• About Me

      I research and write about US-China Media and Tech Relations

      Aynne Kokas is an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia and a senior faculty fellow at the Miller Center for Public Affairs. Her multiple-award-winning first book, Hollywood Made in China (University of California Press, 2017) argues that Chinese investment and regulations have transformed the US commercial media industry. Her next book project Data Trafficking: The United States, China, and the Global Battle for Data Security examine the policy implications of the transfer of consumer data between the United States and China. Kokas' research has also appeared in Information, Communication, and Society, Journal of Asian Studies, PLOS One, and others. Kokas is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Funding agencies including Fulbright, the Library of Congress, the Social Science Research Council, the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Abe Fellowship Program and others have supported her research. Kokas’ writing and commentary have appeared in forty-eight countries and eleven languages.

    • Hollywood Made in China examines how the Chinese market has transformed US commercial media.

       

      *Reviewed and/or featured in media in 48 countries and eleven languages

       

      * Best Non-fiction Title, 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

       

      * Best Academic Title, 2018 Chinese American Librarian Association

       

      * Chinese translation forthcoming with Gingko Press, Beijing

       

      Click here for a video intro to the book courtesy of Chinafile

    • Commercial and Non-profit Advising

      I love sharing my research with students, scholars, journalists, and corporate partners. I am happy to speak over the phone, via Zoom, or in person. Below please find the best ways to reach out.

      Commercial Advising

      Drawing from over twenty years of experience in corporate, policy, and academic contexts in the United States and China, I have a consulting practice that serves corporate and commercial clients. If you would like to set up a fee-based Zoom consultation, please sign up here. If you would like to discuss a longer-term project, please email me at ak3ff@virginia.edu.

      Expert commentary

      If you are a journalist who would like me to provide expert commentary for a story, please click here to make an appointment. If you are on deadline and need to speak quickly, I can be reached on Twitter @shotinshanghai. For background on the Sino-US media collaborations, I can highly recommend my book, this video synopsis of my work, or this short interview about the current state of Sino-US media relations.

      Research meetings

      If you are a student or colleague who would like to set up a time to discuss our shared research interests, please email me at ak3ff@virginia.edu or ping me on Twitter @shotinshanghai.

    • 2020 Appearances

      May 4: Miller Center for Public Affairs China Conference, Charlottesville, VA

      April 25-26: National Committee on US-China Relations Silicon Valley Conference, Palo Alto, CA

      April 16-18: Media Industries Conference, London, UK

      March 26: Live Testimony in United States Senate Commerce Committee, Security Subcommittee

      March 19: United States Department of State Ralph J. Bunche Library Speakers Series, 12-1 pm.

      February 11: George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs

    • CURRENT AND FORMER POSITIONS

       

      Abe Fellow

      Aug 2019-July 2021

      Examining the cybersecurity policy implications of the Sino-US data trade on Japan

       

      National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow

      September 2019-August 2020

      Examining the cybersecurity policy implications of the Sino-US data trade

       

      Kluge Center, Library of Congress

      Fellow

      October 2019 – August 2020

      Examining the cybersecurity policy implications of the Sino-US data trade

      Council on Foreign Relations

      Term Member 

      Jun 2016 – Present

      Advisory Committee Member, 2019-Present

      Member of a program designed to cultivate the next generation of foreign policy leaders

       

      University of Virginia

      Assistant Professor of Media Studies 

      Aug 2014 – Present

      Research, write and teach about collaborations between Chinese and American media and technology corporations

       

      James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy -- Rice University

      Non-resident Scholar in Chinese Media 

      Aug 2014 – Present

      Conduct policy research on Sino-US media and technology collaborations for Baker Institute China Studies Program

    • Sign up for My Email List

      For periodic updates on my research, writing and speaking sign up below.

    • Reviews of Hollywood Made in China

    • Articles

      Contact me for copies

      Inferring Atmospheric Particulate Matter Concentrations from Chinese Social Media Data

      We constructed an "Air Discussion Index" to estimate daily particulate matter counts based upon Sina Weibo (Chinese Twitter) content.

       

      Tao Zhu, Aynne Kokas, Rui Zhang, Dan Cohan, and Dan Wallach PLOS ONE 11(9) 2016

      “Freedom Edition”: Considering Sony Pictures and The Interview

      Led by Joshua Braun, we convened a dialogue in response to the recent public and media discourse surrounding the security breach at Sony Pictures Entertainment and its film, The Interview focusing on North Korea, cybersecurity, and digital distribution.

       

      Aynne Kokas, Chuck Tryon, Hugh Gusterson, and Joshua Braun  Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 60 (4) 2016

      Predicting Volatility Between China and Hollywood

       

      Here I argue that the comparative fragmentation of media regulatory power in the US, despite long benefiting Hollywood studios, makes them susceptible to Chinese government efforts to expand media soft power.

