Jaw-Jaw
Winston Churchill once said, "To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war." Brad Carson, a former senior defense official and congressman, hosts 'Jaw-Jaw' -- an interview series on the world's greatest geopolitical challenges. Each season focuses on a different challenge and features interviews with the top thinkers and leaders working on that challenge. Our first season is on China. This podcast is brought to you by War on the Rocks (https://warontherocks.com).
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A Look at the PLA's History of Planning for War with Taylor Fravel
06/11/2019
A Look at the PLA's History of Planning for War with Taylor Fravel
How does China think about the nature of war? How has China’s conception of war changed over time? What are “military guidelines” in Chinese statecraft and what leads the Chinese leadership to develop new ones? These and other questions are discussed in the latest episode of Jaw-Jaw, where Professor Taylor Fravel discusses his recent book . Biographies Taylor Fravel is the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science and member of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Taylor is a graduate of Middlebury College and Stanford University, where he received his PhD. He currently serves on the editorial boards of the International Studies Quarterly, Security Studies, Journal of Strategic Studies, and the China Quarterly, and is a member of the board of directors for the National Committee on U.S. - China Relations. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Maritime Awareness Project. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links National Defense University, "," (2019) David Edelstein, "," (Cornell University Press, 2017) Carl Minzner, "," (Oxford University Press, 2018)
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Peter Mattis on the Intentions of the Chinese Communist Party
05/28/2019
Peter Mattis on the Intentions of the Chinese Communist Party
What threat does a revisionist China pose to the United States and democratically minded states around the world? Where should we look to find out the intentions of the Chinese Communist Party? If left unchecked, will China export its illiberal form of government? These and other questions are explored in this week’s episode of Jaw-Jaw. For a full transcript of this interview, click . Biographies Peter Mattis is a Research Fellow in China Studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and a contributing editor at War on the Rocks. He was a Fellow in the China Program at The Jamestown Foundation, where he also served as editor of the foundation’s China Brief, a biweekly electronic journal on greater China, from 2011 to 2013. He previously worked as an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency for four years. Prior to entering government service, Mr. Mattis worked as a research associate at the National Bureau of Asian Research in its Strategic Asia and Northeast Asian Studies programs, providing research assistance and editing support. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links Elizabeth Economy, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Jonathan Ward, , (Atlas Publishing and Media Company, 2019) Adam Brookes, , (Redhook, 2014) Adam Brookes, , (Redhook, 2015) Adam Brookes, , (Sphere, 2017)
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Minxin Pei Predicts a Cold War Lite Between the U.S. and China
05/14/2019
Minxin Pei Predicts a Cold War Lite Between the U.S. and China
The United States and China are headed for a “cold war lite,” says Minxin Pei. What does this exactly mean? And what threat does China present to the U.S. that would necessitate such a confrontational posture? Can China transition to a less export-driven economy or will its growth inevitably slow? What are the root causes of corruption in China? Is Xi’s anti-corruption campaign successful? These and other questions are explored in this week’s episode of Jaw-Jaw. If you'd like a transcript of this episode, please click . Biographies is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College. His research has been published in Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, the National Interest, Modern China, China Quarterly, Journal of Democracy, and his op-eds have appeared in the Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek International, and International Herald Tribune, and other major newspapers. Professor Pei is the author of (2016); (2006); and (1994). Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama Administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links Liz Economy, , (Oxford University Press, May 2018) Nicholas Lardy, , (Peterson Institute for International Economics, January 2019) Minxin Pei, , (Harvard University Press, March 2006)
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When it Comes to China, America Doth Protest Too Much, David Kang Thinks
04/30/2019
When it Comes to China, America Doth Protest Too Much, David Kang Thinks
