EVENTS

Middle powers are countries that lack the capabilities and autonomy of great powers but do not lack ambition. Historically, their role has depended on the skilful use of their assets, guided by clear norms of promoting the UN Charter of Human Rights and helping stabilize the power balances of the time. This has implied different levels of influence at different times. At the current time, which is an age of geopolitical rivalry, traditional middle powers have had to significantly curb their ambitions and have lost influence. Meanwhile, ambitious new middle powers have emerged with considerably more strategic autonomy than the traditional middle powers. The presentation will examine these issues and provide an assessment of the future role and utility of middle powers. The findings will be validated through a case study of the role of middle powers in a cross-strait conflict.

About the Speaker

Rafiq Dossani is a senior economist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He works on Asian development and security, trade, and technology issues. Recent projects include the equities of middle powers in the event of a cross-Strait conflict, China's AI exports, China's grand strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Track II diplomacy between the United States and China. Previously, Dossani was Director of Stanford University's Center for South Asia and a senior research scholar at Stanford University's Institute for International Studies. He holds a Ph.D. in finance from Northwestern University; an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta; and a B.A. in economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.

About the Chair

Sandip Kumar Mishra is a Professor in Korean Studies at the Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He is also an Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi and a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi. He obtained his doctoral degree in Korean Studies and International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He studied Korean Language at Yonsei University and Sogang University. He has published several research articles and book chapters, and features in newspapers such as Korea Times, Times of India, Indian Express, Financial Express, Pioneer, Tribune, and Statesman.

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