Alexander is a DPhil student in International Relations who focusses on diplomatic language, international institutions, and rising powers. His research specifically examines undiplomatic language at multilateral institutions and the causes and implications of their incidence. His mixed-method approach aims to arrive at a long-term perspective of an individual country's (currently the US, India, and China) diplomatic activity at multilateral institutions (currently the UN General Assembly) with a view to understanding both variation and consistency in diplomatic discourse. The approach involves natural language processing and sentiment analysis coupled with statistical regression, married in turn to qualitative discourse analysis.
Hailing from Hong Kong, he received his BA in History and Politics and MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford (Magdalen and Green Templeton colleges, respectively). As an undergraduate, he authored a thesis on colonial education policy in Hong Kong from 1913-1997. He continues to retain a lively interest in broader historical and political topics.
Teaching
He has had experience teaching both undergraduate and Masters-level tutorials at the University, and teaching primary and secondary-level students elsewhere. He has taught:
- Masters International Relations of South Asia
- FHS or equivalent International Relations
- FHS or equivalent Politics of China
- FHS/Prelims or equivalent Comparative Government, Theory of Politics
Interests
His academic interests include, aside from his present research, the domestic and foreign policy of China and her bilateral and multilateral relations with other states.
His other interests include British history and constitutional development, domestic politics (the rise of populism, conservatism, and elite theory), the Common Law, and academic dress, on the latter of which he is a peer-reviewed author.
Posts
Alex is Founder and Secretary of the interdisciplinary Oxford China Research Group, and Member of the United Grants Council.
Languages
Alex is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese, and literate in traditional and simplified Chinese. He is attempting to learn German.
Awards
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
- Fellow of the Burgon Society
- Honorable Member of the Honorable Company of Merchants of Hong Kong Trading in Britain
