Who's Afraid of China?

Michael Barr is Lecturer in International Politics at Newcastle University. He has lived and worked in the UK, US, Egypt and China. He earned his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Durham and worked previously at the London School of Economics. In 2008 he was Visiting Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. His research investigates the implications of the rise of China, particularly issues impacting Sino-Western security relations. He has actively promoted awareness of the dual-use implications of biotechnology and has sought to help train life scientists and ethicists in China in order to minimize biosecurity risks. He has published on issues pertaining to Chinese soft power, biosecurity, the history of medical ethics and dual-use bioethics.

• Introduction: On the Fear of China1. Blinded by the Beijing Consensus2. The New Cultural Revolution3. A Media Offensive4. Brand Confucius5. Back to the Future?6. All Under Heaven7. The Yellow Man's Burden8. Imagined Power

One need not agree with every aspect of Michael Barr's 'Whose Afraid of China' to benefit from his exploration of China's use of 'soft power' and its attempt to exploit the global information space. China's challenge in this dimension, its attempt to mis-position the West, to diminish Western values and appeal, reflect a maturing 'battle of ideas' about governance. Michael Barr offers interesting perspective on these dynamic questions. A good read for anyone concerned about governance, values and the increasingly informational dimension in which China increasingly challenges the West.