Books
1. Liu, Yu. The Day After: Progresses and Lessons of New Democracies. Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2023. No.1 bestseller in humanities and social sciences at the 2023 Hong Kong Book Fair.
2. Liu, Yu. The Art of the Possible: Thirty Lectures in Comparative Politics. Guangxi Normal University Press, 2022. Named “Book of the Year” by Douban (China’s largest book review website) in 2022; “Book of the Year” by the One-Way Street Book Award in 2022; Listed as the most popular academic title (2022–2023) by Political Science People. Douban rating of 9.2 (based on 49,000 ratings), Wechat rating of 89.8% (based on 270,000 ratings).
3. Liu, Yu. The Waterline of Ideas (Political column collection). Zhejiang University Press, 2013.
4. Liu, Yu. The Details of Democracy: Observations of American Politics, Shanghai Sanlian Press, 2009. Named “Book of the Year” by Southern Weekly and Beijing News in 2010
Academic Articles
Note : & indicates supervised student, * indicates corresponding author
In English:
1.Yu Liu and Tuo Chen*, “Cultivated memories and selective nationalism: Evidence on the USA and Russia.” Journal of Contemporary China 2026. Online first: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10670564.2026.2703030
2.Yu Liu, Meng Zhu&, Kaiping Zhang*, Wenquan Wu&. “The power of 'Big Brothers': Political leaders and regime change in authoritarian states”. International Political Science Review. 2026. Online first: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/01925121261437735
3.Yu Liu, Yusung Su* and Meng Zhu&. “From fear to love: Dissecting political trust in China”. Journal of Chinese Political Science. 2026, Vol.31, pp.1-27
4.Yu Liu, Yusung Su*, Wenquan Wu&. “How modernization theory has stumbled in China: A political interception perspective”. Democratization. 2023, 30(2), 302-324.
5.Yu Liu. “Is there a tradeoff between democratization and stability?” Social Science Quarterly. 2017, 98(5), 1468-1486.
6.Yu Liu. “Lessons of new democracies for China”. Journal of Chinese Political Science. 2017(23), 105-120.
7.Yu Liu. “The state with a surname”. Journal of Chinese Governance. 2016, 1(3), 506-519.
8.Yu Liu. “The Maoist discourses and the mobilization of emotions in revolutionary China”. Modern China. 2010, 36(3), 329-362.
9.Yu Liu. “Why did it go so high: The political mobilization of the agricultural collectivization in China”. China Quarterly. 2006(187), 732-742.
In Chinese:
1.Liu Yu, Cong Ruian&, Wu Wenquan&*. “From critical citizens to disillusioned citizens: Political trust and democratic values in contemporary United States”. Journal of Tsinghua University. 2026(1): 205-218.
2.Liu Yu, “What is polyarchy?” in Thought Illuminates the Journey: Distinguished Lectures on Dedao, Chapter 4 (ed. Liu Suli), Shanghai Sanlian Press, 2023, pp. 927–947.
3.Liu Yu. “Two concepts of rights and the revolutionary paths of the US and France”. Journal of Renmin University of China. 2022(1), 82-94.
4.Liu Yu. “One and all 'we's”. (Introduction to Fukuyama's Identity Politics). China Translation and Publishing House. 2021, 1-14.
5.Liu Yu, “Emerging from the Tunnel of History” (Introduction to Commerce and Civilization), Guangxi Normal University Press, 2021, pp. 7–15.
6.Liu Yu. “Democratic consolidation or democratic recession: Progress and dilemmas of the third wave of democratization”. Exploration and Debates. 2020(10), 78-91.
7.Liu Yu. “Why emerging democracies are fragile: The perspective of economic policies”. Exploration and Debates. 2019(8), 170-191+20.
8.Liu Yu. “Crisis and resilience of contemporary liberal democracy”. Exploration and Debates. 2018(7), 12-26+142.
9.Liu Yu. “Postmodernization and nostalgia: The cultural conflict behind the Trump phenomenon in American politics”. American Studies. 2018(6), 83-108.
10.Liu Yu. “Does civil society promote democratic stability? Evidence from the third wave countries”. Open Times. 2017(1), 51-75+5.
11.Liu Yu. “Democratic transition and the rise and fall of political violence: The case of Indonesia”. Academia Bimestris. 2017(2), 45-55.
12.Liu Yu. “How to save the world”. (Introduction to War, Guns, and Votes). Nanjing University Press. 2017, 9-16.
13.Liu Yu. “Populism and democracy: Populism in American politics”. Exploration and Debates. 2016(10), 68-75.
