Dr. Kaiping Zhang
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
RESEARCH FIELDS
Chinese politics and governance, political communication, deliberative democracy, computational social science
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
Associate Professor (tenured), Department of Political Science, Tsinghua University 2024-present
Deputy Director, Center for Data Governance
Faculty Associate, Lab of Computational Social Science and State Governance
Harvard-Yenching Visiting Scholar 2024-2025
Harvard Kennedy School Democracy Fellow (by courtesy), Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation 2024-2025
Associate Professor (untenured), Department of Political Science, Tsinghua University 2021- 2024
Deputy Director, Center for Data Governance
Faculty Associate, Lab of Computational Social Science and State Governance
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Tsinghua University 2018 – 2021
Senior Researcher, Center for Data Governance
Research Associate, Center for Deliberative Democracy, Stanford University 2017 - 2018
EDUCATION
Stanford University
Ph.D. in Communication 2017
Dissertation: Public Deliberation and Participation through a Comparative Lens: Attitudes,
Behaviors, and Institutions
Advisor: James Fishkin
Dissertation Chair: Xueguang Zhou
Dissertation Committee: Baogang He, Jon Krosnick, Jennifer Pan, Robert Luskin
Michigan State University
M.A. in Communication 2011
Tsinghua University Magna Cum Laude
B.A. in Journalism and Communication 2009
PUBLICATIONS
1. Zhao, Z., and Zhang, K*. (2025) “The Rule of Discourse: How Ideas and Institutions Influence China’s COVID policy.” Journal of Contemporary China, 1-21.
2. Zhang, K. (2025). “Experimental Methods with Generative AI in Political Communication Research”. World Economy and Politics. 国际政治传播研究的人工智能实验方法，《世界经济与政治》，2025年第1期。
3. Zhang, K., Wang, T., and Zhuang, M. (forthcoming) “Can Platform-based Digital Participatory Budgeting Increase Citizen Engagement? Evidence from Big Data and Surveys.” Public Management Review. (in Chinese)《数字平台中介的全过程公众参与：基于平台数据与调查数据的实证分析》，《公共管理评论》，2025年第1期。
4. Wang, T. and Zhang, K*. “Make Consultative Governance Work: Evidence from a National Survey in China.” Peking University Political Science Review, 17, 157-176. (in Chinese)《地方治理中的协商民主实证研究》，《北大政治学评论》，2024年第17辑。
5. Zhang, K., Wang, T., & Zhuang, M. “Embedded Empowerment of Digital Technologies in Urban Deliberative Governance: A Case Study of Participatory Budgeting in Chengdu.” Journal of Jiangxi Normal University, 57(04), 54-65. (in Chinese)《数字技术与城市协商治理的内嵌式互动——基于C市参与式预算的案例研究》，《江西师范大学评论》，2024年第4期。
6. Zhang, K., Zhao, J., and Meng, T. “Governing China in Digit: A Framework for Assessing the Digital Governance in 101 Chinese Municipalities.” The China Review, 24(3),207-240.
7. Zhang, K. (2023). Political Communication Research in The Digital Age: Paradigm Shift, Research Agenda, and New Methods. CASS Journal of Political Science. (in Chinese)《数字时代的政治传播研究：理论重构、议题革新与范式转向》,《政治学研究》,2023年第5期。
8. Zhang, K., Meng, T., & Huang Z. (2023) “The Rise of Soft Propaganda in China: Evidence from Big Data in 2009-2023.” (2023). (in Chinese) 《软宣传的兴起、特征与效果：基于2009-2023年主流媒体与政务新媒体的大数据分析》，《新闻与传播研究》，2023年第12期。
9. Zhang, K., He, B., & Wu, J. (2021). “Double Trouble? Effects Of Social Conflict and Foreign Investment on Consultative Authoritarianism in China.” Contemporary Politics, 27(4), 371-396.
10. Zhang, K. & Meng, T. (2021). “Social Donations during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social Capital, Political Trust and Media Choice.” (in Chinese)《公共卫生危机中的捐助行为：社会资本、政治信任与媒介选择》，《社会发展研究》，2021年第5期。
11. Zhang, K., & Tang, F. (2020). “Experimental Methods for the Study of American Politics.” The Chinese Journal of American Studies. (in Chinese)《实验方法及其在美国政治研究的应用》，《美国研究》，2020年第3期。
12. Zhang, K. (2019). “Encountering Dissimilar Views in Deliberation: Political Knowledge, Attitude Strength, And Opinion Change.” Political Psychology 40.2 (2019): 315-333.
13. Zhang, K., & Meng, T. (2018). “Political Elites in Deliberative Democracy: Beliefs and Behaviors Of Chinese Officials.” Japanese Journal of Political Science 19.4 (2018): 643-662.
14. Han, F., & Zhang, K. (2015). “Deliberative democracy in Chinese governance: Institutions, practices, and theoretical critiques.” Zhejiang Social Sciences 10(2015): 48-61. (in Chinese) “社会治理的‘协商’领域与‘民主’机制——当下中国基层协商民主的制度特征、实践结构和理论批判”,《浙江社会科学》，2015年第10期。
15. Zhang, K., and Kizilcec R. F. (2014). “Anonymity in social media: Effects of content controversiality and social endorsement on sharing behavior.” Proceedings of the Eighth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media.
