Professional Activities
Grants, Honours and Awards
External Research Funding (Over $10,000)
Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Publication Grant (Co-Recipient w/Y. Abu-Laban, M. Frishkopf and A. Kirova), 2024
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant, 2021-2024
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant, 2019-2022
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Grant, 2017-2021
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant (Co-Investigator w/J. Teets and O. Lewis), 2015-2018
Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund Grant, 2016-2017
Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Research Grant (Co-Investigator w/J. Teets and O. Lewis), 2016-2017
Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Research Grant (Co-Investigator w/J. Hsu and T. Hildebrandt), 2014-2015
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant (Co-Investigator w/J. Hsu), 2012-2015
Research Awards
University of Sydney China Distinguished Fellowship, 2025
Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Public Diplomacy, 2025
Academy of International Affairs NRW Fellowship, 2024
Journal of Asian Public Policy Best Paper Prize, 2022
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Global Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Award, 2021
University of Alberta Faculty of Arts Research Excellence Award (Full Professor Rank), 2021
University of Alberta Martha Cook Piper Research Prize for Impact on the Discipline (Nominee for the Faculty of Arts), 2019
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) President’s Award for Non-Profit Research, 2015
University of Michigan National Center for Institutional Diversity’s Exemplary Diversity Scholar Award, 2013
University of Michigan National Center for Institutional Diversity’s Emerging Diversity Scholar Award, 2010
Society for the Study of Social Problems’ Poverty, Class and Inequality Division Paper Award, 2009
Society for the Study of Social Problems’ Law and Society Division Alfred R. Lindesmith Award for Best Paper, 2009
European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes’ (EADI) Research Prize for Development Studies, 2007
Institute for Humane Studies Best Paper (Honourable Mention) on Debt Relief, 2005
* Total Funding, including internal and external schemes: $1,126,233 (non-salaried amount)
Research Groups and Consultancies
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (Toronto, Canada), 2016-2017
Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies, University of Western Sydney (Sydney, Australia), 2010
Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, University of Oxford (Oxford, UK), 2012-2014
China Growth Centre, St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford (Oxford, UK), 2012-2015
China Household Ethnicity Survey Project, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Beijing, China), 2012-2015
China Policy Institute, University of Nottingham (Nottingham, UK), 2016-2018
China Studies Centre, University of Sydney (Sydney, Australia), 2013-2016
Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford (Oxford, UK), 2013-2015
Oxford Analytica (Oxford, UK), 2013-2015, 2019 - present
Research Group on Religion, Ethnicity and Identity, University of Cambridge (Cambridge, UK), 2008
Taiwan Studies Program, University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), 2021-2023
Visiting Fellow and Scholar
Academia Sinica (Taipei, ROC), Summer 2007
Academy of International Affairs NRW (Bonn, Germany), Summer 2024
Center on Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California (Los Angeles, USA), Winter 2025
China Studies Centre, University of Sydney (Sydney, Australia), Summer 2014 and Spring 2025
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Beijing, China), Winter 2015
Department of Government and Public Administration, Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China), Summer 2016
Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science (London, UK), Summer 2019
Department of Sociology, Columbia University (New York City, USA), Summer 2015
Faculty of Philology, University of Silesia (Katowice, Poland), Spring 2022
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Innsbruck (Innsbruck, Austria), Spring 2023
Professional Dialogues Organized
Forum on NGO Governance and Management in China (Edmonton, Canada), August 2013 [video] [podcast]
A Global Conversation on the Future of Foreign Relations with China
Roundtable on the Future of EU-China Relations (Bonn, Germany), July 2024
Roundtable on the Future of UK-China Relations (London, UK), December 2024
Roundtable on the Future of Australia-China Relations (Sydney, Australia), May 2025
International Forum on Inclusive Growth, Welfare and Development Policy (Melbourne, Australia), June 2012 [video] [podcast]
Roundtable on the Future of Energy (Cambridge, USA), March 2017
Roundtable on the Future of Machine Learning and Health Care (Toronto, Canada), April 2017
Speaker Series on "Global Issues from a Local Perspective" (Edmonton, Canada), 2018-2019
Workshop on Ethics, Rights, Culture and the Humanization of Refugees (Edmonton, Canada), February 2020
Professional Associations
Academy of Management (since 2011)
American Political Science Association (since 2007)
Global Forum of Chinese Political Scientists, 2021
Section on Race, Ethnicity and Politics Best Paper Award Committee, 2012-2013
American Sociological Association (since 2008)
Section on the Sociology of Development, 2013-2014
Association for Asian Studies (since 2009)
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (since 2015)
Global Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Award Committee, 2022, 2023
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly Best Article Award Committee, 2017
President’s Award Committee, 2021
Publications Committee, 2016-2018
Australian Sociological Association (since 2012)
British Sociological Association (since 2012)
Canadian Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (since 2006)
Canadian Ethnic Studies Association (since 2018)
Canadian International Council (formerly, Canadian Institute of International Affairs) (since 1998)
Canadian Political Science Association (since 2020)
Annual Conference Coordinator and Co-Organizer, 2021
Graduate Student Three Minutes Thesis Competition Organizer, 2021
International Political Science Association Council Representative, 2021
European Consortium for Political Research (since 2021)
