Mark R Thompson

Mark R. Thompson is a Professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at the City University of Hong Kong, where he directs the Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC). He holds a PhD in Political Science from Yale University and is a globally recognized scholar with over 200 publications. Previously, he served as Head of the Department of Asian and International Studies and held distinguished fellowships at the National University of Singapore, Stanford University, and Kyoto University.

Education:

• PhD Political Science, Yale University
• MA Cambridge University
• BA Brown University

His research examines democratic backsliding, authoritarian resilience, and political dynasties in Southeast Asia, with a focus on the Philippines. He investigates how populist leaders consolidate power and the conditions enabling opposition movements.

Recent publications analyze the normalization of illiberal governance in East Asia, the sociopolitical impacts of Duterte's drug war, and the strategic limitations of resistance movements. His work combines theoretical innovation with rigorous empirical analysis across multiple country contexts.

Awards and Honors:

• Stanford's top 2% most-cited scientist (2024)
• Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Fellowships in Singapore and Stanford
• CSEAS Fellowship, Kyoto University

He mentors doctoral candidates researching political transitions across Asia and has secured over $1 million in competitive grants. As SEARC director, he oversees collaborative projects on autocratization and coordinates international research networks.