Pontbriand examines how political leaders have shaped America's most significant bilateral relationship through strategic narratives.Focusing on the Obama and Trump administrations, this book explores how US leaders perceived and narrated the relationship between information technology and interdependence, and how these narratives influenced foreign policy shifts and America's evolving relations with China. By blending international relations theory with narrative analysis, the book offers a deeper insight into how language and storytelling shape foreign policy decisions. The analysis reveals that the stories leaders tell about technology, interdependence, and American-Chinese relations significantly influence long-term strategic direction and policymaking. Through this lens, the book provides critical understanding of the discursive foundations underlying 21st-century great power politics.A valuable resource for scholars and students of international relations, international communication, strategic studies, and geopolitics as well as policymakers and professionals in the tech-security space.
Karine Pontbriand (Dr.) is a Lecturer in Cyber Security and Strategy, Centre for Future Defence and National Security, Deakin University, Australia and a member of the Montreal Institute for International Studies, Canada.
Contents Acknowledgements Acronyms List of Tables Chapter One – Technology, Narratives, and the US-China Parad Chapter Two – Interdependence and Information Technology Chapter Three – Conceptualising the Role of Narratives Chapter Four – A Short History of US-China Technological Interdependence Chapter Five – Narratives of the Obama Administration (2009-2016) Chapter Six – Narratives of the Trump Administration (2017-2021) Chapter Seven – From Engagement to Rivalry: Technology, Power, and Perceptions Epilogue – US Foreign Policy and Narratives Post-2021 Appendices Index