14.Liu Yu. “Two models of democracy and the consolidation of Third-Wave democracies”. Open Times. 2016(3), 113-136.
15.Liu Yu. “Changes in state capacity after the Third Wave of democratization”. Academia Bimestris. 2016(2), 153-166.
16.Liu Yu. “Can political democracy and economic freedom coexist?” Journal of Renmin University of China. 2015(3), 71-84.
17.Liu Yu. “How to reach Denmark”. (Introduction to Fukuyama's Political Order and Political Decay). Guangxi Normal University Press. 2015, 1-9.
18.Liu Yu. “Has the Third Wave of democratization failed?” New Political Economy Review. 2015, Vol. 29, 85-126.
19.Liu Yu. “Between fear and love”. Reading. 2015(1), 30-39.
20.Liu Yu. “Bringing the state back in”. (Introduction to Fukuyama's The Origins of Political Order). Guangxi Normal University Press. 2014, 1-11.
21.Liu Yu. “The long end of history”. (Introduction to Fukuyama's The End of History and the Last Man). Guangxi Normal University Press. 2014, 1-11.
22.Liu Yu. “In the name of goodness: Moral factors in mass mobilization during the Mao era”. New History. Vol. 7, Zhonghua Book Company. 2013, 115-128.
23.Liu Yu. “What are we talking about when we talk about culture?” Reading. 2013(9), 48-58.
24.Liu Yu. “The rise, fall, and revival of modernization theory”. Journal of Renmin University of China. 2011(4), 22-31.
25.Liu Yu. “Idealism or realism: A political psychological analysis of political participation in the Chinese revolution.” Academia Bimestris. 2010(5), 34-47.
Working Papers (all in English)
1.Yu Liu, Wenquan Wu&*, Meng Zhu& and Donald Lien. “Concepts of democracy and the challenges of democratic consolidation in new democracies”. (Under review)
2.Yu Liu. “Legitimacy crisis dissipated: State power and political attitudes in China”. (Under review)
3.Meng Zhu, Yu Liu and Yu-sung Su*. “The rise of credulous citizens: Who believes in fake news in China”. (Under review)
4.Yu Liu, Ruian Cong&, Wenquan Wu*. “The power of persuasion or the persuasion of power: The dynamics of foreign policy opinion formation in China”. (Under review)
5.Yu Liu. The missing link: The gap between social values and political attitudes in China. (In writing)
Book Reviews (Selected)
1.“Little evil by little men”. (Review of The Nazi Doctors). Tencent Think Tank. 2016.11.11
2.“The moment the giant ship turns”. (Review of Walking Out of the Imperial System). Southern Weekly. 2015.11.26
3.“Democracy and its radius”. (Review of The Dark Side of Democracy). The Beijing News Book Review Weekly. 2015.6.27
4.“The Crisis of the West？” (Review and Introduction to The Great Disruption), Guangxi Normal University Press, 2015
5.“So What If One Becomes a Sage?” (Review of The Front and Back of Zeng Guofan), Afterword to The Front and Back of Zeng Guofan, Democracy and Construction Press, 2014
6.“All crows are not the same”. (Review of The Dictator's Handbook). The New York Times Chinese. 2014.6.30
7.“The temptation of responsibility”. (Review of Intellectuals and Responsibility). Peking University Business Review. 2013.12
8.“Carving bitter times”. (Review of Narratives of Suffering People). New Century Weekly. 2013(38)
9.“The banality of evil”. (Review of Eichmann in Jerusalem). New Century Weekly. 2011(45)
10.“Among Competing Goods” (Review of Justice), Caixin, August 23, 2011.
Research Projects
1.Principal Investigator. “Political Causes of Differences in Democratic Concepts.” Tsinghua University Humanities and Social Sciences Independent Project. 2023–2026.
2.Principal Investigator. “How Democratic Conceptions Affect Democratic Consolidation.” National Social Science Fund. 2020–2025.
3.Principal Investigator. “How Institutions Influence Culture.” Tsinghua University Humanities and Social Sciences Independent Project. 2016–2018.
4.Principal Investigator. “Economic and Social Performance of Democratization in Developing Countries.” Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Sciences General Project. 2013–2016.
5.Principal Investigator. “Relationship Between Democratization and Economic Freedom in Developing Countries.” Returned Overseas Scholar Startup Fund. 2013–2014.
6.Principal Investigator, “Democratic Setbacks in Developing Countries,” Tsinghua University Humanities and Social Sciences Revitalization Fund, 2011–2013.
