China and Taiwan: Economics and Grand Strategy in Cross-Strait Relations

Commercial ties between Mainland China and Taiwan have grown dramatically in the last 30 years. This talk will examine these economic links within the larger political context of grand strategy as it plays out in the cross-strait relationship.

William Norris received his Ph.D in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he specialized in the confluence of economics and security with a particular focus on the role of economics in contemporary Chinese grand strategy. During the academic year, he is working on a book manuscript based on his dissertation entitled "Economic Statecraft: the Use of Commercial Actors in China's Grand Strategy." This work builds a middle-range theory of economic statecraft that provides both a micro-level theory explaining how states use firms to pursue their strategic goals as well as a macro-level theory explaining the conditions under which economic statecraft is likely to succeed. Will received an A.B. from Princeton University, summa cum laude, in 1999, and has spent significant time abroad studying Chinese and economics.

Dr. Norris holds office hours on Wednesdays, 2-4 pm, to meet with students and researchers. Contact him via e-mail to schedule a specific timeslot.