Dr. Peter J. Li, Associate
Professor of Political Science, brings with him knowledge and expertise of East
Asia to the classrooms at the University of Houston-Downtown and the Houston
community at large. Dr. Li specializes in the politics, foreign relations, and
environmental governance of China. Born
in mainland China, Dr. Li completed his college education there and earned
bachelor’s degrees in English and foreign service. His life in the U.S. began
in the mid-1980s when he was admitted to the Maxwell School of Citizenship and
Public Affairs at Syracuse University to study international relations. In
2000, Dr. Li was awarded a doctoral degree in Comparative Politics from North
Arizona University. He has been teaching at the University of Houston-Downtown
since 2002.
Dr. Li has researched and written
on China’s foreign relations, U.S.-China relations, regional security and
conflicts on Northeast Asia. These research and writings are related to the
ruling Communist Party of China, China’s
strategic role in North Korea and the Korean Peninsula ( https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2139500/why-china-wont-be-sidelined-north-korean-affairs), the Sino-Japanese dispute over the Diaoyu
(Senkaku) Islands (https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1193850/more-assertive-china-here-stay), and the election of Tsai Ing-wen
and its impact on Taipei-Beijing relations.
As one of the international
relations scholars who also study global environmental politics, Dr. Li has
written extensively on the politics of modernization and its impact on animal
protection policy-making. He wrote in popular media and academic journals, for
example, on China’s misguided wildlife conservation policy (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327604jaws0701_5?journalCode=haaw20), wildlife use regulatory failure and
a global public health crisis (https://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Food-for-thought-SARS-link-to-Cantonese-cuisine-2111623.php), urbanization, development, and
diversification of social interests and conflicts (https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/20/opinions/china-dog-meat-festival-yulin/index.html), and on the need for China to
legislate against animal cruelty (https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1999555/its-time-outlaw-animal-cruelty-china).
Before joining the University of Houston-Downtown,
Dr. Li worked as a junior faculty at Beijing Institute of Foreign Affairs-外交学院 (http://www.cfau.edu.cn/) ；interpreter
for the General Manager of Beijing Philips; part-time instructor of
international relations at Northern Arizona University (https://nau.edu/); and as business/policy analyst of Qwest
Communications.
Dr. Li has appeared on a large
number of American and international media and news programs to offer his
comments on Chinese politics, U.S.-China relations, Northeast Asian politics
and animal protection policy issues. These include CNN, BBC World Service,
China’s Xinhua News Agency and CCTV, Singapore’s Channel News Asia, China
Daily, South China Morning Post, SBS Radio (Australia), New York Times, Los Angeles
Times, the Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltobias/2012/11/02/animal-rights-in-china/#622f3cb17d57), Sky TV, Radio Beijing, Channel 26 of San Francisco, Fox
26 Houston, and Houston’s Asia Voice.
Dr. Li has published at the request of CNN-International (https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/18/opinions/china-yulin-dog-festival-peter-li/index.html), Foreign Affairs (https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2016-03-08/chinas-dog-fight),
Foreign Policy (ChinaFile) (https://foreignpolicy.com/author/peter-j-li/), the Newsweek (https://www.newsweek.com/when-will-chinas-controversial-yulin-dog-meat-festival-end-opinion-995400), the International Business Times (UK) (https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/inside-yulin-dog-meat-festival-silence-dogs-awaiting-slaughter-thundering-1554165), the Chinadialogue (https://www.chinadialogue.net/blog/7319-Protecting-China-s-animals-would-ease-food-safety-crisis/en), and the
online magazine of the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute (http://theasiadialogue.com/2018/03/05/chinas-voice-for-the-voiceless/).
At the University of Houston-Downtown,
Dr. Li has taught a variety of courses. These include Chinese Politics, East
Asian Politics, China’s Foreign Policy, U.S. Foreign Policy since 1945,
International Political Economy, U.S. Government, and Politics and Animal
Rights. He redesigned the course Environmental Politics and will be offering it
in the near future.
Dr. Li has used his expertise to
promote the University of Houston-Downtown and to serve the national and
international community. He was twice invited to attend Congressional briefings
(2014 and 2016) on issues related to U.S.-China trade over food products and
China’s animal welfare issues. Dr. Li is China Policy Specialist for Humane
Society International (HSI), a consultant position since 2007. He advises HSI,
the global arm of Humane Society of the United States, on its China programs
and helps supervise HSI operation in the Greater China Region (https://www.facebook.com/hsiglobal/photos/hsis-dr-peter-li-calls-on-chinas-leaders-to-address-the-dog-meat-trade-factory-f/10152965956192262/).
