Political Science · University of Houston

Li, Liang

Family name: Li; given name: Liang · Pronounced lee lyahng.

I am a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in political science at the University of Houston, specializing in comparative politics and research methods.

My research examines authoritarian politics and nationalism in developing countries. I study power sharing and exclusion among political elites in authoritarian regimes, including how rulers share power with allies and exclude rivals.

I also study how states shape national identity, with particular attention to education, official narratives, and the boundaries of national belonging.

Selected research

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Working paper

Early-Tenure Failed Coups and Personalization: What Leads to the Erosion of Power Sharing in Authoritarian Regimes?

Liang Li and Rui Tang

Working paper

Identity-Based Proximity to Power and Selective Democratic Support: Presidential Co-Ethnic Category Membership in Sub-Saharan Africa

Liang Li and Rui Tang

Beyond research

I enjoy literature and following sports. I am a fan of the Golden State Warriors and AC Milan. I also enjoy listening to Sodagreen and Wu Qing-feng.