Dr Tsering Topgyal

• Fellow, Higher Education Academy
  Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), University of Birmingham (currently enrolled in the final module); expected completion June 2017.
• PhD in International Relations, London School of Economics, 2012   
• Masters of Pacific International Affairs (MPIA), University of California, San Diego, 2002
• BA in Political Science, Berea College, USA,   2000

Dr. Tsering Topgyal is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Birmingham. He completed his PhD at the London School of Economics (LSE) in 2012. In 2012-2013, Tsering was a Teaching Fellow in International Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he taught Chinese Foreign and Security Policy and International Relations. He has taught previously at the London School of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of Westminster, and the University of California San Diego.

Tsering's research and teaching interests include Chinese foreign and security policy with special attention to its ethnic conflicts, Asia-Pacific security and politics, Sino-Indian relations, and the Sino-Tibetan conflict. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals like Asian Security, Pacific Affairs, Politics and Religion, Journal of Contemporary China and China Report. Tsering’s book China and Tibet: The Perils of Insecurity has been published by Hurst in March 2016.

He has also written articles for The Independent, Far Eastern Economic Review, Conversation, and Tibetan Review. Tsering has offered expert opinion for BBC TV, BBC Radio, CNN, Al Jazeera, Voice of America, and Radio Free Asia.

Tsering has also consulted for Radio Free Asia and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet in Westminster, London.

Dr. Topgyal’s teaching is focused on Asia-Pacific security and politics.

• Postgraduate Programme Lead: Contemporary Asia-Pacific.
• Postgraduate module convenor: Asia-Pacific Security (core module).
• Undergraduate module convenor: International Politics of East Asia.
• In addition, he contributes as a guest teacher for Rising Powers (Postgraduate) and Advance Modern Asia (Undergraduate).
• Programme Lead: Pre-Masters in International Development and Relations for the School of Government and Society.

Doctoral Supervision

Carol Buxton (Joint Supervision with Dr. Julie Gilson): Japan’s Space Policy: A Route to Normalcy?

I invite doctoral research proposals in these areas:

• Chinese foreign and security policy
• Tibet and China’s Nationality Policy
• Asia-Pacific security and politics
• US-China relations
• Sino-Indian relations
• Security studies

PhD title

"The Insecurity Dilemma and the Sino-Tibetan Conflict"

Research interests:

• Chinese foreign and security policy
• Sino-Tibetan relations
• China’s Nationality Policy
• Asia-Pacific security and politics
• Sino-Indian relations
• US-China relations
• Security studies

Current projects:

China's Tibet Policy: Securitizing Self-Identity, Securing Tibet, book project under contract with Hurst.

“Grasping with both hands: Chinese Communist Party’s Policies Towards the Tibetans” Under Contract as chapter in Routledge Handbook On The Chinese Communist Party, Edited by Professor Willie Lam, Chinese University of Hong Kong, forthcoming in 2017.

"Separatism, Core Issues and China’s Discursive Control of Tibet in the International Arena,” Revise and Resubmit, Global Constitutionalism (Cambridge University Press).

Independent Consultant, Radio Free Asia (RFA), Washington DC, 09/2009-Present

Trustee, Tibet Watch (Research and Analysis Organisation with operations in London, India and Nepal), London, 09/2007-Present

Editorial Production Manager, European Journal of International Relations, 05/2006-03/2008

Conference Organiser, Millennium Journal of International Studies, LSE, 05-11/2006