Ben Hillman
Associate Professor
Director, Australian Centre on China in the World
Qualifications
PhD in Politics and International Relations (ANU) BA Hons. Asian and International Studies (Griffith) BA Political Science and Asian Studies (Murdoch)
Ben Hillman is a political scientist, public policy researcher and advisor. His research examines policies and mechanisms for promoting political inclusion and safeguarding minority rights. Ben specializes in political development, public policy and public administration in China. Ben is Co-Editor of The China Journal, which is published by University of Chicago Press, and is currently the world’s number-one ranked scholarly journal on China.
Ben is author or editor of seven books, including a monograph on local politics in China Patronage and Power published by Stanford University Press (2014), an edited volume on Ethnic Protest and Conflict in Tibet and Xinjiang published by Columbia University Press (2016), and China Dreams published by ANU Press (2020). He is currently working on the volume Political and Social Control in China to be published by ANU Press in 2023, and a new book on the Communist Party of China.
Ben is currently serving as Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World.
Recent publications
‘The End of Village Democracy in China.’ Journal of Democracy 34 (3) July, 62-76 (2023)
‘Ghosts of Mao and Deng’ China Story Yearbook ANU Press 2023
Political and Social Control in China: The Consolidation of Single-Party Rule (with Chien-wen Kou). ANU Press (forthcoming 2023)
‘Law, Order and Social Control in Xi’s China.’ Issues and Studies 57 (2) July, 2021.
‘Tibet: From Conflict to Protest.’ In Michael Weiner (ed.) Race and Ethnicity in Asia. London: Routledge, 2021.
‘Urbanizing Tibet: differential inclusion and colonial governance in the People’s Republic of China.’ with G Roche and J Leibold. Territory, Politcs, Governance. December 2020.
‘Quotas and Ballots: The Impact of Positive Action Policies on Women’s Representation in Indonesia.’ Asia and Pacific Policy Studies 7 (2) 158-170. March 2020.
‘Xi Jinping’s War on Black and Evil’ in Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin and Ben Hillman eds. China Dreams: China Story Yearbook 2019. Canberra: ANU Press 2020.
‘Dreaming the Tibetan City’ (with James Leibold and Gerald Roche) in Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin and Ben Hillman eds. China Dreams: China Story Yearbook 2019 Canberra: ANU Press 2020.
China Dreams: China Story Yearbook 2019 (with Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin and Sharon Strange eds.) Canberra: ANU Press 2020.
‘The State Advances, The Private Sector Retreats’ in Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin and Paul Farrelly (eds.) Power: China Story Yearbook Canberra: ANU Press 2019.
Current projects
- The Communist Party of China - Understanding the World’s most powerful political organization (book project)
- The Consolidation of authoritarian rule in China (book project)
Other professional activities and associations
- Editor, The China Journal
- Editor, East Asia Forum
- Assessor, Australian Research Council
- Assessor, Indonesia Science Fund
- Executive Committee Member, Australian Centre on China in the World
- Editorial Board Member, The China Journal
- Academic Referee, American Journal of Political Science, Review of International Political Economy, Policy and Society, *The China Journal, China Quarterly, Asian Studies Review, East Asian History, Journal of Asian Studies, Harvard University Press, University of Washington Press
- Member, American Political Science Association
- Member, International Political Science Association
Research interests
- Chinese politics and public policy
- Policies and mechanisms for political inclusion
- Informal institutions in politics and public policy making
- Ethnic politics and ethnic conflict
- Governing diversity in multi-ethnic states
- Political change in Asia
- Democracy and democratisation
Teaching
Ben is currently convenor of Research Project (POGO8035).
He supervises PhD students working on Chinese politics and public policy, ethnic policies, the governance of diversity, political institutions, political economy, patronage and corruption, and minority rights.
Updated: 26 September 2023/Responsible Officer: Crawford Engagement/Page Contact: CAP Web Team
