Andrew J. Nathan


Andrew James Nathan is a professor of political science at Columbia University. He specializes in Chinese politics, foreign policy, human rights and political culture. He has taught at Columbia University since 1971, and currently serves as the chair of the steering committee for the Center for the Study of Human Rights. His previous appointments include as the chair of the Department of Political Science, and chair of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute.
Nathan also serves as an advisor or board member with Freedom House, Human Rights in China, the National Endowment for Democracy and Human Rights Watch Asia and is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Democracy, China Quarterly, and the Journal of Contemporary China, among others. He is a participant of the Task Force on U.S.-China Policy convened by Asia Society's Center on US-China Relations.
He was awarded a 2013 Berlin Prize Fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin.

Education and career

Nathan was born to Paul and Dorothy Nathan. He has a brother Carl F. Nathan, a scientist, and a sister Janet. Nathan attended Harvard University, where he earned a B.A. in history, an M.A. in East Asian studies, and a Ph.D. in political science.
In 1979 he married Roxane Witke, an historian of China. The marriage ended in divorce. He is married to Joanne R. Bauer, co-founder of Rights CoLab and an Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at Columbia University.

Publications

Books