Graduation Year

2026

Date of Submission

12-2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

International Relations

Reader 1

Jordan Branch

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Abstract

Semiconductors underpin nearly every aspect of modern economic, military, and technological power. Yet while the United States pioneered chip innovation and design, it now heavily depends on foreign manufacturing, particularly Taiwan and the Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company who produce more than 90% of the world’s leading edge chips. This thesis investigates how the U.S. lost its fabrication leadership, what risks its current dependence creates, and what strategies can most effectively restore domestic capacity and resilience in both the short term and long term. By going through historical analysis of industrial development, recent policy evaluation such as export controls and the CHIPS and Science Act, this thesis will provide empirical insight into institutional, technical, and labor constraints on reshoring.

The findings show that while domestic capacity can grow meaningfully, progress will not be easy and full independence is unrealistic in the near future. The U.S. must pursue de-risking rather than decoupling. The most effective strategy is a dual track approach: (1) targeted onshoring of leading edge nodes that directly support defense and strategic industries, and (2) allied supply chain diversification across allies to reduce chokepoints in critical inputs and manufacturing equipment. The implications are clear: computer chip manufacturing is not only an economic asset but a foundational element of U.S. national security and international influence. Policies that realistically address cost, labor, and coordination between countries will determine whether the U.S. can secure its role in shaping the next era of technological power - and prevent a single point of failure from reshaping the rules based international order it has led since World War II.

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