معرفی
Dr. Benjamin Barton serves as Head of School and Associate Professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham Malaysia campus. Based in Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, he teaches undergraduate courses and conducts research on Chinese foreign policy and international relations.
Dr. Barton earned his PhD from a joint program between King's College London (War Studies Department) and Hong Kong University in 2016. Prior to his doctoral studies, he worked as a Research Assistant for the College of Europe's Chair of EU-China Relations and as a Teaching Assistant for the College of Europe's Department of EU International Relations & Diplomacy Studies. He also gained over three years of experience as a Project Manager for consultancies in Brussels and Paris specializing in EU-funded research grants.
His research focuses on Chinese foreign policy, particularly Chinese economic statecraft as expressed through the Belt-and-Road Initiative and the Maritime Silk Road. His work examines Chinese security policy in relation to Africa, South Asia, and Central Asia, as well as bilateral relations between China and the European Union. He is particularly interested in understanding whether Chinese economic initiatives generate political or strategic leverage and the security implications of these investments.
Dr. Barton's recent publications reveal a strong focus on infrastructure politics in the Global South, with particular attention to Chinese port investments in Djibouti, Tanzania, and across the Indian Ocean Region. His research consistently analyzes the intersection of economic investments and security implications, challenging simplistic narratives like 'debt-trap diplomacy' while exploring recipient state agency.
- The Doraleh Disputes: Infrastructure Politics in the Global South (2022)
- Political Trust and the Politics of Security Engagement: China and the European Union in Africa (2017)
- China and the EU in Africa: Partners or Competitors? (2011)
As an educator, Dr. Barton teaches undergraduate courses on Chinese Foreign Policy, International Relations of the Asia Pacific, EU Politics, and European History. His leadership as Head of School involves strategic planning for the department while maintaining active research engagement with institutions across Europe and Asia.
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