GS 209 The New Silk Road -- China's Growing Footprint in Europe and Africa

This course examines China's expanding presence in Europe and Africa, with particular attention to the Belt and Road Initiative and related global strategies since 2013. Adopting a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, students engage with policy documents, media coverage, expert analyses, and accounts from communities and institutions affected by these initiatives, placing Chinese state narratives in dialogue with European, African, and local perspectives. Through the analysis of selected Chinese- and other-language media alongside English materials, using translations, students compare framing, discourse, and narrative strategies across regions. Grounded in Global Studies frameworks and Catholic Social Teaching, the course encourages ethical reflection on development, power, human dignity, solidarity, and global responsibility in an interconnected world.