Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab Activities and News
SNAPL Research Activities
FSI Policy-Engagement Funding
Description
Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL) plans to engage with academic and policy communities in Washington D.C. such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in September 2024 to share our myth-breaking research findings about the U.S.-China rivalry and, thus, to provide a new direction for more effective U.S. foreign policy strategies, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.
Research findings
The rise of China for the last several decades has led many experts and pundits to claim that we have entered or are entering a new Cold War. However, our findings challenge this trope of a new Cold War, demonstrating that U.S.-China relations of today are vastly different from U.S.-USSR relations of the past. Treating the current situation like a new Cold War could lead to unnecessary and unintended consequences for the U.S., China, and the world.
Among others, we have two core projects providing guidance for U.S. policy. First, based on an analysis of over 41,000 Congressional speeches spanning more than 36 years that covered rivalry periods concerning China, Japan, and the USSR, we found that discourses on China are more similar to those on Japan than those on the USSR across social, economic, and even ideological dimensions. Moreover, over the years, rivalries have been increasingly strategically used as a rhetorical foil for U.S. domestic issues. Because the Cold War analogy is misleading, lessons from that era would misguide efforts to steer today’s U.S.-China relationship.
Second, relying on the conventional wisdom that democracy plays a central role in forming public opinion on foreign policy, the U.S. has emphasized democracy as a value. In particular, this perspective is based on the premise that ‘liberal values’ can work as deeply embedded beliefs and serve as one important source of shared identity. However, we challenge the conventional wisdom. Analyzing what aspect of democracy (i.e., procedural vs. substantive) leads citizens in the Asia-Pacific region to form a democracy-based shared identity, we demonstrate that ‘electoral institutions’ play a bigger role as a foundation of the shared identity rather than ‘liberal values.’ Thus, liberal values do not necessarily serve as a key lens through which Asia-Pacific citizens view China, Russia, and their own relations with the U.S. Therefore, we plan to provide U.S. policymakers with a novel policy direction in the Asia-Pacific region: because democratic rhetoric does not work as effectively as expected in the region, the U.S. needs to shift gears, instead emphasizing its role in promoting mutual benefits in the economic/trade and military/security realms.
Global Research Workshops
Description
This workshop series, organized by members of the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL), brings together scholars and initiatives dedicated to addressing pressing social, cultural, economic, and political challenges in Asia through a cross-disciplinary and transnational comparative approach. With Asia assuming a central role in the global economy and cultural landscape, understanding and addressing its complexities are paramount for shaping future global developments. This series is committed to presenting evidence-based policy recommendations grounded in the Lab’s interdisciplinary research. By fostering collaboration with academic and policy research institutions across Asia, the series aims to generate comprehensive insights into the region's issues and propose structural reforms that pave the way for a more mature and innovative “Next Asia.” Key areas of focus include evaluating global talent development strategies in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, exploring the intersection of racism and nationalism and its impact on exclusion and intolerance, assessing U.S.-Asia relations, and examining the global decline of democratic governance. Providing an interdisciplinary platform for rigorous analysis and dialogue, the workshops aim to identify challenges and opportunities for fostering inclusive growth, tackling inequality, addressing geopolitical hazards, and strengthening democratic institutions. By promoting network-based collaboration, the series seeks to contribute to innovative interdisciplinary research and policy development and implementation, ultimately shaping a more dynamic and resilient global system in the 21st century.
With generous support from Stanford Global Studies, six workshops are offered in the 2024-25 academic year.