Is East Asia balancing against a rising China? No way, says David Kang. Is China’s island-building a unique provocation? Not at all, says Kang. Does the world have anything to fear from a powerful China? Not really, and, indeed, a weak China is the greater threat to world order. Listen to the “unconventional perspective” of Professor David Kang in the latest episode of Jaw-Jaw. If you'd like to read a transcript click . Biographies is Maria Crutcher Professor in International Relations, Business and East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California, with appointments in both the School of International Relations and the Marshall School of Business. At USC, he is also director of the Korean Studies Institute. Kang’s latest book is (Cambridge University Press, 2017). He is also author of (Columbia University Press, 2010); (Columbia University Press, 2007); and (Cambridge University Press, 2002). is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the . He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama Administration. He welcomes comments at . Links Brad Glosserman, , (Georgetown University Press 2019) Michael Green, , (Columbia University Press 2017) Victor Cha, , (Princeton University Press 2016)
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Melanie Hart on Finding Common Ground, While Competing with China
04/16/2019
Melanie Hart on Finding Common Ground, While Competing with China
What is China’s vision of a reformed system of global governance? And how can the United States and China find common ground, while still competing with one another? How can the United States limit China’s ambitions, and what is the best way to prevail in this international rivalry? These questions – and many more – are addressed in the new episode of Jaw-Jaw! If you'd like a transcript of this episode, please click . Biographies is a senior fellow and director for China Policy at the . Dr. Hart’s research focuses primarily on China’s domestic political trends, U.S.-China trade and investment, Chinese foreign policy engagement in Asia, and U.S. foreign policy toward China. She founded and leads multiple U.S.-China Track II dialogue programs at CAP and frequently advises senior U.S. political leaders on China policy issues. She has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego and a B.A. from Texas A&M University. Most recently, she has co-authored two reports on China, (February 2019) and (April 2019). Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at . Links Elizabeth Economy, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Susan Shirk, , (Oxford University Press, 2008)
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Aaron Friedberg on Asking the Right Questions About Chinese Ambitions
03/19/2019
Aaron Friedberg on Asking the Right Questions About Chinese Ambitions
What are China’s grand ambitions? Did the United States get China “wrong”? And what policies should the United States adopt against a newly assertive China? What Western strategists are on the Chinese Communist Party’s reading list? Professor Aaron Friedberg and Brad Carson discuss these issues and much more in the new episode of “Jaw-Jaw.” If you'd like to read a full transcript of the episode, click . Biographies is professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, where he has taught since 1987, and co-director of the . He is also a non-resident senior fellow at the and a senior advisor to the . Friedberg is the author of and , both published by Princeton University Press, and co-editor (with Richard Ellings) of three volumes in the National Bureau of Asian Research's annual "Strategic Asia" series. His third book, , was published in 2011 by W.W. Norton and has been translated into Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. His most recent monograph, was published in May 2014 as part of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Adelphi Paper series. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005 and was undersecretary of the Army and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel & readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at . Links James Mann, , (Penguin Book, 2008) Stewart Patterson, , (London Publishing Partnership, 2018) Lynne Olson, , (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008)
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The Geo-Economic Challenge of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
03/05/2019
The Geo-Economic Challenge of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
What exactly is China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)? What is the place of BRI in Xi Jinping’s foreign policy? What countries are involved in this massive project, and what is the likelihood that the grandest ambitions of BRI will be realized? Is China actually not a maritime power, but, rather, an aspiring continental power? Nadège Rolland and Brad Carson discuss these issues and much more in the new episode of “Jaw-Jaw.” If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Biographies is senior fellow for at . Her research focuses mainly on China’s foreign and defense policy and the changes in regional dynamics across Eurasia resulting from the rise of China. Before joining the National Bureau of Asian Research, Rolland was an analyst and senior adviser on Asian and Chinese strategic issues to the French Ministry of Defense (1994–2014). She is the author of the book (2017). Her articles have appeared in various publications, including the Washington Quarterly, Foreign Policy, the Diplomat, the Asian Open Forum, the Lowy Institute Interpreter, and Strategic Asia, and her commentary has been published by the Wall Street Journal, Libération, Les Echos, the Indian National Interest, Radio Free Asia, and BBC World Service. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was undersecretary of the army and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links Peter Frankopan, , (Vintage, 2016) Howard French, , (Knopf, 2017) Robert Van Gulik, , (University of Chicago Press, 2010)