GRANTS
Research Grant for Humanities and Social Sciences, Tsinghua University 2023
The Spring Breeze Fund for the COVID-19 Research, Tsinghua University 2020
National Social Science Fund, National Social science Foundation of China (NSSFC) 2019
Larry Yung Dissertation Fellowship, Freeman Spogli Institute (FSI), Stanford University 2015 – 2017
Dale G. Leathers Memorial Research Fund for Promotion of Communication in Emerging Democracies, National Communication Association 2016
Freeman Spogli Institute (FSI) Global Policy Fellows Research Grant, Stanford University 2016
Center for East Asia Studies Summer Research Grant, Stanford University 2015
Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate Student Fellowship, Stanford University 2011
SELECTED HONORS
Top Paper Award, The Division of Political Communication, 73rd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association 2023
Teaching Excellence Award for Junior Faculty Nomination, Tsinghua University 2023
Best Paper Award, The 40th Annual Meeting of the Chinese Communication Association 2022
Excellence in Online Teaching Award, Tsinghua University 2021
Tang Zhongying Outstanding Junior Scholar, Tsinghua University 2019
Excellent Young Scholar (Overseas) Award, the Ministry of Education, China 2016
Stanford Center at Peking University Pre-Doctoral Fellow, Stanford University 2016
Distinguished Graduate Award (top 10%), Tsinghua University 2009
SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association (APSA) 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023,2024
Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Annual Conference of the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP) 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021
Annual Convention of the National Communication Association (NCA) 2014, 2015
Deliberative Democracy Conference: Authoritarian Deliberation Revisit, Melbourne 2017
Annual Conference of Frontiers in Political Science Research, Tsinghua University 2018,2019,2020,2021
SELECTED INVITED TALKS
Harvard Kenndy School, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, 2025
Harvard-Yenching Institute, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, 2024
Boston University, Center for the Study of Asia, Pardee School of Global Studies, 2024
Australian National University, Center on China in the World, 2024
National University of Singapore, Department of Communication and New Media, 2024
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Asian Communication Research Center Workshop, 2024
Peking University, National School of Development Political Economy Workshop, 2023
Tsinghua University, Computational Social Science Workshop, 2023
Tsinghua University, Junior Faculty Workshop, 2023
Shenzhen University, School of Government, 2023
Shenzhen University, School of Communication, 2023
Beijing Foreign Language University, School of International Relations, 2023
University of International Business and Economics, Department of Political Science, 2023
Tsinghua University, School of Journalism and Communication, 2023
Beijing Normal University, School of New Media, 2022
China Agricultural University, School of Public Administration, 2022 (online)
UCSD China Workshop, 2022 (online)
Tsinghua University, School of Journalism and Communication, 2021
Renmin University of China, School of International Relations, 2021
Political Science Speaker Series, 2021 (online)
Tsinghua University, School of Public Administration, 2019
Shandong University, School of Government, 2018
Tsinghua University, School of Journalism and Communication, 2018
TEACHING
Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Tsinghua University 2019 to present
Political Communication (undergraduate level)
Movie and Politics (undergraduate level)
Experimental Methods in Political Science (graduate level)
Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, Stanford University
Media Processes and Effects (COMM 108/208) 2015
Mass Media, Society, and Democracy (COMM 1A/211) 2015
Computers and Interfaces (COMM 169/269) 2014
Digital Media in Society (COMM 120W/220) 2014
The Dialogue of Democracy (COMM 137W/237) 2013
Media Technologies, People, and Society (COMM 1A/211) 2012, 2013
STUDENT ADVISORY
Ph.D. Students
Advisor: Yumi Lijima (completed, Japan Institute of International Affairs), Bingyan Wang (2020- ),
Tong Wang (2021- ), Zijing Zhao (2022- ), Jing Zheng (2023- ), Haoyi Tan (2024-)
Dissertation Committee Member: Zhongbin Huang (completed, assistant research fellow, Chinese Social Science Academy), Feng Tang (completed, lecturer, University of International Business and Economics), Yi Li (completed, assistant research fellow, Chinese Social Science Academy), Hui Yang (completed, Best Dissertation Award, Beijing, 2023), Jiangrui Liu (completed, lecturer, Chongqing University), Minxuan Huang (Renmin University, completed, postdoc fellow)
M.A. Students
Siyu Zhang (completed, Hulun Buir Government, Inner Mongolia), Billy Chia (completed, Singapore Navy)
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Administrative Services
Deputy Department Chair, Political Science, Tsinghua University 2023
Reviewer
Political Psychology, Journal of Politics, New Media & Society, Mass Communication & Society, Asian Journal of Communication, Journalism, Urban Studies, Chinese Journal of Political Science, Journal of Chinese Governance , Journal of Social Computing
Conference Organization
Co-chair, Participedia Summer School 2025
Co-chair, Division of Political Communication and Public Opinion, the 44th Annual Meeting of the
International Society of Political Psychology 2021
Conference on “Frontiers in Political Research and Methods", China 2021
Beijing Political Science Forum for Early-career Scholars 2018
Student Affairs
Undergraduate Mentor, Xinya College, Tsinghua University 2023-
Faculty advisor of student affairs, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University 2019-2021
Freshmen Mentor, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University 2022-2023
Undergraduate Scholarship Review Board 2020 -
Committee Member, Institutional Review Board, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University 2023-
