James S. Lai is an Associate Professor who holds a joint appointment with the Ethnic Studies Program and the Department of Political Science. Dr. Lai currently serves as the Director of Ethnic Studies since 2008. Dr. Lai received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Southern California (2000) and his M.A. in Asian American Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles (1992). His research interests and specialties include U.S. racial and ethnic politics, California local politics, Asian American community formation and political behavior, affirmative action and other race based public policy issues. Some of his most recent publications include co-editing and contributing to the book, Asian American Politics: Law, Participation, and Policy (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers), "Transforming Ethnic Politics: A Comparative Analysis of Electoral Support for and Policy Priorities of Asian American and Latino Elected Officials." (Asian Law Journal), and "Asian Pacific American Campaigns, Elections, and Elected Officials” (PS: Political Science & Politics). He also serves as a senior editor of the National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac, a bi-annual publication by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press, consisting of national, state, and local Asian American elected officials and political data since 1992. Most recently, Dr. Lai is working on completing a forthcoming book monograph that is tentatively entitled, "Asian American Political Power in Suburbia" (Lynne Rienner Publishers forthcoming). Outside of campus, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Florence, and two sons, Ethan and Desi. His older brother and parents live in Sacramento where he grew up. |
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