Silk Road Gateway Poland

WroclawPoland

Richard Griffiths
Emeritus Professor of International Studies, Leiden University, Author of the book ‘Revitalising the Silk Road’

Presentation title:
Routes and stops, Silkroad network yet expanding in Europe. How to connect?

Summary:
In an interview with the moderator, Professor Griffiths will discuss his book, Revitalising the Silk Road. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (May 2017). He will draw the attention to the risks inherent in our current reliance of the existing Northern freight route and suggest paying more attention on the alternatives running across the Black Sea or through Turkey. He will also discuss the limitations of Europe’s preparations to full exploit the potential of trans-Asian rail freight.

Speaker biography:
Richard Griffiths was born in Isleworth (UK) in 1949. He graduated in economic history and Russian studies and obtained his PhD from Cambridge University. He has been full professor in the Free University Amsterdam (1980-87) the European University Institute, Florence (1987-1995) and Leiden University (1995-2016). He has taught courses in Aalborg, Bangkok, Beijing, Chendu, Evora, Istanbul, and Victoria. In 2007 he helped establish the ‘Silk Road EU Studies Centre’ linking universities in Urumqi, Lanzhou and Xi’an. He is currently a research fellow in Leiden University’s Centre for Innovation. He has published widely on 19th and 20th century economic history, European integration, development theory, political economy and, most recently, China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

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