       

      Aynne Kokas, “Predicting Volatility Between China and Hollywood: Using Network Management to Understand Sino-US Film Collaboration, Global Media and Communication, Advance Online Publication, https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766518759797

      Chilling Netflix: financialization, and the influence of the Chinese market on the American entertainment industry

       

      Here I argue that the financial interests of US-based online entertainment platforms are magnifying the financial growth of Chinese competitors due to focus by US firms on short-term shareholder value.

       

      Kokas, Aynne. 2018. "Chilling Netflix: financialization, and the influence of the Chinese market on the American entertainment industry." Information, Communication & Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2018.1510534

       

      Popular feature on article: https://investorplace.com/2019/10/china-influence-help-iqiyi-iq-stock/

      Kokas, Aynne. 2018. "Platform Patrol: China, the United States, and the Global Battle for Data Security." Journal of Asian Studies 77 (4):923-933.

       

      Here I argue that the financial interests of US-based platforms are amplifying the global impact of Chinese domestic cybersecurity regulations.

       

      Kokas, Aynne. 2018. "Platform Patrol: China, the United States, and the Global Battle for Data Security." Journal of Asian Studies 77 (4):923-933.

    • Grants and Fellowships

      • 2019-2020 National Endowment of Humanities Fellow
      • 2019-2020 Kluge Fellow at the Library of Congress
      • 2019-2021 Abe Fellow
      • 2018-2019 Institute for Humanities and Global Cultures Mellon Fellowship
      • National Committee on US-China Relations Congressional Liaison in Media and Technology (to lead a group of Congressional staffers on a delegation to China to examine the Chinese media and technology industries in August 2018)
      • National Endowment of Humanities Object Lessons Fellowship
      • Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars 

    • Selected Television Appearances

      CNBC Squawk Box

      Discussing US-China Film Treaty

      PBS' Great Decisions

      Episode: "Made in China"

      PBS' Coy Barefoot Show

    • Selected Radio Coverage

      Radio

    • Select Print Media Coverage

      United States

      Pacific Standard lauds Hollywood Made in China for jointly mapping "the business of culture, and the culture of business."

       

      I spoke with NBC News about some of the challenges being posed by China's growing media influence.

       

      In conjunction with other Chinese media scholars, I discuss the long-term prospects for Chinese investment in Hollywood on ChinaFile.

       

      As part of an article by Public Radio International, I explain how China is using its economic leverage to shape Hollywood filmmaking.

      Asia-Pacific Region

      I was able to share my work with Japanese readers when Business Insider Japan published an excerpt of Hollywood Made in China translated from the US edition.

       

      Indonesian paper Tirto also quoted me the relationship between China and Hollywood in an article examining its implications for Southeast Asia.

       

      Apple Daily in Hong Kong and Taiwan covered my talk at the National Committee on US-China Relations, writing about the ways in which Hollywood changes for China.

      Europe and Latin America

      The Financial Times drew on arguments from Hollywood Made in China when analyzing Dalian Wanda's growth in the newspaper's English and Chinese versions.

       

      Medium Italia translated and published my comments on the significance of China's first USD 150 million budget film.

    • Selected Features

       

      Birtles, B. (2018). China’s new breed of patriotic hero on the big screen reflects rise of a superpower.

       

      Australian Broadcast Corporation (2018, February 11). China’s new breed of patriotic hero on the big screen reflects rise of a superpower.

       

      Economy, E. (n.d.). Podcast: Hollywood Made in China.

       

      Frater, B. L. P. (2018, March 29). China Film Quota Talks Could Be a Casualty in Trump’s Trade War.

       

      He, A. (2017, June 9). China to be No. 1 film box office by 2021, report says - USA - Chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily USA.

       

      Khoa, Đ. (2017). Hè 2017: Một mùa hè bom tấn đáng thất vọng.

       

      Lang, B. (2017, June 27). China Box Office Audit: Why Hollywood Needed to Get Tough.

       

      Mannepalli, A. (2017, July 8). Bollywood Conquers China? Not Quite. The Diplomat.

       

      March 27 - Countries Join the UK in Expelling Russian Spies; Will Hollywood Cave to Demands By Chinese Censors?; Repeal the Second Amendment? | Background Briefing with Ian Masters. (2018). WPFK Los Angeles/WBAI New York.

       

      McCann, C. (Ed.). (2018). 011 Aynne Kokas: Hollywood Made In China - The China-Hollywood Greenlight. The China-Hollywood Greenlight.

       

      Meyers, J. K. J. (2017, June 24). Chinese authorities put the brakes on a surge in live streaming.