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China's Great Power Disease
02/19/2019
China's Great Power Disease
How does the logic of strategy apply to China? Is China an "autistic" nation? How did the Obama Administration acquit itself on China policy (hint: not well!)? And why should you not bother reading any contemporary books on China? These and many more provocative questions form the basis of the new edition of Jaw-Jaw. If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Biographies Edward Luttwak is a political scientist known for his works on grand strategy, military history, and international relations. He is the author of a number of books, including Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace; The Rise of China and the Logic of Strategy; The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire; the Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire; and Coup d'Etat: A Practical Handbook. He provides consulting services to governments and international enterprises, including various branches of the U.S. government and the U.S. military. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005 and was undersecretary of the Army and acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at . Links Edward Luttwak, , (Belknap Press, 2012) , (Cambridge University Press, 2015)
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How Chinese Sharp Power Takes Aim at American Democracy
02/05/2019
How Chinese Sharp Power Takes Aim at American Democracy
As Chinese power grows, the Larry Diamond, the renowned scholar of democracy, breaks down Beijing’s efforts to direct “sharp power” against democratic institutions in the United States. The key battleground appears to be American educational institutions and China’s main instrument is its United Front Work Department, a critical part of the Communist Party apparatus that aims to enlist, coerce, and induce support for the party around the world. The department’s efforts involve intimidation of Chinese and ethnic Chinese students in the West, corrupting and non-transparent funding to universities, and more. Don’t miss this fascinating exploration of an important topic. If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Biographies Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. For more than six years, he directed FSI’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, where he now leads its Program on Arab Reform and Democracy and its Global Digital Policy Incubator. He is the founding co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and also serves as senior consultant at the International Forum for Democratic Studies of the National Endowment for Democracy. His research focuses on democratic trends and conditions around the world and on policies and reforms to defend and advance democracy. Under his leadership, the Hoover Institute recently released a major report, . Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005 and was undersecretary of the Army and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at . Links Larry Diamond, , (Penguin Press, 2019) Elizabeth Economy, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Clive Hamilton, , (Hardie Grant, 2018)
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How America Got China Wrong
01/22/2019
How America Got China Wrong
How did American analysts seem to get China so “wrong”? Why wasn’t there more of a debate until fairly recently inside the halls of power? What concerns drove the Obama administration’s China policy? What would a Chinese-led international order look like? Ely Ratner discusses these issues and many more in the fifth episode of “Jaw-Jaw.” If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Biographies is the former deputy national security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, and he currently is Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the . His extensive writings on China have been published in , , , and , among other outlets. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005 and was undersecretary of the Army and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links Liz Economy, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Thomas Wright, , (Yale University Press, 2017)
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Rethinking Our Assumptions About Chinese Aggression
01/08/2019
Rethinking Our Assumptions About Chinese Aggression
Is it possible that China, far from its recent reputation for assertiveness, is in fact a remarkably stable and reticent actor on the world stage? Is there any way that the United States can counteract China’s growing influence on international institutions? Should the United States extend security guarantees to countries like Vietnam? Lyle Goldstein discusses these issues and many more in the fourth episode of “Jaw-Jaw,” the newest addition to the War on the Rocks family of podcasts. Biographies is a research professor in the China Maritime Studies Institute at the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. A speaker of both Chinese and Russian, he writes frequently for The National Interest on national security issues. He is the author of (2015), among other works. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama Administration. He welcomes comments at . If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Links John Fairbank, , (Harvard University Press, 1983) Lyle Goldstein, , (Georgetown University Press, 2015) Richard McKenna, , (Naval Institute Press, 2001) Hugh White, , (Oxford University Press, 2013)
