Event Details

Regional Security Architecture of the Past: Empires

Thursday, April 23 | 12:00 pm - 1:30pm
Roundtable to be held virtually via ZOOM

Featuring:
Dr. Randolph Ford
Adjunct Faculty, History
SUNY Albany

China often describes its central place in Asian history in terms of the rise and fall of dynastic empires. The scope and practices of empires have changed over time, but all have sought to expand through territorial conquest while mitigating the disruption of incorporating new identities into their society. Dr. Randolph B. Ford will join us to discuss how ancient Chinese empire used concepts of identity to consolidate power and how Chinese scholars today interpret that history to support political and societal goals. How does history live on in its modern interpretation? How does China view its place in the world, and for what does it expect to be recognized or emulated? What does identity have to do with political and security goals in East Asia, and how important are identity concepts to navigating great power competition today?

This discussion will build on themes from Dr. Ford’s forthcoming book, Rome, China, and the Barbarians: Ethnographic Traditions and the Transformation of Empires (available April 2020 from Cambridge University Press).

This event is part of a virtual roundtable series for emerging leaders in China and Korea studies on
Regional Security Architecture of the Asia Pacific: Past, Present and Future

To apply to participate in the roundtable series, please visit:
https://forms.gle/AwWpq2YmrCAf7udK6

For questions, please contact Sampson Oppedisano at sampson.oppedisano@ncafp.org