Dr. Sarah K. Kirchberger

Sarah K. Kirchberger

Ruhr-University Bochum
International Political Economy of East Asia
AKAFÖ 2/26
44780 Bochum

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Sarah K. Kirchberger
Senior Research Associate, International Political Economy of East Asia, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Department of East Asian Studies (since 07/2016)

Research Interests

  • China's naval build-up and military modernization
  • Maritime security in the Asia Pacific region
  • The Communist Party of China and its history
  • Taiwan's democratic transition

Academic Career

  • Head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Strategy and Security, University of Kiel (since January 2017)
  • Research Associate, Dept. of Chinese Language and Culture, Asia-Africa-Institute (AAI), University of Hamburg
    05/2016-07/2016
  • Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chinese Language and Culture, AAI, University of Hamburg
    05/2010-04/2016
  • Naval Analyst, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems / Blohm + Voss GmbH, Hamburg
    07/2007-03/2010
  • Guest Lecturer and Research Associate, Dept. of Chinese Language and Culture, AAI, University of Hamburg
    10/2004-06/2007
  • Research Assistant, East Asian Politics, Dept. of Political Science, University of Trier
    11/1999-03/2002
  • Expert consultant on China's, Malaysia's and Thailand's transformation status, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh
    2000-2001

Education

  • PhD in Sinology, University of Hamburg, dissertation titled „Informal Institutions in the Politics of China and Taiwan"
    (degree conferred 04/2004)
  • PhD-level graduate studies in East Asian Politics at the University of Trier
    01/2000-02/2002
  • M.A. in Sinology with minors Political Science and Archaeology, University of Hamburg; thesis titled "Germany's reunification as a model for China and Taiwan? Press reports and academic writings on Taiwan 1989-1998"
    10/1994-12/1999
  • Mandarin language studies, Mandarin Training Center, NTNU, Taipei, Taiwan
    08/1997-02/1998

Scholarships and Awards

  • PhD scholarship, including travel grants for fieldwork abroad, German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes),
    2000-2003
  • Undergraduate scholarship, German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes),
    1994-1999
  • Special grant for studying abroad, German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes),
    1997/98

PUBLICATIONS (SELECTION)

Monographs

  • "Assessing China's Naval Power: Technological Change, Economic Constraints, and Strategic Implications". Berlin & Heidelberg: Springer 2015. 318 pp.
  • "Informelle Regeln der Politik in China und Taiwan (Informal Institutions in the Politics of China and Taiwan)". PhD Dissertation, Univ. of Hamburg. Hamburg: Kovac 2004. 297 pp.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

  • "China's Maritime Interests in the Arctic Region: Military capabilities and possible intentions", in: Proceedings from the Kiel Conference 2016 (forthcoming).
  • "Taiwan as Utopia? Mainland Chinese perceptions of Taiwan’s postwar transformation in the history monthly Yanhuang Chunqiu", in: Oriens Extremus 54 (2015), pp.125-162.
  • "Hu Yaobang", in: Brown, Kerry (ed.): Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography Vol. IV, Great Barrington, Mass: Berkshire Publishing 2016, pp. 191-198.
  • "Lernfähiger Leninismus? Das politische System der VR China" (Adaptable Leninism? China's Political System), in: Fischer, Doris and Müller-Hofstede, Christoph (Hrsg.) 2014: Länderbericht China (China Country Report), Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung 2014, pp. 251-287.
  • "Evaluating Maritime Power: The Example of China", in: Fels, Enrico / Kremer, Jan-Frederik / Kronenberg, Katharina (eds.): Power in the 21st century. International Security and International Political Economy in a Changing World, Series: Global Power Shift, Berlin et al.: Springer 2012, pp. 151-175.
  • "Dogma oder Praxis? Der Wahrheitskriterium-Text von 1978 als Beispiel für 'Politik durch Dokumente'" (Dogma or Practice? The Truth Criterion Text of 1978 as an Example of 'Documentary Politics'), in: Oriens Extremus 50 (2011), pp. 249-281.

Conference Papers, Policy Briefs und Book Reviews

  • "Russia - China - Ukraine: A military-industrial triangle", paper presented at the ISA Annual Convention 2016 at Atlanta, USA, 16-19 March 2016. 28 pp.
  • "Maritime Muscle in the South China Sea: What next after the Spratly islands sail-by?“, Policyforum.net, 6 November 2015. http://www.policyforum.net/maritime-muscle-in-the-south-china-sea/ (1,032 words).
  • "Sino-Pakistani Naval Shipbuilding Cooperation: India Concerned Over China-Pak Partnership," in: Indian Military Review 2015, Vol. 6, No. 9, Sept. 2015, pp. 42-43.
  • „China's rising naval power and its impact on global power shift“, paper presented at the ISA Annual Convention 2011 at Montreal, Canada, 16-19 March 2011, 31 pp.