Peter Gries

Peter Gries is a Professor of Chinese Politics and the Lee Kai Hung Chair at the University of Manchester, serving as the founding Director of the Manchester China Institute. He previously held roles at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Colorado, Boulder. Born in Singapore, he holds degrees from Middlebury, the University of Michigan, and a PhD from UC Berkeley. His research focuses on political psychology, particularly U.S.-China relations and Chinese nationalism, with notable works including China’s New Nationalism and The Politics of American Foreign Policy. He leads initiatives like the UK-China International Photography Award and the UK-China Diplomatic Dialogue. His grants include funding from the Ford Foundation and Smith Richardson Foundation for projects on security dialogues and course development. He sits on editorial boards of The China Quarterly, Political Psychology, and Nations & Nationalism. Recent work explores racial stereotypes, intersectionality, and threat perception in international relations.

• Education:
  • Bachelor's and Master's in Asian Studies from Middlebury and the University of Michigan
  • PhD in Politics from UC Berkeley
• Research Interests:
  • Political psychology of international affairs
  • U.S.-China relations
  • Chinese nationalism and foreign policy
  • Public opinion dynamics
• Grants:
  • $60,000 from Smith Richardson Foundation (2005–2006)
  • Multiple grants from Ford Foundation and Mershon Center for Sino-American Security Dialogues
  • $4,000 from Freeman Foundation for Chinese Foreign Policy course development
• Media Contributions:
  • Expert commentary on BBC World News, NYT, and CGTN
  • Discussions on U.S.-China trade wars, China’s Japan policy, and global perceptions of China
• Labs/Institutes:
  • Manchester China Institute
  • Former director of the Institute for US-China Issues at University of Oklahoma