Dr. Kevin O Brien

Biography

Kevin O’Brien holds the Jack M. Forcey Chair in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He received a B.A. from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. from Yale University, and taught at Ohio State for a decade before moving to Berkeley in 2000. His research focuses on contemporary Chinese politics, particularly grassroots political movements. His notable works include 'Reform Liberalization: China's National People's Congress Politics Institutional Change' and 'Rightful Resistance in Rural China' (co-authored with Lianjiang Li). O’Brien has also edited volumes such as 'Engaging Law in China: State, Society, and Possibilities for Justice' with Neil Diamant and Stanley Lubman, and 'Grassroots Elections in China' with Suisheng Zhao. His articles examine legislative politics, local elections, fieldwork strategies, policy implementation, and rural protests, reflecting on how Chinese authorities manage protest and incorporate popular contention. He is particularly interested in the strategies that disaffected social groups use to improve their conditions and the ways in which local officials engage with grassroot movements whilst maintaining political control.

Research Interests