Charles McClean

Charles McClean is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yale University, specializing in comparative politics with a focus on the politics of age and Japan. His research explores youth underrepresentation in democracies, particularly in aging societies like Japan. McClean holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, and has held postdoctoral positions at Yale’s Council on East Asian Studies, the University of Michigan’s Center for Japanese Studies, and Harvard’s Program on U.S.-Japan Relations.

His work has been published in top journals such as the British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, and Nature Medicine. He is currently completing a book manuscript, Silver Democracy: Youth Representation in an Aging Japan, analyzing the causes and consequences of youth political underrepresentation. McClean’s research also examines legislative dynamics, minority governments, and U.S.-Japan relations, with articles featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

He has organized academic lecture series on Japanese politics and global political economy, and his grants include support from the Japan Foundation and Harvard’s Program on U.S.-Japan Relations. McClean’s work bridges academia and public policy, addressing how aging populations impact governance, representation, and international alliances.