Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

See the Conversations with History Blog See a webcast of this interview: Shirk See also the 2007 interview with Susan Shirk, "Domestic Politics and International Behavior: The Case of China and the U.S."

This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our guest today is Susan Shirk, who is a Professor at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at the University of California, San Diego. She is Director of Research at the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, and during the Clinton administration, Professor Shirk served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China.

1. Background ... influence of parents ... teachers and mentors ... education ... interest in politics ... study in Japan ... interest in Asia and then China ... .impact of the Vietnam War ... Lucien Pye ... the "conflict model" of learning
2. China ... first research: political behavior of Chinese high-schoolers ... .first trip to China ... meeting with Zhou Enlai ... impact of the Cultural Revolution ... Deng's reforms ... political reform ... impact of changes on Chinese friends
3. U.S. Policy Toward China ... tutorials for policymakers ... avoiding domestic politics ... being pragmatic ... domestic U.S. constraints on foreign policy ... consequences of sanctions ... conflict over Taiwan ... National Missile Defense and the problem of misperceptions ... consequences of 9/11
4. Lessons Learned ... contributing to the policy debates ... advice to students

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