ABOUT US

The New Silk Road project is dedicated to promoting evidence research and education on national and international efforts to improve the infrastructure and connectivity among the countries of Asia and Europe. It brings together over 750 teachers and researchers from a wide range of disciplines and working in over 80 countries. Membership is open to all.

Books

February 2021

This edited volume examines the dangers that infrastructural development in Eurasia, from whatever source.

August 2020

The Maritime Silk Road is the least studied component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

May 2019

Announced in 2013 China’s Belt and Road attracted both admiration and approbation.

May 2007

One of the first books in the English language to analyse the background of China’s Belt and Road initiative.

Projects

The New Silk Roads project is producing short podcasts and videos for use in teaching and in stimulating wider debate. It has four series devoted to the history of the silk road, the background and debates surrounding China’s Belt and Road initiative and two series devoted separately to the developments along the overland and maritime routes connecting Asia and Europe.

NEW BOOK expected SUMMER 2022

In June 2021 the G7 western countries committed themselves to a ‘Build Back Better World’ program to counter China’s BRI. Central to this initiative was the concept of ‘quality infrastructure’ characterised by financially responsible projects, transparent procedures and on-time and on-budget delivery. But do western companies live up to these ideals? This book explores the experience of international competition for high-speed rail contracts to find the answers. This project is being conducted by Professor Richard T. Griffiths, IIAS, Leiden

NEW BOOK expected SPRING 2022

Globalization is seen as a one-way process and not even the rise of China been able to change this idiom of an ever more integrated world. However, this book asserts that globalization is taking a turn towards a more regional footing. This increasing regionalization is being driven by economic and political forces evident well before the COVID-19 pandemic, but undoubtedly accelerated by it. This book Illustrates how regionalization is shaping Eurasia and what this means for production, finance, trade, daily living and international relations. This project is executed by Midas van Dijk and Chris Wensink (Panteia. Zootermeer. Netherlands)

NEW BOOK expected SUMMER 2022

In 2015 the World Bank published a report that described the prots of the Indian Ocean as small and backward by international standards. Yet when China started in building ports in Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka it triggered a debate on naval security in the region. Japan and India have now undertaken new port constructiion abroad in part to ‘counter’ the threat. This large-scale internatioal collaborative project seeks to examine the political economy of forces helping or hindering port development in the region. This project is being coordinated by Professor R.T. Griffiths, IIAS, Leiden and Dr. Prakash Panneerselvam (National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru)

ONGOING

Shadow ecology is a process when one country’s economic transition to a greener economy casts ecological shadows on another. Because exporting one’s environmental footprint is not immediately evident in a politically complex and interconnected world, it is rarely investigated. This project will investigate the ways in which Europe’s and China’s green transformation policy goals have impacts on communities, species and ecosystems located in the immediate proximity to BRI' six terrestrial corridors and beyond. This collabotative project is led by Dr. Elena F. Tracy, Research Fellow IIAS, Leiden.

ONGOING

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the deepest and closest of the bilateral Belt and Road relationships that China has initiated. Having produced impressive early results, and having survived a change in Pakistan’s leadership, it is now entering a second, more complex and more diversified phase. This research project examines the societal impact of these changes. The project is being conducted by IIAS Research Assistant Gul-i-Hina Shahzad in the context of her PhD research in Milan.

ONGOING

This project examines courtyard architecture in 10 countries in Eurasia in order to provide greater insights on the variety of the use and benefits of courtyards in different settings. Past research findings show that courtyard houses are ienvironmentally friendly and energy efficient, and that they create healthier and happier communities than other housing forms. The research is led by Dr Donia Zhang (Director of the Neoland School of Chinese Culture, Ontario, Canada)

PODCAST and VIDEOS

e-LIBRARY

The electronic libraries offer instant access to hundreds of free on-line reports and resources. They are designed for the use by teachers and by students looking for inspiration for essays and theses. The largest library covers China’s Belt and Road initiative and the reactions to it. Other library collections are devoted to the maritime silk road, the digital silk road and the Arctic silk road.

Teaching

The New Silk Roads project encourages its far-flung network of teachers to turn distance to advantage and to collaborate in finding innovative ways to teach their courses. This section includes several ‘how to’ videos to help students prepare assignments and applications