Alex Zhao

I received my Ph.D. in Political Science with a specialization in Computational Social Science from the University of California San Diego.

​My research examines Indigenous politics, political behavior, sovereignty, political economy, and political geography. I am especially interested in how Indigenous citizens, governments, and communities navigate relationships among sovereign Indigenous Nations, the United States, and federal, state, and local institutions.

I use quantitative, computational, archival, and community-engaged methods to study Indigenous political life. My research agenda builds from my dissertation, which maps the political geography of Diné Bikéyah, to provide insight into the Indigenous American political experience as one shaped by citizenship in both the United States and sovereign Indigenous Nations. Before joining UW, I worked on research and public policy projects with the Office of the Navajo Nation President, the Office of Navajo Government Development, and the Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research. My doctoral research was supported by the Ford Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.