Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia

More than half a century has passed since the first studies on the use of asymmetric interdependence as a tool of political leverage in international relations. Despite the large number of works published so far, the focus of research remains relatively narrow and limited mainly to trade and energy interdependence. The rapid spread of new technologies and communication systems, the internationalization of business and the growing integration of capital and financial markets that we witness in the last decade have created new domains in which asymmetric interdependence can arise. In the last few years, emerging scholarship has acknowledged that states might develop and exploit in their partnerships new dimensions of asymmetric interdependence – such as technological, financial, scientific, etc. - and can make use of expanding networks of interdependence to fulfill their geopolitical goals. However, such studies exclusively address one of these dimensions only in the context of increasing competition between the United States and China.

This special issue of the JCEA seeks to address the current research gaps by focusing on emerging patterns of asymmetric interdependence in Asia-Pacific. It invites contributions from various disciplinary fields that examine theoretical or empirical dimensions of the asymmetric interdependence.

We are particularly interested in but not limited to:

• Patterns and mechanisms through which countries can develop and manipulate new dimensions of asymmetric interdependence –monetary, capital, technological, scientific, etc. - in their bilateral relations;
• Emerging patterns and mechanisms through which countries expand their influence and control over networks of interdependence in different domains (e.g. production and supply chains, monetary and capital flows, communication systems, etc.);
• Factors determining the ability of a country to increase its influence over or even monopolize networks of interdependence;
• Structural factors that can facilitate or constrain the use of new dimensions of asymmetric interdependence as political leverage;
• Similarities and differences between emerging patterns in Asian and Western contexts.

Please submit your 500-word abstract (maximum) in English to parepa.laura@gmail.com by 1 February 2021 (subject line should include “JCEA Special Issue”).

Deadlines:

• Abstract Submission: 1 February 2021
• Abstract Notification: 28 February 2021
• Article Submission: 1 June 2021
• Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: 1 August 2021
• Final Submission of Revised Papers: 1 October 2021