Bruce J. Dickson
Bruce J. Dickson
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs
Full-time Faculty
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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.
Professor Dickson's research and teaching focus on political dynamics in China, especially the adaptability of the Chinese Communist Party and the regime it governs. In addition to courses on China, he also teaches on comparative politics and authoritarianism.
His current research examines the political consequences of economic reform in China, the Chinese Communist Party’s evolving strategy for survival, and the changing relationship between state and society. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, the US Institute of Peace, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Chinese domestic politics, regimes and regime change, general comparative politics, U.S.-China relations
PSC 1001 Introduction to Comparative Politics
PSC 2371 Politics and Foreign Policy of China
PSC 3192W China’s Transformation
PSC 6370 Politics of The People's Republic of China I
PSC 6371 Politics of The People's Republic of China II
PSC 8331 Advanced Theories of Comparative Politics
PSC 8334 Democracy and Democratization in Comparative Perspective
PSC 8340 Authoritarianism
- The Dictator's Dilemma: The Chinese Communist Party's Strategy for Survival (Oxford Univ. Pr., 2016),
- Allies of the State: Democratic Support and Regime Support among China’s Private Entrepreneurs (Harvard Univ. Pr., 2010), with Jie Chen
- Wealth into Power: The Communist Party's Embrace of China's Private Sector (Cambridge Univ. Pr., 2008),
- Red Capitalists in China: The Party, Private Entrepreneurs, and Prospects for Political Change (Cambridge Univ. Pr., 2003),
- Democratization in China and Taiwan: The Adaptability of Leninist Parties (Oxford Univ. Pr., 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, The Washington Quarterly, 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.
Ph.D., University of Michigan