She is currently finishing a book about China’s distinctive form of authoritarian governing, in which she highlights its consequences for stability, justice and reform. Prior to arriving at LSE, Dr. Birney was a fellow and lecturer at Princeton University; and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, a major think tank in Washington DC. She previously served as a Legislative Aide in the United States Senate. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Yale University, an MSc in Economics from LSE, and a BA in Government from Harvard University.