School of International Relations

Chinese Politics Dissertation Topics
In the latter part of the 20th century, whilst the Chinese government still maintained its distinctly communist ideals, the country became increasingly open to Western views on economic growth and technology, blended together with a view to rapid growth. Starting with Deng Xiaoping’s reforms in the 1980s, to the current President Xi Jinping, Chinese economic and political approaches are the subject of much speculation. There is a lot to be discussed here, and below are some suggested topics for your politics dissertation.

1. To what extent have Western politics and ideals influenced China?
2. Why did China elect to ‘open’ what had previously been a distinctly closed economy?
3. In what way can Deng Xiaoping’s reforms be seen to have moved the Chinese economy towards Western capitalism?
4. Is China is considered a threat to Western ideals? Discuss.
5. How could China’s rapid economic growth be considered a good thing for the West?
6.Why have greater efforts not been made by the West to forge closer relations with the Chinese?
7. How could Chinese political ideals be said to have influenced Western politics? Has this been for the better?
8. Why, when the power of the Soviet Union was considered such a threat, were greater efforts not made to overthrow China’s communist rule?
9. How can China be viewed with such suspicion, when the West is largely responsible for its growth? Discuss.
Does the West have a ‘special relationship’ with China?
10. To what extent does China’s human rights record make relations with the West complex?
In what ways can President Xi Jinping be seen as continuing the reforms of Deng Xiaoping?
What impact does Xi Jinping’s appointment to rule ‘indefinitely’ have on the potential for democracy in China?
11. Does the Chinese model of capitalism undermine the western view that capitalism and democracy ‘go hand in hand’?

US Foreign Policy Dissertation Topics
In the latter half of the last century in particular, US foreign policy developed at pace, with the US electing to involve itself in events far across the world as a means of maintaining its position as one of the key ‘superpowers’ in the world today. To discuss US foreign policy in your dissertation, you could research one of the following politics dissertation topics.

1. In its foreign policy, the US has often talked about as ‘policing the rest of the world’: how could such terminology be construed as mere bullying?
2. Are the actions of the US in its international relations with other nations always legitimate under international law?
3. How, through the developing relationships of other countries, could the US be said to have overstepped its powers?
4. The relationship between the United Nations and the US is increasingly ambivalent: to what extent do the actions of the US undermine the role of the United Nations?
5. How does the development of nuclear power in China and other Asian countries serve to reflect the negative aspects of US foreign policy?
6. Why does the growth of China as an economic power serve to threaten the US?
Who actually controls US foreign policy?
7. In recent years, why has US foreign policy bordered on bullying?
8. What is the most significant potential threat to US foreign policy? How is this likely to change US foreign policy?
9. US foreign policy has traditionally been one of liberal internationalism. In an unstable world of rapidly shifting alliances, how can liberal internationalism continue to guide US foreign policy?
10. Will the current building of the wall on the border of the US with Mexico have detrimental consequences for the global economy?
11. What does the increasing geopolitical power and influence of Russia mean for the future direction of US foreign policy?
12. How is the US likely to approach Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union?
13. What does its current lack of strategy in foreign policy mean for the US?

The world since 9/11 Dissertation Topics
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 on the World Trade Centre served to significantly influence world politics and international relations by bringing many countries closer together, whilst also pushing many others much further apart. The resulting ‘war on terror’ has been ongoing ever since, and has resulted in a number of complicated geopolitical shifts. This is a very influential area that would be ideal to base your politics dissertation topics on. Suggested international relations & politics dissertation topics include:

1. Why, on the basis of international relations prior to the event, could 9/11 have been considered inevitable?
2. Was enough done in the immediate wake of 9/11 to prevent further similar acts of terrorism?
3. Were the actions of countries in the wake of 9/11 legitimate?
4. In what ways could the events of 9/11 be said to have impacted on international relations?
5. How were international relations between the West and the Middle East influenced by 9/11?
6. What are the key lessons that have been learned politically since 9/11 and the ensuing war on terror?
7. How has trade between nations developed within the overshadowing context of the continuing war on terror?
8. Is the use of force in counterterrorism legitimate?
9. Is the use of force, such as targeted killings and drone attacks, a legitimate response to terrorist attacks?
10. How has the domestic legislation of Western countries been impacted by the fear of terrorism since 9/11?
11. How have countries used the war on terror, ongoing since 9/11, to justify their own security measures?
12. Did 9/11 act as a catalyst for the recent political disruption in Middle Eastern countries?
13. To what extent has the ongoing war on terror been used to suppress civil liberties?
14.Does the proliferation of terror attacks in multiple countries in recent years mean that the war on terror has failed