Great Power Competition

3 Credits.

The current national security environment has been framed as a “great power competition” between the United States, China, and Russia. Great power competition is a theory about the conduct of state action on the international stage, a theory with deep history and real-world implications for US national security interests. Test of Rivals will introduce you to the major concepts, theories, and case studies needed to critically assess Great Power Competition. It consists of five sections. First, we examine the key theories, definitions and models of GPC and how different states operate within this context. Second, we examine these theories in action by dissecting historical case studies of Great Power Competition. Third, we examine the current competition through the lens of diplomacy, economics and global resource concerns. Fourth, we investigate the role of military innovation, intelligence operations, and the disruptive impact of technology. Last, we compare the utilities and costs of the use of force across a spectrum of modes, including convention, hybrid, and nuclear conflict.