JEAS

Why does South Korea have a stable party system despite unstable political parties? This article argues that party system institutionalization can emerge even without strong political parties and calls South Korea a "partyless" democracy. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why is Taiwan’s party system more stable than those of Japan or South Korea? This article argues the answer lies in patterns of party switching and how politicians respond to electoral incentives in a competitive multiparty system. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In China, why do authoritarian regimes create legislatures that have little power? This article argues local legislatures help build alliances with private businesses by exchanging patronage, loans, and access for support and loyalty. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In South Korea, foreign aid to Africa is framed as a mission for development and poverty reduction. This article emphasizes a different story, as aid often serves Korean national interests as well as humanitarian goals. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In Indonesia, democratization did not strengthen political parties, it fractured them. This article explains how electoral rules and personalized campaigning fueled rising fragmentation in local politics after Suharto. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In Taiwan, the difference between Mandarin and Taiwanese can be heard, but do the two languages also carry political stereotypes? This article finds that language shapes how voters perceive political identity, public opinion, and democratic politics. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In China, what are the motivations and practices of autocratic media censorship? Using a dataset from 1,403 secret censorship directives, this article finds that the CCP is shifting from outright media bans toward trying to “guide” coverage instead. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Are preferential trade agreements (PTAs) in the Asia-Pacific Region purely a political strategy used for diplomacy? Taking the cases of Japan's and South Korea's PTAs , this article argues that these agreements have a clear economic rationale. Read more: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why didn’t electoral reform weaken Japan’s interest groups? This article shows that highly organized groups such as agricultural cooperatives and postmasters adapted to the new system and remained essential vote gathering networks for political parties. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

How has Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party survived for so long? By analyzing election manifestos from 1956 to 2013, this article shows how the LDP shifted its message over time to focus on environmental and postmaterialist issues. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Can a truth commission make a divided country even more unstable? After more than 90 people died in Thailand’s 2010 protests, investigators failed to fully confront military violence. This article shows the consequences were enormous. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In Taiwan, does economic inequality reduce political participation? This article finds that lower income voters are just as likely to vote in elections as wealthier citizens, challenging assumptions about inequality and participation. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Is America’s divide over China really about foreign policy or rooted in domestic ideology? Using 2011 national survey data, this study finds conservatives feel much colder toward China than liberals The core factors being communism, authority, and race. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why do poor voters support patronage politics even when politicians offer policies like free education and universal health care? Using survey data from Jakarta, this article argues that demand for patronage comes from voters, not just political elites. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In Japan, why did the ruling party lose support after thousands of municipalities were merged in the 2000s? This article finds that cutting the number of local politicians weakened the Liberal Democratic Party’s support base and reduced voter turnout. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why did Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement succeed in seizing the legislature but struggle to sustain momentum after? This article shows how divisions among political elites created a rare opening for protest and shaped the movement’s dramatic rise and exit. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In China, why would local governments respond to citizen petitions with more repression? Using a unique experiment, this research shows that complaints to the state often triggered greater coercive spending by local authorities. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why do local governments in China focus on containing public discontent instead of solving it? Drawing on meeting memos and interviews with officials, this study reveals how political incentives pushed townships to prioritize stability over resolution. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

Why did labor disputes surge in China after the government expanded workers’ legal protections in 2008? This research examines how the Labor Contract Law may have intensified workplace conflict instead of containing it. Read more here: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

What actually forces a country to confront its past crimes? A fascinating study on Japan’s “comfort women” issue finds that transnational activism and progressive governments mattered more than pure geopolitical self-interest. Read more below: cambridge.org/core/journals/…