Publications

Deliberative Democracy and Digital Governance

[1] Han, F., & Zhang, K. (2015). “Deliberative democracy in Chinese governance: Institutions, practices, and theoretical critiques.” Zhejiang Social Sciences (CSSCI), 10, 48-61. (in Chinese)“社会治理的‘协商’领域与‘民主’机制——当下中国基层协商民主的制度特征、实践结构和理论批判”，《浙江社会科学》，2015年第10期。

[2] Zhang, K., & Meng, T. (2018). Political Elites in Deliberative Democracy: Beliefs and Behaviors Of Chinese Officials. Japanese Journal of Political Science 19(4), 643-662.

[3] Zhang, K. (2019). “Encountering Dissimilar Views in Deliberation: Political Knowledge, Attitude Strength, And Opinion Change.” Political Psychology 40(2), 315-333.

[4] Zhang, K., He, B., & Wu, J. (2021). “Double Trouble? Effects Of Social Conflict and Foreign Investment on Consultative Authoritarianism in China.” Contemporary Politics, 27(4), 371-396.

[5] Wang, B. and Zhang, K*.(2024). “Make Consultative Governance Work: Evidence from a National Survey in China.” Peking University Political Science Review, 17, 157-176. (in Chinese)《地方治理中的协商民主实证研究》，《北大政治学评论》，2024年第17辑。

[6] Zhang, K., Wang, T., & Zhuang, M.(2024). “Embedded Empowerment of Digital Technologies in Urban Deliberative Governance: A Case Study of Participatory Budgeting in Chengdu.” Journal of Jiangxi Normal University, 57(04), 54-65. (in Chinese) 《数字技术与城市协商治理的内嵌式互动——基于C市参与式预算的案例研究》 ，《江西师范大学学报》，2024年第4期。

[7] Zhang, K., Zhao, J., and Meng, T. (2024). Governing China in Digit: A Framework for Assessing the Digital Governance in 101 Chinese Municipalities.” The China Review, 24(3),207-240.

[8] Wang, T., Zhang, K.*, & Zhuang, M. (2025) “Can Platform-based Digital Participatory Budgeting Increase Citizen Engagement? Evidence from Big Data and Surveys.” Public Management Review. (in Chinese)《数字平台中介的全过程公众参与：基于平台数据与调查数据的实证分析》，《公共管理评论》,2025年第1期。

[9] Zhang, K. & Wang, B.* (2026). “Digital Deliberative Democracy: New Forms of Representation, Participation, and Governance.” Journal of Jiangxi Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 59(1), 63-70. (in Chinese)《数字协商民主：新型代表、参与和治理》，《江西师范大学学报》，第59卷第1期。

[10] Zhang, K. & Wang T. (under review). Participation Through Platforms? Evidence from Chengdus Digital Budgeting Reform.

Political Communication and Chinese Politics

[1] Zhang, K., & Wang, B. (2025). When Health Meets Politics: Selective Gatekeeping of Health Experts in Chinese Media during COVID-19. Social Science & Medicine, 118916.

[2] Zhao, Z., & Zhang, K. (2025). “The Rule of Discourse: How Ideas and Institutions Influence China’s COVID policy.” Journal of Contemporary China, 1-21.

[3] Zhang, K. (2023). “Political Communication Research in the Digital Age: Research Agenda, New Methods, and Paradigm Shift”. CASS Journal of Political Science (ranked as the #1 political science journal in China), 2023(05):193-206. (in Chinese)《数字时代的政治传播研究：理论重构、议题革新与范式转向》，《政治学研究》，2023年第5期。

[4] Zhang, K., Meng, T., & Huang Z. (2023). “The Rise of Soft Propaganda in China: Evidence from Big Data in 2009-2023.” Journalism and Communication (ranked as the #1 journalism and communication journal in China), 30(12):86-103+128. (in Chinese)《软宣传的兴起、特征与效果：基于2009-2023年主流媒体与政务新媒体的大数据分析》，《新闻与传播研究》，2023年第12期。

[5] Zhang, K. & Meng, T. (2021). “Donation Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social Capital, Political Trust and Media Selection.” Chinese Journal of Social Development (CSSCI), 8(02):152-179. (in Chinese)《公共卫生危机中的捐助行为：社会资本、政治信任与媒介选择》，《社会发展研究》，2021年第5期。

[6] Zhang, K., and Kizilcec R. F. (2014). Anonymity in social media: Effects of content controversiality and social endorsement on sharing behavior. Proceedings of the Eighth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media.

[7] Zhang, K., and Liu, S. (under review). “Winning Hearts and Minds: Does Social Media Propaganda Increase the Affective Legitimacy?" Best Paper Award, Political Communication Division, International Communication Association, 2023

[8] Gao, S. and Zhang, K*(under review). “Does Government Refutation of Misinformation Stop Online Collective Action? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in China.”

[9] Zhang, K., Zheng, S., and Meng, T*(under review). “Fragmented Consensus: Propaganda and Opinion Polarization in China.”

[10] Zhang, K., Zhao, Z., Cao, J., & Meng, T*. (under review). “The Geopolitics of Information Flow: A Cross-national, Cross-media, and Cross-platform Analysis.”

[11] Zhong, W., Tan, H., Wang, B., & Zhang, K*(under review). “The U.S.-China Media War: A Cross-National Antagonistic Spiral.”

Methodology

[1] Zhao, Z., & Zhang, K*. (2026).“How Generative Artificial Intelligence is Bringing Paradigm Shifts to Communication Studies. Southeast Academic Research. (in Chinese)《生成式人工智能带来的传播学范式变革》，《东南学术》。

[2] Zhang, K. (2025). “Experimental Methods with Generative AI in Political Communication Research”. World Economy and Politics. (in Chinese)《国际政治传播研究的人工智能实验方法》，《世界经济与政治》，2025年第1期。

[3] Zhang, K., & Tang, F. (2020). “Experimental Methods for the Study of American Politics.” Chinese Journal of American Studies (CSSCI), 34(03):142-160. (in Chinese)《实验方法及其在美国政治研究的应用》，《美国研究》，2020年第3期。

[4] Liu, Y., Zhu, M., Zhang, K*, & Wu, W (2026). The Power of “Big Brothers”: Political Leaders and Regime Changes in Authoritarian States. International Political Science Review.