معرفی
Rongbin Han is Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs, where he also serves as a Faculty Fellow at the Center for International Trade and Security (recently renamed the Benson-Bertsch Center for International Trade and Security). His research focuses on Chinese politics, particularly cyber politics and contentious politics, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- Ph.D. in Political Science, University of California, Berkeley (2012)
- M.A. in Political Science, National University of Singapore (2003-2006)
- B.A. in International Politics, Peking University (1999-2003)
Professor Han's work examines how online expression functions within China's political system, challenging conventional wisdom about the Internet's democratizing potential. He has developed influential concepts such as 'directed digital dissidence' to explain how authoritarian regimes strategically channel online discontent. His research combines digital ethnography with survey experiments and automated text analysis to provide nuanced insights into state-society relations in the digital age, with particular attention to how pluralization of expression empowers not only regime critics but also pro-regime voices.
His scholarly output reveals a consistent progression from examining online expression and censorship to exploring more sophisticated state strategies. A thematic analysis shows his work spans multiple subfields including cyber nationalism, local governance responsiveness, environmental activism, and immigration attitudes in China, demonstrating both depth in China studies and breadth across political science subdisciplines. His publications indicate an evolving understanding of how China's digital authoritarianism has matured from simple censorship to more complex information management strategies.
Professor Han has authored or co-authored approximately 50 scholarly publications that have garnered over 17,000 reads and 880 citations according to ResearchGate. His three major books have significantly shaped the field of Chinese cyber politics: 'Contesting Cyberspace in China' (2018), 'Directed Digital Dissidence in Autocracies' (2023), and 'The Xi Jinping Effect' (2024) as co-editor. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets including The Economist and The Washington Post, indicating its significance beyond academic circles.
As an educator, Professor Han contributes to the academic community through his research and publications. His work provides critical insights into the evolving relationship between digital technologies and authoritarian governance, with implications for understanding political change in China and other authoritarian contexts. His research continues to evolve with recent work examining communism nostalgia in online fictions and the broader evolution of cyber politics in China over the past three decades.
