Paul Staniland, COSAS member and Professor of Political Science, has recently published an article in Foreign Affairs Magazine titled “The Myth of the Asian Swing State.”

In this article, Staniland rejects the theory that current great powers (India, U.S., Australia, and Japan) will compete against China for power in Asia similar to such occurrences during the Cold War. Drawing from recent events in Asian states, he describes the Cold War as metaphorically “dead,” and argues that “great power competition does not always drive China’s interactions with other Asian states.” This article also analyzes Washington’s policies, and urges policymakers to face “the potential tradeoffs between consolidating their core partners’ support and appealing to swing states.” Staniland asserts that “Washington must resist the urge to search for stable pro-American factions within Asian countries.”

Congratulations, Professor Staniland, on your publication!