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Vicious Cycle: The Opening and Closing of Chinese Politics
12/11/2018
Vicious Cycle: The Opening and Closing of Chinese Politics
Over its history, the People’s Republic of China has cycled through softer and harder periods of authoritarianism. This is known in China as the “fang-shou cycle.” Today, we are seeing a harder period of Chinese politics. The country’s leader, Xi Jinping, is consolidating power and cracking down on both corruption and civil liberties. What does this mean for the future of China? What lessons did the Chinese Communist Party learn from the color revolutions and the fall of the Soviet Union? Can China avoid the “middle-income trap”? Professor David Shambaugh and Brad Carson discuss these issues in the third episode of “,” the newest addition to the War on the Rocks family of podcasts. If you'd like to read a full transcript of this episode, click . Biographies is a professor of political science and international affairs at The George Washington University, where he is also director of the university’s . The author of many books on China, his most recent include (Polity Press, 2016) and (Oxford University Press, 2013). Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005 and was undersecretary of the Army and acting undersecretary of defense for personnel & readiness in the Obama administration. He welcomes comments at [email protected]. Links Liz Economy, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Carl Minzner, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) Bruce Dickson, , (Oxford University Press, 2018) David Shambaugh, , (Polity, 2016)
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Will Xi's Third Revolution Last?
11/27/2018
Will Xi's Third Revolution Last?
What is Xi Jinping’s “revolution” in Chinese politics? How did he amass the power to enact his ambitious agenda? Is he in danger of being toppled? Or is he effectively a dictator for life? In the second episode of “Jaw-Jaw,” Liz Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations and our host Brad Carson discuss the future of China and its powerful leader, Xi Jinping. Please enjoy the newest addition to the War on the Rocks family of podcasts. If you’d like to read a full-transcript of this episode, click . Biographies is the C.V. Starr senior fellow and director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a distinguished visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. In June 2018, Dr. Economy was named one of the “10 Names That Matter on China Policy” by . Her most recent book is (2018). Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness in the Obama Administration. Feel free to write him at to share any feedback you have. Links Jung Chang, (Touchstone, 2003). David Shambaugh, (Oxford University Press, 2013). John Pomfret, (Picador, 2017).
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China is a Funny Sort of Revisionist Power — A Conversation with Dean Cheng
11/13/2018
China is a Funny Sort of Revisionist Power — A Conversation with Dean Cheng
What is the future of U.S.-Chinese relations? Will a rising China seek to overturn the U.S.-led international order? What is China doing inside the first island chain? In cyberspace? Orbital space? Is China more like Imperial Germany or is it more like France in the late 19th century? Dean Cheng and Brad Carson explore these questions and many more in the inaugural episode of “Jaw-Jaw,” the newest addition to the War on the Rocks family of podcasts. Dean even recommends some of his favorite books on China – which will be a regular “Jaw-Jaw” feature. You can read the . Biographies Dean Cheng is Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, at the Heritage Foundation. He specializes in China’s military and foreign policy, in particular China’s relationship with its Asian neighbors and with the United States. His most recent book is (2016). Cheng is a frequent media commentator on China-related issues. Brad Carson is a professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2005 and was Undersecretary of the Army and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Obama Administration. He welcomes comments at . Links Richard E. Nisbett, (Free Press, 2004). Alfred Wilhelm, (Diane Publishing Co., 1994). David Finkelstein and James Mulvenon (Eds), (Center for Naval Analyses, 2005)
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Jaw-Jaw: The Trailer
11/08/2018
Jaw-Jaw: The Trailer
Winston Churchill once remarked: "To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war." Brad Carson, a former senior defense official and congressman, hosts 'Jaw-Jaw' -- an interview series on the world's greatest geopolitical challenges. Each season focuses on a different challenge and features interviews with the top thinkers and leaders working on that challenge. Our first season is on China. This podcast is brought to you by War on the Rocks
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