Authoritarian regimes are not centralised monoliths. In China, authoritarian responses to protest can differ dramatically across localities. Abbey Heffer argues that research on regime-level authoritarianism often overlooks decentralisation. Studying aspects of authoritarianism, such as protest repression and concessions, requires a practice-based approach that reconciles national and localised authoritarianism
PhD Candidate, University of Tübingen, Chair of Greater China Studies / PhD fellowship-holder, Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Abbey 's research focuses on how diverse social actors express their interests and get what they want under Chinese authoritarianism, specifically through local policy experimentation and popular protest.
She recently published her research on the new context of ‘experimentation under pressure’ which has emerged under Xi Jinping.
She holds an MA in East Asian Politics and Society from the University of Tübingen and a BA in History, Politics and International Studies from the University of Exeter.
Abbey is passionate about democratising access to academic research through open-access publication, new technology and social media.
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