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The KU Trade War Lab (TWL) supports funded research, offers student research training, facilitates exchange with other academic centers, and enables campus outreach on the politics of trade and conflict. We emphasize a collaborative, multi-method approach to research that combines qualitative and quantitative perspectives. We are a social science lab dedicated to dual mission:
1) What we do: Understand the US-China Trade War and its impact on heartland communities through a bottom-up, data-driven, firm-centric approach.
2) How we do it: Empower policy-relevant academic research by teams of undergraduate and graduate students through collaboration and mentoring.
Heartland states like Kansas and Missouri are among the hardest hit by escalating tariffs since 2018. The TWL draws on the unique geographical and institutional resources of KU such as the PI’s relationships with the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center-KC to better understand the impact of tariffs from the bottom up. The lab's research has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Washington Post, NPR, Reuters, Foreign Policy, Forbes, SCMPS, Straits Times, Nikkei Asia, KSHB 41, and Arirang TV.
The KU TWL is generously supported by the Minerva Research Initiative, the Wilson Center, the Charles Koch Foundation, the Mercatus Center, the Institute for Humane Studies, the KU General Research Fund, the KU Center for Teaching Excellence, and the KU Research Excellence Initiative. Please visit the "Projects" page for a complete list of our ongoing projects and research outputs.
Trade War Lab at University of Kansas explores local impacts of tariffs
Dr. Zhang and Trade War Lab students were interviewed by local news channel KSHB 41
Tariffs and corporate political activity: a survey experiment on US businesses
Dr. Zhang published a new co-authored journal article with Dr. Lindsay R. Dolan, Dr. Robert M. Kubinec and Dr. Daniel L. Nielson in Business & Politics. Dr. Zhang also did an interview with KU Today about their research findings.
Is it possible to win the U.S.-China trade war?
Dr. Zhang interviewed by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations on new Biden administration tariffs on China.
Political risk and firm exit: evidence from the US–China Trade War
Dr. Zhang published a new co-authored journal article with Dr. Samantha A. Vortherms in Review of International Political Economy. Dr. Zhang did an interview with KU Today and also contributed an essay to the Carter Center's U.S.-China Perceptions Monitor about their research findings.
KUIA Advisory Board International Teaching Award
Recognized for innovation in incorporating international education in the classroom, Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science, is the inaugural recipient of the KU International Affairs Advisory Board International Teaching Award.
NCUSCR PIP Fellowship
Dr. Zhang was named to the Eight Cohort of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations' Public Intellectual Program.
Dr. Raj Bhala on Trade War
Dr. Raj Bhala presents on his new book "Trade War: Causes, Conduct, and Consequences of Sino-American Confrontation" for the TWL Speaker Series
In the Middle: American Multinationals in China and Trade War Politics
Dr. Zhang published a new co-authored journal article with Dr. Samantha Vortherms and Rigao Liu in Business & Politics.
The U.S.-China Trade War and the Tariff Weapon
Dr. Zhang contributed a report on the efficacy of U.S. tariffs to a collection of essays on China and U.S. Policy for the Wilson China Fellowship 2021-2022.
Research suggests partisan views — not the added costs of U.S. tariffs — shaped how firms responded
Dr. Zhang co-authored a piece for the Washington Post's Monkey Cage column on the findings from a new working paper on "A Field Experiment on Business Opposition to the U.S.-China Trade War."
The partisan divide in U.S. congressional communications after the China shock
Dr. Zhang published a new co-authored journal article with Dr. John Kuk and Dr. Deborah Seligsohn in Economics & Politics. Dr. Zhang also did an interview with KU Today about their research findings.
CGTN Global Business: Is "decoupling" a reality or myth?
Dr. Zhang was interviewed by CGTN Global Business (the flagship English language program of the national public broadcaster of China) on his research with Dr. Samantha Vortherms on political risk and firm exit in the US-China Trade War.
Pekingology Podcast: Political Risk and Firm Exit
In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Jack Zhang, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Trade War Lab at the University of Kansas. They discuss a co-authored paper with Samantha Vortherms, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC Irvine, Political Risk and Firm Exit: Evidence from the US-China Trade War, which examines the political economy of tariffs and decoupling.
K. Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award
Dr. Zhang was one of two faculty members who received the 2021 award for promoting undergraduate research at KU. The award announcement notes that "Jack Zhang has quickly established a dynamic research program since coming to KU in 2019 that involves undergraduates. He has recruited students from diverse disciplines to work in his research group and pushed students to develop independent projects and apply for research awards."
Wilson China Fellowship
Dr. Zhang will join the 2021 class of Wilson China Fellows at the Wilson Center's Asia Program/ Kissinger Institute on China and the United States. His project will be on Multinational Corporations and Economic Statecraft in U.S.-China Competition.
US Elections and the Future of the Trade War @UCI
Dr. Zhang was invited to participate on a panel organized by the Long US-China Institute at UCI to discuss US-China Trade relations under a Biden administration.
NCUSCR CHINA Town Hall @KU
Dr. Zhang gave a presentation on "U.S.-China Trade War: An After Action Review" as the local town hall speaker for the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) CHINA Town Hall #CTH2020
Impact of the Trade War on Greater Kansas City Businesses
The TWL partnered with the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce to survey Greater KC businesses during the first half of 2020. Dr. Zhang presented the preliminary findings of this survey at Go Global KC.
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