Katja Drinhausen’s research focuses on the development of China’s legal and governance system, including digital governance and the social credit system, as well as human rights in China and state policies towards minorities. Katja also coordinates research in the Politics & Society team at MERICS.

She studied Sinology at the universities of Leipzig and Erlangen-Nuremburg and worked as a researcher and project manager in the Beijing Office of the Hanns Seidel Foundation where she tracked the development of Chinese law, governance and civil society in China. She received an LL.M. in international law from China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing where she focused on Chinese and international public law.