Scholars
Xun Cao
Penn State
Based in
United States
North America
Xun Cao is a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and a co-funded faculty of the Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE). Cao’s recent research studies policies and politics related to the environment, energy, and climate change, and ethnic violence and conflicts. His research has been published in journals such as American Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, Energy Policy, Environmental Politics, Environmental Science & Policy, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Journal of Politics, and World Politics.
Country(ies) of Specialty
ChinaFocus areas of expertise
Climate policy and politics Behavioral action Public opinion Social movementsPublications
Articles
Xun Cao and Mingqin Wu: “Can Centralization of Environmental Regulations Reduce Firm Emissions? Evidence from County-Prefecture Centralization Reforms in China.” Forthcoming, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
Xun Cao and Zheng Su: “Extreme Weather Events and Public Attention and Awareness of Climate Change in China.” Forthcoming, British Journal of Political Science.
Xun Cao, Qing Deng, Xiaojun Li, and Zijie Shao: “Fine Me If You Can: Fixed Asset Intensity and Environmental Regulation Actions in China.” Regulation & Governance, vol. 16, 2022.
Zheng Su, Anthony Pezzola, Amanda Fidalgo, and Xun Cao: “Electoral Competition, Party System Fragmentation, and Air Quality in Mexican Municipalities.” Environmental Politics, vol. 30, 2021.
Mingqin Wu and Xun Cao: “Greening the Career Incentive Structure for Local Officials in China: Does Less Local Pollution Increase the Chances of Promotion for Chinese County Leaders?” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, vol. 107, 2021.
Xun Cao, Genia Kostka, and Xu Xu. “Environmental Political Business Cycles: The Case of PM2.5 Air Pollution in Chinese Prefectures.” Environmental Science & Policy, vol. 93, 2019.
Xun Cao and Hugh Ward: “Transnational Climate Governance Networks and Domestic Regulatory Action.” International Interactions, vol. 43, no. 1, 2017.
Xun Cao, Andrew Kleit, and Chuyu Liu: “Why Invest in Wind Energy? Career Incentives and Chinese Renewable Energy Politics.” Energy Policy, vol. 99, 2016.
Xun Cao and Hugh Ward: “Winning Coalition Size, State Capacity, and Time Horizons: An Application of Modified Selectorate Theory to Environmental Public Goods Provision.” International Studies Quarterly, vol. 59, no. 2, 2015.
Hugh Ward, Xun Cao, and Bumba Mukherjee: “State Capacity and the Environmental Investment Gap in Authoritarian States.” Comparative Political Studies, vol. 47, no. 3, 2014.
Hugh Ward and Xun Cao: “Domestic and International Influences on Green Taxation.” Comparative Political Studies, vol. 45, no. 9, 2012.
Xun Cao and Aseem Prakash: “Trade Competition and Environmental Regulations: Domestic Political Constraints and Issue Visibility.” Journal of Politics, vol. 74, no. 1, 2012.
Xun Cao and Aseem Prakash: “Trade Competition and Domestic Pollution: A Panel Study, 1980-2003.” International Organization, vol. 64, no. 3, 2010.