Schedule
Fall 2024
The U.S. Alliance and Public Attitudes toward China: Evidence from the Asia-Pacific Region
Date: October 17, 2024 (Thursday)
Presenter: Gidong Kim
A New Cold War? A Comparative Computational Analysis of Congressional Discourse on U.S. Rivals
Date: November 21, 2024 (Thursday)
Presenter: Xinru Ma
Winter 2025
No Racism in Asia?: A Critical Analysis of UN CERD State Party Reports
Date: January 9, 2025 (Thursday)
Presenter: Junki Nakahara
Democracy and Public Attitudes toward China in the Asia-Pacific Region
Date: February 6, 2025 (Thursday)
Presenter: Gidong Kim
Spring 2025
U.S. Rivalries: Diverging Perceptions Among the U.S., Its Allies, and China
Date: April 10, 2025 (Thursday)
Presenter: Xinru Ma
Elite Articulation of “Multiculturalism” in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan
Date: May 1, 2025 (Thursday)
Presenter: Junki Nakahara
New Lab Members
Ruo-Fan Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow on Contemporary Taiwan
Brandon Yoder, Visiting Fellow
Ignazio Marco Widodo, Summer RA
SNAPL Research Abroad
Dr. Junki Nakahara
Korea, April 23, 2024
Event Title: Seminar (presentation followed by Q&A and discussions) at the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Korea (ROK), hosted by the Comparative Constitution Research Society within the Court
Project Title: “No racism in Asia? A critical analysis of UN CERD state party reports”
Project Description: Does racism exist in Asia? Or is it largely a Western, especially American phenomenon? To answer these questions, this presentation explores how nationalism and racism interact in the Asia-Pacific region, causing various forms of suppression and intolerance. More specifically, we analyzed reports from 16 Asian countries (including the Republic of Korea) submitted to the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), focusing on different forms of racism “denial” and “downplaying.”
The Asian discourse of denial stems from fundamental conceptions of historical identity and dominant social, political, and religious values that shape the national understanding of race and racism. The real-world consequences of this denial, including discriminatory treatment of racial/ethnic minorities, are exacerbated by recent demographic challenges, social stratification, global migration, and geopolitical tensions.
This study urges Asian leaders to be aware of the blind spot that has hindered meaningful discussions about racism. The Constitutional Court’s initiative and consistent engagement are crucial in addressing these issues, considering their implications for constitutional principles of human rights, equality, and justice. We also highlight South Korea’s potential to lead critical dialogue and make progress in eliminating racial discrimination and promoting social justice within the nation and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Korea, April 23, 2024
Event Title: Seminar (presentation followed by Q&A and discussions) at Ewha Womans University, School of Law
Project Title: “Unveiling the blindspot: A critical analysis of racism denial in Asia
Project Description: Does racism exist in Asia? Or is it largely a Western, especially American phenomenon? To answer these questions, this presentation explores how nationalism and racism interact in the Asia-Pacific region, causing various forms of suppression and intolerance. More specifically, we analyzed reports from 16 Asian countries (including the Republic of Korea) submitted to the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), focusing on different forms of racism “denial” and “downplaying.”
The Asian discourse of denial stems from fundamental conceptions of historical identity and dominant social, political, and religious values that shape the national understanding of race and racism. The real-world consequences of this denial, including discriminatory treatment of racial/ethnic minorities, are exacerbated by recent demographic challenges, social stratification, global migration, and geopolitical tensions.
This study urges Asian leaders to be aware of the blind spot that has hindered meaningful discussions about racism. We also highlight South Korea’s potential to lead critical dialogue and make progress in eliminating racial discrimination and promoting social justice within the nation and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Mongolia, April 25, 2024
Event title: “Addressing structural injustices and inequalities towards inclusive societies” at the Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue (TASD) SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Activity Description: Dr. Junki Nakahara introduced the Lab (motivation, focus, goals, etc.) to a diverse audience at the TASD and highlighted the SNAPL research project: “Deconstructing Racism ‘Denial’ in Asia: Discourse Analysis of UN CERD State Party Reports,” aiming to raise awareness of the issue and initiate the conversation.
Dr. Gidong Kim
Japan, June 24, 2024
Event title: The University of Tokyo Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) Security Studies Unit Research Roundtable with Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL)
Activity description: At this roundtable, Professor Gi-Wook Shin introduced SNAPL and our research to seek potential collaborations with the IFI Security Studies Unit at the University of Tokyo. For this purpose, Dr. Gidong Kim shared one of our research projects, “The U.S. Alliance and Public Attitudes toward China: Evidence from the Asia-Pacific Region,” and had discussions with them.
