Keren Zhu Assistant Professor of Political Science

I grew up in China and witnessed the country’s rapid economic development, infrastructure building, and global integration. This inspired me to explore Chinese overseas economic activities and its wide-ranging global impact. 

Curiosity inspired me to conduct fieldwork in several African countries, and to understand China's evolving relationship with the Global South. My work experience at the United Nations and think tanks in China and the United States inspired me to take on an applied perspective in thinking about world politics. 

Over the past 10 years, I was involved in research and practice related to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). I have published several journal articles and reports on global China, infrastructure development, US-China relations, and East Asian political economy. 

I am working on a book project on the impact of Chinese global infrastructure. I also co-host The Belt and Road Podcast that explores the changing faces of China’s global engagement.

I have an interdisciplinary background. I earned a BA in English from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, an MSc in Social Anthropology from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Policy Analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School. 

Prior to joining Davidson College, I taught at the University of Southern California, conducted research as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center and The New School India China Institute.

In my free time, I enjoy picking up new languages, cooking, reading, and creative writing. I also love hiking, swimming, and playing squash.