XINZHI ZHAO

I am a political theorist specializing in the history of modern Western political, social, and economic thought. I also have a growing interest in realist theory of liberal democracy and comparative political theory.

I am currently a lecturer in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) program at the University of Maryland, College Park, where I teach advanced undergraduate courses including “Social Philosophy and Political Economy,” “Topics in the History of Philosophy,” and “Contemporary Political Philosophy.”

Before joining UMD, I received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2024, where I studied political theory with a second field in comparative politics.

This website is being updated. While the current information is accurate, more details about my research and teaching will be added in future updates. In the meantime, please feel free to see my CV (available in a 4-page complete version and a 1-page abbreviated version), browse my academic biography, and contact me at zhaoxz@umd.edu.