Dr. Sebastian Biba

Research Fellow at the Professorship for Political Science with the Focus on Area Studies China/East Asia

sebastian-biba

Goethe-University
Faculty 03 Social Science
Institute for Political Science

Westend Campus, PEG-building
Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6 
Room 3 G.156 (3rd floor)
60323 Frankfurt am Main
Tel.: +49 (0)69 798-36556
Fax: +49 (0)69 798-763-36556

E-Mail: biba@soz.uni-frankfurt.de

Mailing Address:
Westend Campus
Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6 
PEG building, Post box 17
60629 Frankfurt am Main

Dr. Biba's office hours during the winter term 23/24 will be held on Mondays from 4 to 5 pm. Please make an appointment via OLAT by using the following link: OLAT Appointment. Subsequently, also write an email to Dr. Biba, in which you briefly mention the reason for the appointment and whether you want a personal or virtual meeting.

To the homepage of the professorship

VITA RESEARCH TEACHING PUBLICATIONS TALKS MEDIA APPEARANCES 

(last updated December 2023) 

VITA

Since
2022/02 

Research Associate
German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Institute of Asian Studies
2022/10- 
2022/12
Visiting Scholar
University of Sydney 
Department of Government and International Relations
Since
2021/01   
Fellow
Goethe-University Frankfurt
Johanna Quandt Young Academy
2020/09- 2021/06
DAAD Fellow
Johns Hopkins University
School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Program “The United States, Europe, and World Order"
2020/01-
2020/03
Visiting Scholar
German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Institute of Asian Studies
2016/06-
2016/08

Visiting Scholar
Beijing University
School of International Studies
2014/10PhD 
Goethe- University Frankfurt
Institute for Political Science
Since
2012/10
Research Fellow
Goethe-University Frankfurt
Research Fellow at the Professorship for Political Science with the Focus on Area Studies China/East Asia
RESEARCH FOCUS
  • China's Foreign Policy
  • Europe/Germany-USA-China Relations
  • International Relations and Security in the Indo-Pacific
  • Regionalism and Regional Order in East-Asia
TEACHING

Winter Term 2023/24

Summer Term 2023

Winter Term 2022/23

  • Teaching sabbatical

Summer Term 22

Winter Term 2021/22

Summer Term 2021

Summer Term 2020

Winter Term 2019/20

Summer Term 2019

Winter Term 2018/19

Summer Term 2018

Winter Term 2017/18


PUBLICATIONS

Monographs and Editions

2024 Europe in an Era of US-China Strategic Rivalry: Challenges and Opportunities from an Outside-in Perspective. Heidelberg: Springer (ed.).

2021

Europe in an Era of Growing Sino-American Competition: Coping with an Unstable Triangle. London and New York: Routledge (ed. together with Reinhard Wolf).
2018 China's Hydro-politics in the Mekong: Conflict and Cooperation in Light of Securitization Theory. London and New York: Routledge.
2016 “Non-traditional Security in Sino-Indian Relations", Journal of Current Chinese Affairs (Special Issue), 45: 3 (ed. of the special issue). https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/issue/view/145.
2016 “Eclipsed by Clashing Titans? Europe and the Risks of US-Chinese Confrontation", European Foreign Affairs Review, 21:3/1 (ed. of the special edition together with Markus Liegl and Reinhard Wolf),1-133. Link to the onlince source
Articles in peer-reviewed Journals
2023“Germany's Triangular Relations with the United States and China in the Era of the Zeitenwende", German Politics (SSCI), online first, https://doi.org/10.1080/09644008.2023.2275050.

2021

“Germany's Relations with the United States and China from a Strategic Triangle Perspective", International Affairs (SSCI), 97:6, 1905-24, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiab170.

2020

“Ganging Up on Trump? Sino-German Relations and the Problem with Soft Balancing against the USA, Journal of Chinese Political Science (SSCI), 25:4, 531-50, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11366-020-09669-5.
2018"China's 'Old' and 'New' Mekong River Politics: The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation from a Comparative Benefit-sharing Perspective",Water International, 43:5, 622-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2018.1474610
2016"It's Status, Stupid: Explaining the Underlying Core Problem in US-China Relations", Global Affairs, 2:5, 455-464, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23340460.2016.1276077.

2016

“Global Governance in the Era of Growing US-China Rivalry: What Options Exist for Europe?", European Foreign Affairs Review, 21:3/1 (Oktober), 47-64. http://www.kluwerlawonline.com/abstract.php?area=Journals&id=EERR2016033.
2016“From Securitization Moves to Positive Outcomes: The Case of the 2010 Mekong Crisis", Security Dialogue (SSCI), 47:5 (October), 420-39. http://sdi.sagepub.com/content/47/5/420.abstract.
2016“The Goals and Reality of the Water-Food-Energy Security Nexus: The Case of China and Its Southern Neighbours", Third World Quarterly (SSCI), 37:1 (January), 51-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2015.1086634.
2014“Desecuritization in China's Behavior Towards Its Transboundary Rivers: the Mekong River, the Brahmaputra River, and the Irtysh and Ili Rivers", Journal of Contemporary China (SSCI), 23:85 (January), 21-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2013.809975.
2012“China's Continuous Dam-building on the Mekong River", Journal of Contemporary Asia (SSCI), 42:4 (November), 603-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2012.712257.

