Education:

Ph.D., University of Michigan

Expertise:

Chinese domestic politics, East Asian politics, political change and democratization, general comparative politics, U.S.-China relations

Background:

Professor Dickson received his B.A. in political science and English literature, his M.A. in Chinese Studies, and his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty of The George Washington University and the Elliott School in 1993. He teaches on China, comparative politics, and democratization. Professor Dickson is currently examining the political consequences of economic reform in China, and in particular the relationship between private entrepreneurs and the Chinese Communist Party. He received a fellowship from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for the 2006-07 academic year, for his project, "Turning Wealth into Power: The Evolving Political Influence of China's 'Red Capitalists.'"

Selected Publications

• Wealth into Power: The Communist Party's Embrace of China's Private Sector (2008),
• Red Capitalists in China: The Party, Private Entrepreuneurs, and Prospects for Political Change (2003),
• Democratization in China and Taiwan: The Adaptability of Leninist Parties (1997)

Professor Dickson's articles have appeared in Asian Survey, China Quarterly, Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of Democracy, National Interest, and Political Science Quarterly. He is a frequent commentator on political developments in China and Taiwan and on U.S.-China relations, and has appeared on CNN, NPR, BBC, and VOA.

Courses Taught: