Congressional Testimony:
2022. "China's Response to War in Ukraine." Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission, hearing on "Challenges for Chinese Policy in 2022." 3 August.
2021. "Internal Security & Chinese Strategy." Testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, hearing on "The United States' Strategic Competition with China." 8 June.
2021. "Internal Security & Grand Strategy: China's Approach to National Security under Xi Jinping." Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission hearing on "U.S.-China Relations at the Chinese Communist Party’s Centennial." 28 January.
2020. "Technological Surveillance of Religion in China." Testimony before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. 22 July.
2017. “Black Flags Over Mindanao: Terrorism in Southeast Asia.” Testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Asia & the Pacific. 12 July.
2017. "Child Welfare Policy Reforms for the 2018 Session." Testimony before the Joint Committee on Child Abuse & Neglect, Missouri General Assembly. 13 December.
Policy Writing & Public Outreach:
2024. "What's Behind South Korea's New 'Defectors Day' Holiday?" Carnegie Endowment (July 2024).
2024. "Playing Both Sides: Why Countries Get External Security from Washington--and Internal Security from Beijing." Foreign Affairs, 15 March. With Isaac Kardon.
2024. "Why North Korea Survives." Persuasion, 16 February. [pdf]
2024. "How North Korean Defectors Shape the Policies of Countries Where They Resettle." NKNews, 13 February.
2023. "New Leaders in "National Security" after China's 20th Party Congress." China Leadership Monitor. December. [pdf]
2023. "National Security after China's 20th Party Congress: Trends in Discourse and Policy." China Leadership Monitor (September). [pdf]
2023. "Xi's Security Obsession: Why China is Digging In at Home and Asserting Itself Abroad." Foreign Affairs, 28 July.
2023. "What's at Stake as Blinken Heads to Beijing." ChinaFile, 16 June. [pdf]
2022. "After a Wave of Protests, China's Silent Crackdown." Journal of Democracy, December.
2022. "How China Has Expanded its Use of Police Power Abroad." Washington Examiner, 8 December.
2022. "Xi Jinping's Quest for Order: Security at Home, Influence Abroad." Foreign Affairs, 3 October.
2022. "Asian Allies & Partners in a Taiwan Contingency: What Should the United States Expect?" in Defending Taiwan (American Enterprise Institute, 2022). [PDF here.]
2022. "China, Russia, and Ukraine." Association for Asian Studies blog. 21 March.
2021. "China: Two Key Questions." Democracy: a journal of ideas. Summer. [pdf]
2021. "The Global Impact of Chinese Surveillance Technology.: Issues for U.S. Policy." Wilson Center, April.
2021. "What to Expect from Japan and Korea in a Taiwan Contingency." In New Frontiers for Security Cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo (Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, 2021, Henry Sokolski, ed.). With Zack Cooper.
2020. "China's Influence on Conflict Dynamics in South Asia." USIP Senior Study Group Report. United States Institute of Peace. December. [Downloadable pdf.]
2020. "China's Surveillance State at Home & Abroad: Challenges for U.S. Policy." Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations. October. [Downloadable pdf of report; pdf of Key findings/recommendations.]
2020. "The Saohei Campaign, Protection Umbrellas, and & Impact on China's Political-Legal Apparatus." China Leadership Monitor. September. [Downloadable pdf.]
2020. "The Future of China Studies in the US: Universities Need a Strategy." ChinaFile. 27 August. [pdf]
2020. "China's Troubling Vision for the Future of Public Health." Foreign Affairs. 10 July 2020. With Julian Gewirtz.
2020. "Why Taiwan's Assistance to Hong Kong Matters." Foreign Policy. 2 July 2020. With Aram Hur.
2020. Discussion of US-China relations on Slate's Political Gabfest podcast (28 May 2020).
2020. "How will COVID-19 impact global democracy?" Asia Society video roundtable (May 2020).
2020. "Dealing with Demand for China's Global Surveillance Exports." Brookings Global China project (April). [pdf]
2020. "North Korea's leader may be in ill health. Is the US well-positioned to respond to crisis?" The Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog. 22 April. (Analysis also cited in this Vox piece.)
2019. "Domestic Security in China Under Xi Jinping." China Leadership Monitor, Issue 59. March. [Downloadable pdf.]
2017. "North Korea's Activities in Southeast Asia and Implications for the Region." Chicago Council on Global Affairs. 29 November.
2016. "Can Trump Count on Manila to Put Pressure on North Korea?" The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 16 May.
2016. "The US-Philippine Alliance in a Year of Transition." Brookings (Summer).
2016. "Better Late Than Never: Why Closing Kaesong Was the Right Call." Brookings, 17 February.
2014. Illicit: North Korea's Evolving Operations to Earn Hard Currency (Washington: HRNK).
2014. "Obama's Visit, Non-Traditional Security, & the US-Philippine Alliance." Brookings East Asia Commentary, No. 77.
2013. "US-China Relations & America's Alliances in Asia." Brookings East Asia Commentary, No. 65.
2012. "Drama on the High Seas: the China-Philippines Standoff and the US-Philippine Alliance." Foreign Policy, 12 April.
2012. "A North Korean Corleone." The New York Times, 4 March.
Foster Care, Adoption, & Child Welfare Policy (Missouri):
For an overview, see this article or this one. Specific policy work included:
2022. "China's Response to War in Ukraine." Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission, hearing on "Challenges for Chinese Policy in 2022." 3 August.
2021. "Internal Security & Chinese Strategy." Testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, hearing on "The United States' Strategic Competition with China." 8 June.
2021. "Internal Security & Grand Strategy: China's Approach to National Security under Xi Jinping." Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission hearing on "U.S.-China Relations at the Chinese Communist Party’s Centennial." 28 January.
2020. "Technological Surveillance of Religion in China." Testimony before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. 22 July.
2017. “Black Flags Over Mindanao: Terrorism in Southeast Asia.” Testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Asia & the Pacific. 12 July.
2017. "Child Welfare Policy Reforms for the 2018 Session." Testimony before the Joint Committee on Child Abuse & Neglect, Missouri General Assembly. 13 December.
Policy Writing & Public Outreach:
2024. "What's Behind South Korea's New 'Defectors Day' Holiday?" Carnegie Endowment (July 2024).
2024. "Playing Both Sides: Why Countries Get External Security from Washington--and Internal Security from Beijing." Foreign Affairs, 15 March. With Isaac Kardon.
2024. "Why North Korea Survives." Persuasion, 16 February. [pdf]
2024. "How North Korean Defectors Shape the Policies of Countries Where They Resettle." NKNews, 13 February.
2023. "New Leaders in "National Security" after China's 20th Party Congress." China Leadership Monitor. December. [pdf]
2023. "National Security after China's 20th Party Congress: Trends in Discourse and Policy." China Leadership Monitor (September). [pdf]
2023. "Xi's Security Obsession: Why China is Digging In at Home and Asserting Itself Abroad." Foreign Affairs, 28 July.
2023. "What's at Stake as Blinken Heads to Beijing." ChinaFile, 16 June. [pdf]
2022. "After a Wave of Protests, China's Silent Crackdown." Journal of Democracy, December.
2022. "How China Has Expanded its Use of Police Power Abroad." Washington Examiner, 8 December.
2022. "Xi Jinping's Quest for Order: Security at Home, Influence Abroad." Foreign Affairs, 3 October.
2022. "Asian Allies & Partners in a Taiwan Contingency: What Should the United States Expect?" in Defending Taiwan (American Enterprise Institute, 2022). [PDF here.]
2022. "China, Russia, and Ukraine." Association for Asian Studies blog. 21 March.
2021. "China: Two Key Questions." Democracy: a journal of ideas. Summer. [pdf]
2021. "The Global Impact of Chinese Surveillance Technology.: Issues for U.S. Policy." Wilson Center, April.
2021. "What to Expect from Japan and Korea in a Taiwan Contingency." In New Frontiers for Security Cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo (Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, 2021, Henry Sokolski, ed.). With Zack Cooper.
2020. "China's Influence on Conflict Dynamics in South Asia." USIP Senior Study Group Report. United States Institute of Peace. December. [Downloadable pdf.]
2020. "China's Surveillance State at Home & Abroad: Challenges for U.S. Policy." Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations. October. [Downloadable pdf of report; pdf of Key findings/recommendations.]
2020. "The Saohei Campaign, Protection Umbrellas, and & Impact on China's Political-Legal Apparatus." China Leadership Monitor. September. [Downloadable pdf.]
2020. "The Future of China Studies in the US: Universities Need a Strategy." ChinaFile. 27 August. [pdf]
2020. "China's Troubling Vision for the Future of Public Health." Foreign Affairs. 10 July 2020. With Julian Gewirtz.
2020. "Why Taiwan's Assistance to Hong Kong Matters." Foreign Policy. 2 July 2020. With Aram Hur.
2020. Discussion of US-China relations on Slate's Political Gabfest podcast (28 May 2020).
2020. "How will COVID-19 impact global democracy?" Asia Society video roundtable (May 2020).
2020. "Dealing with Demand for China's Global Surveillance Exports." Brookings Global China project (April). [pdf]
- Discussed (along with other topics) on this UT Horns of a Dilemma/This is Democracy podcast. [Spotify / iTunes]
- Also featured in this Brookings webinar, "Global China: Assessing China's Technological Reach in the World" (May 2020)
2020. "North Korea's leader may be in ill health. Is the US well-positioned to respond to crisis?" The Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog. 22 April. (Analysis also cited in this Vox piece.)
2019. "Domestic Security in China Under Xi Jinping." China Leadership Monitor, Issue 59. March. [Downloadable pdf.]
2017. "North Korea's Activities in Southeast Asia and Implications for the Region." Chicago Council on Global Affairs. 29 November.
2016. "Can Trump Count on Manila to Put Pressure on North Korea?" The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 16 May.
2016. "The US-Philippine Alliance in a Year of Transition." Brookings (Summer).
2016. "Better Late Than Never: Why Closing Kaesong Was the Right Call." Brookings, 17 February.
2014. Illicit: North Korea's Evolving Operations to Earn Hard Currency (Washington: HRNK).
2014. "Obama's Visit, Non-Traditional Security, & the US-Philippine Alliance." Brookings East Asia Commentary, No. 77.
2013. "US-China Relations & America's Alliances in Asia." Brookings East Asia Commentary, No. 65.
2012. "Drama on the High Seas: the China-Philippines Standoff and the US-Philippine Alliance." Foreign Policy, 12 April.
2012. "A North Korean Corleone." The New York Times, 4 March.
Foster Care, Adoption, & Child Welfare Policy (Missouri):
For an overview, see this article or this one. Specific policy work included:
- Advocated for establishment of a "birth match" program to identify and offer services to parents of high-risk newborn children, passed in HB429 (2021). [News coverage here.]
- Proposed and advocated for legislative reforms codified in SB800 (2018) and SB819 (2018):
- Retaining data from child abuse/neglect reports for longer periods to facilitate investigation of complex child abuse/neglect cases;
- Improving information-sharing across state lines;
- Strengthening provisions to terminate parental rights in cases of sexual abuse;
- Allowing judges overseeing foster care to modify custody as needed to protect children's best interests;
- Establishing a timeline for the state to establish paternity to facilitate earlier permanency for children;
- Streamlining referrals for children affected by drugs/alcohol;
- Making the process of fingerprint/background checks for foster families safer & more efficient;
- Adding measures to protect the privacy of foster families' medical/financial/personal information;
- Setting up a task force to improve how foster families are recruited, retained, & licensed;
- Allowing teenagers in foster care to set up their own bank accounts so they can begin to earn and save money;
- Aligning medical care for foster children with the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics;
- Enabling private attorneys to file for termination of parental rights & adoption to facilitate earlier permanency;
- Allowing birth parents whose children are in foster care to consent to adoption; and
- Creating a new legal framework for post-adoption contact agreements (PACAs) between birth parents and children.
- Implemented administrative reforms to provide birth certificates to foster children/youth free of charge. (Story here or here.)
- Reformed State of Missouri Child Abuse & Neglect reporting hotline to accept out-of-state calls. (Story here.)
- Recruited and nominated over 40 individuals for appointment to the state's child welfare boards, including the State Foster Care & Adoption Advisory Board, Children's Trust Fund Board, and Child Abuse/Neglect Review Boards. (Story here.)
- Donated almost 4,000 books to foster care children and families around the state. (Story here.)
Photo: Pyongyang subway system, North Korea