International Chinese Sociological Association (formerly, North American Chinese Sociologist Association) (since 2013)
Conference Program Committee, 2017
Managing Board Member, 2015-2018
Student Paper Award Committee, 2016
International Political Science Association (since 2006)
Research Committee on Asia and Pacific Studies Board Member, 2016-2023
Secretary, 2018-2021
World Congress Co-Organizer, 2021
Research Committee on Politics and Ethnicity, 2006-2007
International Society for Third-Sector Research (since 2024)
International Sociological Association (since 2006)
Research Committee on Alienation Theory, 2006-2009
Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy, 2014-2017
Research Committee on Sociology of Work, 2010-2013
Ontario Archaeological Society (since 1997)
Royal Institute of International Affairs (since 2003)
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (since 2015)
Society for the Study of Social Problems (since 2009)
Alfred R. Lindesmith Award Committee (Chair), 2010
C. Wright Mills Award Committee, 2016
Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee, 2010, 2012, 2015
Lee Founders Award Committee, 2014
Editorial Responsibilities and Reviewer
Allen and Unwin [1]
American Journal of Sociology [1]
American Sociological Review [2]
Ashgate [1]
Asia Pacific Review [1]
Asian Perspective [1]
Asian Politics and Policy [1]
Asian Population Studies [1]
Asian Studies Review [3]
Australian Research Council (on Excellence in Research for Australia [ERA] Review Panel, 2012)
Bristol University Press [3]
British Journal of Political Science [2]
Cambridge Review of International Affairs [1]
Cambridge University Press [2]
Canadian Ethnic Studies [3]
Central Asian Survey [4]
China: An International Journal [3]
China Economic Review [2]
China Information [3]
The China Journal [1]
China Journal of Social Work [2]
China Perspectives [1]
The China Quarterly [14]
The China Review [1]
Chinese Political Science Review [1]
Chinese Sociological Review [1]
Communist and Post-Communist Studies [1]
Comparative Political Studies [2]
Conference Board of Canada [1]
Danish Council for Independent Research [1]
Demography [1]
Development and Change [1]
Development Policy Review [1]
East Asia: An International Quarterly [1]
Economic and Social Research Council UK [4]
Edward Elgar Publishing [1]
Ethnic and Racial Studies [1]
Ethnicities [1]
Eurasian Geography and Economics [2]
Gender and Society [1]
Governance [10]
Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Powers [1]
Information, Communication and Society [1]
Interest Groups and Advocacy [2]
International Journal of Comparative Sociology [1]
International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society [1]
International Political Science Review [11]
International Sociology [1]
International Studies Review [1]
Issues and Studies: A Social Science Quarterly on China, Taiwan and East Asian Affairs [1]
Journal of Chinese Governance [2]
Journal of Chinese Political Science [7]
Journal of Civil Society (Editor-in-Chief, 2024 - present)
Journal of Contemporary Asia [1]
Journal of Contemporary China (on Editorial Board, 2017 - present)
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs [2]
Journal of East Asian Studies [1]
Journal of Intercultural Studies [1]
Journal of Social Policy [3]
Law and Society Review [1]
Local Government Studies [1]
Modern China [1]
Nationalism and Ethnic Politics [1]
Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study [1]
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly [7]
Nonprofit Management and Leadership [1]
Oxford University Press [1]
Pacific Affairs [1]
Perspectives on Politics [1]
Policy Press [1]
Political Behavior [1]
Political Studies Review [1]
Politics and Policy [2]
Public Performance and Management Review [1]
Research Grants Council of Hong Kong [43]
Review of Policy Research [1]
Routledge (Foundation Editor for Book Series on the Politics and Sociology of China, 2014 - present)
Scientific Reports [1]
Social Forces [1]
Social Problems [2]
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (on Insight Grant Review Panel, 2020, 2025)
Social Science Research [3]
Sociological Forum [1]
Sociology [2]
Sociology of Race and Ethnicity [1]
Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism (on Editorial Board, 2006-2012)
Third World Quarterly [3]
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations [11]
Work, Employment and Society (on Editorial Board, 2012-2014)
World Development [6]
* Parentheses indicate number of items reviewed.
University Service
University of Alberta
China Institute
Academic Advisor, 2020-2023, 2024 - present
Academic Faculty Lead for Research and Public Policy, 2023-2024
Advisory Council, 2020-2022
Department of Political Science
Canadian Politics Field Committee, 2015-2019
Comparative Politics Field Committee, 2015 - present
Faculty Evaluation Committee, 2015-2016
International Relations Field Committee (Convenor), 2015-2024
Ph.D. Program Requirements Committee (Chair), 2017
Post-Doctoral Fellowship and Visiting Scholars Committee (Chair), 2018-2023
Speaker Series Coordinator, 2018-2019
Undergraduate Committee, 2023-2024
Faculty of Arts
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, 2019-2021
Sub-Committee on Governance (Chair), 2019-2020
Sub-Committee on Data Management and Analysis, 2020-2021
Research Committee, 2015-2017
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
Graduate Scholarship Committee, 2016-2022
University of Oxford
China Centre Management Committee, 2012-2015
Contemporary Chinese Studies Program Teaching Committee, 2012-2015
Department of Politics and International Relations D.Phil. Admissions Committee, 2014
School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies Research Methods Committee, 2013-2015
University of Melbourne
Department of Sociology Research Higher Degree Coordinator, 2011
Department of Sociology Undergraduate Academic Advisor, 2011-2012
School of Social and Political Sciences Research and Research Training Committee, 2011
School of Social and Political Sciences Teaching and Learning Committee, 2012
External
Department of Political Science, Tufts University, Tenure and Promotion External Assessor, 2021
Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, External Degree Assessor and Course Examiner, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate University, Tenure and Promotion External Assessor, 2017
University of Vienna, Full Professor Open Competition External Assessor, 2024