The Role of Competing Narratives in China and the West’s Response to Covid-19

Chris Ogden

doi:10.51661/bjocs.v10i0.121

Abstract

The geopolitical battle to shape the Covid-19 narrative has significant implications for national understandings and foreign policy debates about China. Writing from an International Relations perspective, the author argues that analysing and tracing these narratives will help to enhance our understanding of China’s contemporary rise, the longer-term implications that the current pandemic will have upon its foreign policy, and nature of international affairs more broadly.

Highlights

For those of us in International Relations concerned with analysing and tracing how national identities form, the interactions between the world’s great powers are especially illuminating
Confirming much about how these countries view each other and themselves, along with their underlying values, norms and worldviews, their interactions tell us a lot about what they aspire to – and what they fear – and how this will impact upon international politics
Within the context of Chinese studies, these scholarly approaches have much to offer in terms of enhancing our understanding of both China’s contemporary rise, and even predicting the longer-term implications that the current pandemic will have upon its foreign policy, and nature of international affairs more broadly

Summary

Introduction

For those of us in International Relations concerned with analysing and tracing how national identities form, the interactions between the world’s great powers are especially illuminating. Within the context of Chinese studies, these scholarly approaches have much to offer in terms of enhancing our understanding of both China’s contemporary rise, and even predicting the longer-term implications that the current pandemic will have upon its foreign policy, and nature of international affairs more broadly.

Results

Conclusion