Phoebe Moon

Phoebe’s dissertation uses prospect theory to understand the relationship between global value chains (GVCs) and economic sanctions. More specifically, she suggests that policymakers are influenced by their perceived position within GVCs when formulating their response to foreign economic pressure. The dissertation takes a multi-method approach, using quantitative data generated through experiments and qualitative data obtained through interviews. As her case study, she will be examining the ongoing Japan-South Korea trade conflict and the China-South Korea conflict over the THAAD missile defense system. Academically, her interdisciplinary dissertation weaves together international political economy, global security, and political psychology to study this critical form of interstate conflict. More broadly, she aims to highlight how the prevalence of trade wars today can be attributed to the deep-rooted global inequality created by the GVC-based economic paradigm.

Proposal Title:  When the Target Fights Back: Economic Coercion and Interstate Conflict in the Era of Global Value Chains