Shuyuan Shen joins the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts as an assistant professor of political science. Shen was drawn to LMU’s strong commitment to both teaching and research, and its teacher-scholar model. He was struck by LMU’s student body, noting how active, engaged, and thoughtful the students are.
Originally from China, Shen earned his undergraduate degree in sociology, with a minor in political science, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He went on to complete a master’s in global affairs at the University of Notre Dame before pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he received a PhD in political science. His research has centered on comparative politics, authoritarianism, and Chinese politics. Today, Shen focuses on political communication and political economy in authoritarian regimes, with particular attention to how these regimes adapt and maintain stability in today’s digital and globalized world.
Shen’s focus on research and his commitment to teaching align with LMU’s teacher-scholar model. He describes his teaching philosophy as being student-centered, holistic, and empathetic. He explains that he is “student-centered,” meaning he always puts students’ needs and interests first. He views teaching as the chance to engage with students, have discussions, and learn from one another.
This semester, he is teaching an intro-level political course, “Comparative Politics,” as well as an upper-level political course, “Chinese Politics”. He plans to offer a new course in the Spring, “Authoritarian Politics”. Through these courses, he hopes students will walk away with the ability to think critically about how the course connects to real-world politics. His goal is for students to “gain the skills to engage in constructive conversations and policymaking, using diverse data and solid analysis.”
Outside of his extensive research and his teaching, Shen loves to be outdoors. Specifically, he loves hiking with his family and enjoying the beauty of nature! He has an open-door policy for students, whether they are his students or not, and always welcomes students to come by and chat!