Experts and the National Interest: The Curious Case of China and the US

Between 2016 and 2018, relations between the United States and China went from focusing on engagement to competition to something bordering on threat management. If you think that's because of President Trump...you're wrong. On this episode Mark talks China, foreign policy, and the role of experts with David McCourt, Associate Professor of Sociology at University of California, Davis. McCourt has studied the formation, evolution, and influence of the relatively small group of China 'experts' who guide China policy in the US and Europe. He and Mark talk about how this group operates, why their views change when they do, and what their inner workings can teach us about the future of US-China relations. You can watch David McCourt's recent talk at the Watson Institute here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdAK0rJUuvQ&feature=youtu.be]