Additional Publications in Scholarly Journals and Editions

2024“Introduction", in Sebastian Biba (ed.), Europe in an Era of US-China Strategic Rivalry: Challenges and Opportunities from an Outside-in Perspective, Heidelberg: Springer.
2024“Conclusion: Europe as a Moderating Force in the US-China Strategic Competition", in Sebastian Biba (ed.), Europe in an Era of US-China Strategic Rivalry: Challenges and Opportunities from an Outside-in Perspective, Heidelberg: Springer.

2021

“Introduction", in Sebastian Biba and Reinhard Wolf (ed.), Europe in an Era of Growing Sino-American Competition: Coping with an Unstable Triangle, London and New York: Routledge, 1-20.

2021

“Sustaining the European Project in an Era of Sino-American Confrontation: An End to Complacency", in Sebastian Biba und Reinhard Wolf (Hrsg.), Europe in an Era of Growing Sino-American Competition: Coping with an Unstable Triangle, London and New York: Routledge, 191-209.

2021

“China's Hydro-Hegemony in the Mekong Region: Room for Improvement", in Jean-François Rousseau and Sabrina Habich-Sobiegalla (ed.), The Political Economy of Hydropower in Southwest China and Beyond, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 215-34.

2020

“China's 'Old' and 'New' Mekong River Politics: The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation from a Comparative Benefit-sharing Perspective", in Selina Ho (ed.), A River Flows Through It: A Comparative Study of Transboundary Water Disputes and Cooperation in Asia, London and New York: Routledge, 47-56.

2020

“China-India River Conflicts: Towards a Solution through Launching a Cooperation Spiral", in Kanti Bajpai, Manjari Chatterjee Miller und Selina Ho (ed.), Routledge Handbook on China-India Relations, London and New York: Routledge, 209-24.
2016“New Concerns, More Cooperation?: How Non-traditional Security Issues Affect Sino-Indian Relations", Journal of Current Chinese Affairs (special issue), 45: 3, 3-30. https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/995/1002.
2016“Introduction: Perils of US-China Confrontation – Implications for Europe", European Foreign Affairs Review, 21: 3/1 (Oktober), (with Reinhard Wolf and Markus Liegl), 1-10. http://www.kluwerlawonline.com/abstract.php?area=Journals&id=EERR2016030.

Contributions online

2022 “How to Make China Help Bring the War in Ukraine to an End", GIGA Focus Asia, No. 03/2022, 3 June, link to the online source.
2022 “Plädoyer für eine neue China-Politik“ (The Case for a New German China Policy), Gastkommentar im Handelsblatt, 4 Januar, link to the online source, (also published in the Print Edition on 4 Jan., p. 48).
2021 “How Germany's New Government Should Change Its China Policy", International Affairs Blog, 2 December, link to the online source.
2021 “Charting Its Own, Nuanced Course on China Is in Europe's Interest", Internationale Politik Quarterly, 27 May, link to the online source.
2019 “China's Hegemonic Choice in the Mekong Region", East Asia Forum, 30 August, link to the online source.
2017 “North Korea Conflict: It's All about Security Interests" (in German), Zeit Online, 23 September, link to the online source.
2017 “China in der G20: Ein schmaler Korridor für chinesisch-europäische Kooperation" (with Heike Holbig); in: GIGA Focus,  Asia, Number 02, May 2017, ISSN 1862-359X; link to the online source.
2016 “China Drives Water Cooperation with Mekong Countries", China Dialogue (1 February), link to the online source.
2014 “China Cooperates with Central Asia over Shared Rivers", China Dialogue, (24 February), link to the online source.
TALKS
Talks at Academic Conferences, Seminars, Workshops (selection of the last years)
2023/09“Symbolism in European Military Engagement in the Indo-Pacific: Does It Stack Up?" (Co-Autorin: Bec Strating), European International Studies Association (EISA), 16th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, 5-9 September, Potsdam, Germany.
2023/08 “A Critical Assessment of 'Like-mindedness' in International Relations" (Co-Author: Bertram Lang), International Studies Association Asia-Pacific Region Conference (ISA-AP), 8-10 August, Tokyo, Japan.
2023/08“Symbolism in European Military Engagement in the Indo-Pacific: Does It Stack Up?" (Co-Autorin: Bec Strating), International Studies Association Asia-Pacific Region Conference (ISA-AP), 8-10 August, Tokyo, Japan.
2023/06“Like-mindedness and Social Identity in International Relations" (Co-Author: Bertram Lang), British International Studies Association (BISA), Annual Conference, 21-23 June Glasgow, Scotland.
2023/06“The European Union in the US-China Strategic Competition: How Role Dynamics Drive Brussels Towards Washington", British International Studies Association (BISA), Annual Conference, 21-23 June, Glasgow, Scotland.
2023/06“Like-mindedness and Social Identity in International Relations" (Co-Author: Bertram Lang), Conference of the International Relations Section of the German Political Science Association (DVPW), 14-16 June, Friedrichshafen, Germany.
2023/03“Comparing German and Australian Behavior in Light of the US-China Great Power Rivalry", International Studies Association (ISA), 64th Annual Convention, 15-18 March, Montreal, Canada.
2023/03“The European Union in the US-China Strategic Competition: How Role Dynamics Drive Brussels Towards Washington", International Studies Association (ISA), 64th Annual Convention, 15-18 March, Montreal, Canada.
2022/09 “Rethinking Great-Power Rivalry: The Role of the EU in the US-China Strategic Competition", European International Studies Association (EISA), 15th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, 1-4 September, Athens, Greece.
2022/03 “Contending Water Infrastructures in the Mekong River Basin", International Studies Association (ISA), 63rd Annual Convention, 28 March- 2 April, Nashville, USA.
2021/09“The European Union in a New Game of Great Power Competition – Lessons from the Strategic Triangle Approach", European International Studies Association, 14th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, 13-17 September, online.
2021/09“Contending Water Infrastructures in the Mekong River Basin", European International Studies Association, 14th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, 13-17 September, online.
2021/04“The Rightly Recalcitrant Pivot: Germany's Relations with the USA and China from the Perspective of the Strategic Triangle Approach", International Studies Association (ISA), 62nd Annual Convention, 6-9 April, online.
2020/10“Responsibilization: A New Framework for Analyzing Transnational Responsibilities", Deutsche Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft, IB-Sektionskonferenz, 7-9 October, online.
2020/07“China's Hegemonic Test in the Mekong River Region: Achievements and Pitfalls", International Political Science Association (IPSA), 26th World Congress, 25-29 July, Lisbon, Portugal. (Conference postponed to 2021, participation withdrawal)
2020/03“Under What Conditions Do States Fulfill Transnational Responsibilities?: A New Approach through the Prism of 'Responsibilization'", International Studies Association (ISA), 61th Annual Convention, 25-28 March, Honolulu, USA. (Conferece cancelled)
2020/03“Ganging Up on Trump? Sino-German Relations and the Problem with Soft Balancing against the US", International Studies Association (ISA), 61th Annual Convention, 25-28 March, Honolulu, USA. (Conference cancelled)

