National Security and the Regulation of Foreign Investment for URAP
Vinod Aggarwal, Professor
Political Science
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2025 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2026.
The end of the Cold War marked the beginning of an American-led era characterized by multilateralism and expanding international trade. This period witnessed a rapid shift toward greater openness, globalization, and opportunities for mutual economic gain. However, in recent years, there has been a notable rise in legislation and regulation aimed at scrutinizing and tightening foreign economic presence in major economies such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and India. We investigate two central questions: (1) Why are countries that once championed trade and investment openness increasingly restricting foreign companies in the name of “national security”? (2) Why has legislation become the primary arena for advancing economic national security? The project focuses on U.S. congressional rhetoric and policy proposals that invoke “national security” concerns to justify restrictions on foreign investment. In building an original dataset, we trace the whole process from initiating concerns of a foreign investment project to promoting legislative decisions on social media. As a URAP research assistant, you will work closely with Yue Lin, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science. This is a great opportunity to dig a bit deeper on what is happening in international relations and U.S. politics, equipping you with important analytical skills for future law schools, graduate schools, private firms, and public services.
Role: Undergraduate RAs will assist the researcher with guided, hands-on tasks, such as data cleaning and verification. These skills are crucial for undergraduates to accumulate firsthand experience for their academic and career development.
Qualifications: Prior experience of managing basic data (e.g., in Excel), attention to detail, and stay communicated. Familiarity with R, Python, machine learning, or natural language processing is a plus but not required. Familiarity with international political economy, geopolitics, or U.S. Congress is also a plus.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Yue Lin, Graduate Student
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: Mostly Zoom meetings, but can do campus meetings if needed.
Related website: https://basc.berkeley.edu/
Social Sciences