Hello! I’m a PhD candidate in Political Science at University of California, Davis. My research investigates why affective polarization is inherent within democratic systems and how it could undermine citizens’ support for democratic principles. In my dissertation, “Winners, Affective Polarization, and Support for Violations of Democratic Norms,” I investigate why winners, i.e., those who voted for a party that is currently governing, are more inclined to support violations of democratic norms than losers. I argue that winners are more likely to endorse violations of democratic principles compared to losers not due to a deliberate pursuit of political gain, but because they are more affectively polarized than losers due to winners’ warmer evaluations (affect) of their in-party. Using observational data and experiments in survey setting, my research sheds light on the inherent political discrimination within democratic systems based on partisan identity.
Education
PhD in Political Science, 2026 (expected) |
University of California, Davis
MA in Political Science, 2019 |
National Taiwan University
BA in Political Science & BBA in Accounting, 2017 |
National Taiwan University
Research interests
Comparative Political Behavior | Affective Polarization | Political Psychology | Populism | Democratic Backsliding | Experimental Design