Talks upon invitation (selection) 

2023/11“China's Foreign and Security Policy under Xi Jinping – Continuity and Change" (in German), Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS), Security Policy Course for Junior Officials, 1 November, Berlin, Germany.
2022/10
“Making China Great Again? Political and Economic Implications of the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress", GIGA Forum, 26 Oktober, online.
2021/07“China's Hydro-politics in the Mekong and Its Impact on Water Security", Think Next, Act Next – The Next Gen EU-ASEAN Think Tank Dialogue (EANGAGE) 2021-2022, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, 7 July, online.
2021/04“Europe in an Era of Growing Sino-American Competition", Buchvorstellung, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, 29 April, online.
2017/04“The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism: Potentials and Pitfalls", Vorträge an der Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University, 12. April, und an der Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, 13 April, Seoul, South Korea. 
2016/06“Global Governance in an Era of Growing US-China Rivalry: What Options for EUrope?", Talk at the Rotary Club Beijing, 21 June, Beijing, China.
2015/03“Understanding China's International Hydro-politics and Its Impacts",  Vortrag zur Veranstaltung “Water Management and Supply: The Biggest Threat to China and Asia's Security?," Madariaga – College of Europe Foundation, 19 March, Brussels, Belgium.
2013/03“The Myth of Leverage?: China and the North Korean Nuclear Problem" (in German), talk at the preparatory seminar for a study tour to North Korea, South Korea and China, organized by the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt and Encounter Korea from 2-14 April, 11-12 March, Frankfurt, Germany.
2012/12“Conducting Field Research in Southeast Asia: An Experiential Report", talk at the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies at National Chengchi University, 7 December, Taipei, Taiwan.
2012/06“China's Water Scarcities Between National and Regional Priorities" (in German), talk at the Confucius Institute Frankfurt, 28 June, Frankfurt, Germany.
MEDIA APPEARANCES
2020/12Cited in “Satellites to track Chinese dams on Mekong river, as US likens 'threat' facing Southeast Asia to South China Sea", South China Morning Post, 16 December, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3114206/us-satellites-track-chinese-dams-mekong-river-it-likens-threat.
2020/08Cited in “The Next US-China Battleground: Chinese Dams on the Mekong River?", South China Morning Post, 3 August, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3095581/next-us-china-battleground-chinese-dams-mekong-river.
2017/06“US president Trump and his foreign affairs and security policy" (in German), interview in radio broadcast “Aus Kultur und Sozialwissenschaften", DLF (Deutschlandfunk)
2016/04“China's New Role: Demand and Promote" (in German), expert interview for ZDF heute.de and 3SAT Makro, 7 April.
2014/11“The APEC Summit in Beijing" (in German), expert interview in radio broadcast “Der Mittag", Domradio Köln, November 12.
2013/06“China's Vassals" (in German), expert interview in live TV show “Makro," 3Sat, 7 June.