Gangsheng Bao

Gangsheng Bao is a Professor of Political Science at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. He is also currently appointed as a Skyline Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University.

Professor Bao earned his Ph.D. from Peking University in 2012. His research interests include political theory, comparative politics, and political history, with a particular focus on theories of political modernization and democratization. He has published numerous journal articles and authored several books. His major works include: The Fate of Civilization States: From Political Crisis to Modernization (2024), Political Evolution: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century (2023), Crises and Solutions: Reflections on Political Thought in Early China (2023), Politics of Democratic Breakdown (English version, 2022; Chinese version, 2014), The Logic of Democracy (2018), and The Common Sense of Modern Politics (2015).

Professor Bao’s book Politics of Democratic Breakdown was awarded the "Best Social Science Book of the Year" in 2014 by The Beijing News and was listed among the “Nineteen Recommended Chinese Books of the Year” in 2014 by The New York Times (International Chinese Network). In 2023, Political Evolution: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century was honored as one of the “Ten Best Chinese Original Books in Humanities and Social Sciences of the Year” by Tencent and as one of the “Ten Best Books of the Year” by The China Business Network. Similarly, The Fate of Civilization States: From Political Crisis to Modernization was selected as one of the “Ten Best Books of the Year” in 2024 by the Nanfang Daily. Additionally, his work The Logic of Democracy earned him the title of "Best Author of the Year" in 2018 from The Economic Observer.