The social media accounts of the spokespeople of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs attract tens of millions of views each day, making them practically celebrities. Championed in China but controversial overseas, figures such as Zhao Lijian and Hua Chunying have been dubbed ‘wolf warriors’. But what does this title mean? Does it represent a new school of diplomacy in Chinese foreign policy? And how are consumers responding?
Joining us to answer these questions is Professor Todd Hall, Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and Director of the University of Oxford China Centre.
- How should we understand China’s more assertive approach to diplomacy?
- What are the forms Chinese economic retaliation can take?
- How should UK companies interpret the consumer boycotts of March?
- Who is most vulnerable?
Speaker:
Professor Todd Hall, Oxford University
Prof Hall earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 2008 and has held postdoctoral fellowships at Princeton and Harvard, as well as visiting scholar appointments at the Free University of Berlin, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and the University of Tokyo. Prior to joining the University of Oxford, Prof Hall held the position of Assistant Professor in Political Science at the University of Toronto (2010-2013). Research interests extend to the areas of international relations theory; the intersection of emotion, affect, and foreign policy; and Chinese foreign policy. Recent publications include articles in International Organization, International Security, International Studies Quarterly, International Studies Review, Political Psychology, Political Science Quarterly, and Security Studies. Prof Hall has also published a book with Cornell University Press, titled Emotional Diplomacy: Official Emotion on the International Stage, which was recently named co-recipient of the International Studies Association's 2016 Diplomatic Studies Section Book Award.
