Rachel E. Stern

Rachel E. Stern is a Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, holding the Pamela P. Fong and Family Distinguished Chair in China Studies. She is affiliated with Berkeley Law and the Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program. Her research focuses on Chinese law, particularly legal institution building, political space, and professionalization in Mainland China and Hong Kong. Stern co-leads a project analyzing over 60 million Chinese judicial decisions digitized since 2014, redefining understandings of authoritarian legality.

• Education: B.A., Wellesley College; Ph.D., UC Berkeley

Her work bridges law and society, with expertise in environmental litigation, legal mobilization, and the intersection of law and political systems. Recent projects emphasize the societal impact of China's judicial transparency reforms.

• Awards: Pamela P. Fong Endowed Chair

Collaborative efforts include large-scale data analysis of Chinese legal systems. She serves as series editor for the Law and Society series at Cambridge University Press.