Jay C. Kao

Assistant Professor

Loyola University Chicago

Biography

I am an assistant professor of political science at Loyola University Chicago. My research centers on political communication, political behavior, and public opinion, with a regional focus on Greater China.

I earned my Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021. In fall 2024, I was a visiting fellow at the University of Chicago.

You can find my CV here.

Publications

Jay C. Kao (2025). Mistrust and Backfire: Information on Government Responsiveness and Tax Compliance in China. Social Science Quarterly.

Jay C. Kao, Amy H. Liu (2025). Racial Identities, Linguistic Proficiency, and Public Attitudes towards Immigrants: Evidence from Two Surveys in Taiwan. Political Research Quarterly. 78(2): 701-719.

PDF Source Document

Jay C. Kao, Xiaobo Lü, Didac Queralt (2024). Do Gains in Political Representation Sweeten Tax Reform in China? It Depends on Who You Ask. Political Science Research and Methods. 12(1): 146-165.

PDF Code Source Document

Jay C. Kao (2023). Experiments in Asian Politics. Encyclopedia of Asian Politics.

PDF Code Source Document

Jay C. Kao, Amy H. Liu, Chunying Wu (2023). Minority Language Recognition and Political Trust in Authoritarian Regimes. Political Research Quarterly. 76(2): 622-635.

PDF Source Document

Jay C. Kao (2021). Family Matters: Education and the (Conditional) Effect of State Indoctrination in China. Public Opinion Quarterly. 85(1): 54-78.

Preprint PDF Source Document

Jay C. Kao (2014). Varieties of Authoritarianism: In Search of China's Regime Type. Mainland China Studies. 57(3): 1-38.

PDF

Working Papers

“How the Pro-Beijing Media Influences Voters: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment”

(link) (R&R at American Political Science Review)

“Ripples of Resistance? Chinese Public Opinion toward COVID Control”

(with Jiahua Yue and Nathan Cao)

“Authoritarian Education and Liberalism? Evidence from China”

(with Kenny Miao)

“Propaganda by Proxy”

(with Frances Yaping Wang)

Teaching

PLSC 336: Chinese Politics

Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2025

PLSC 346: East Asian Politics

Spring 2024, Spring 2025

PLSC 103: Introduction to Comparative Politics

AY 2021-2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2025

Experimental Political Science

Summer 2022

Recommendation Letters

For students seeking a letter of recommendation from me for graduate school or fellowship applications, please initiate contact a minimum of three weeks prior to the application deadline. To facilitate the process, please provide me with relevant information, such as program description and your statement of purpose for the application. Your adherence to this timeline is expected for the timely completion of the letter.