       

      Li, A. J. (2017, August 7). Money alone can’t build China a thriving film industry. South China Morning Post.

       

      Tones, J. (2017). Las 13 películas más taquilleras de la historia de China que están cambiando Hollywood para siempre. Magnet.

       

      Zhong, R. (2018, April 1). When “America First” meets China’s “National Rejuvenation” | TheHill.

       

      Zing, T. (2018, March 30). Khi Hollywood nỗ lực l� m phim cho người Trung Quốc xem.

       

      参考消息网. (2018). 外媒称中国利用好莱坞发展国产电影：未来银幕主角将是中国人.

       

      国家新闻出版广电总局. (2018). 为在新谈判中争取更高分账比 好莱坞将审计在华票房.

       

      查尔斯•克洛弗马修•加拉汉; (2018, January 5). 中国对好莱坞失去兴趣的背后. 《金融时报》.

    • Book Events

      Meet the author and learn more about Hollywood Made in China

      July 29, 2018

      San Diego, CA

      TBA

      Pacific Arts Movement ​

      (Non-profit arm of San Diego Asian American Film Festival)

      May 7 , 2018

      Tokyo, Japan

      TBA

      Waseda University

      1 Chome-104 Totsukamachi

      Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8050

      May 2 , 2018

      Hong Kong, China

      4:00 - 5:30 pm

      Chinese University of Hong Kong

      Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR

      The People's Republic of China

      April 24, 2018

      Washington, DC

      7:00 - 9:00 pm

      Hill Center

      921 Pennsylvania Ave SE

      Washington, DC 20003

      March 18, 2018

      Philadelphia, PA

      12:00 - 1:00 pm

      University of Pennsylvania

      Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication

      Center for the Study of Contemporary China

      3620 Walnut Street

      Philadelphia, PA 19104

      February 26, 2018

      Ithaca, NY

      4:30 pm

      Cornell University

      Cornell Contemporary China Initiative

      Kaufman Auditorium

      Ithaca, NY 14853

      Video here.

      February 6, 2018

      Chicago, IL

      Paulson Institute

      University of Chicago

      November 17, 2017

      Minneapolis, MN

      Hollywood Made in China

      University of Minnesota

      October 26, 2017

      Oxford, UK

      Hollywood Made in China

      Oxford Center for Chinese Studies Colloquium

      17:00-18:30

      China Centre Lecture Theatre

      University of Oxford

      October 25, 2017

      London, UK

      Hollywood Made in China

      Culture, Media and Creative Industries Seminar

      16.00-18.00 hrs

      S-2.23 Strand Building

      King's College, London

      October 24, 2017

      Nottingham, UK

      Hollywood Made in China

      Institute for Screen Industries Research and China Policy Institute

      University of Nottingham

      October 12, 2017

      Washington, DC

      Georgetown Institute for Global History

      Georgetown University

      37th and O Streets, N.W.

      Washington D.C. 20057

       

      August 23, 2017

      Singapore

      4:15 - 5:15 pm

      School of Communication
      National University of Singapore
      Blk AS6, #03-41
      CNM Meeting Room

       

      June 7, 2017

      Washington, DC

      U.S. Department of Commerce

      1401 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20230

       

      May 2017

      San Diego, CA

      International Communication Association Annual Meeting

       

      May 17, 2017

      Washington, DC

      DACOR Bacon House Foundation Newberry Lecture

       

      April 22, 2017

      Providence, RI

      Brown University China Summit

      Providence, Rhode Island

      Register here.

      April 20, 2017

      Williamsburg, VA

      2-3:20 pm/5-6:20 pm

      Chinese Studies Lectures

      College of William and Mary

      Wilson Hall 201 More information available here.

       

      April 18, 2017

      Carlisle, PA

      7:00 pm

      Clarke Forum Keynote Speech

      Dickinson College

      Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium

      Learn more here!

       

      April 12, 2017

      Durham, NC

      7:00 pm

      Duke University

      Fuqua School of Business

       

      April 7, 2017

      Minneapolis, MN

      1-2:30 pm

      Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and

      Moving Image Colloquium

      University of Minnesota

      More information available here.

      March 27, 2017

      Washington, DC

      2-3:15 pm

      China in the Era of Xi Jinping: Precedents and Comparisons

      Stimson Center

      Washington, DC

      RSVP here

      March 25, 2017

      Chicago, IL

      11:00-12:45 am

      Envisioning Global Media Industries in the Era of China's Rise

      Society of Cinema and Media Studies Annual Meeting

      Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park

      March 18, 2017

      Toronto, ON

      3:00-5:00 pm

      Media in Motion: Chinese Creative Content in Global Context

      Association for Asian Studies Annual Meeting

      Willow West, Mezzanine

      Sheraton Centre

      March 17, 2017

      Toronto, ON

      4:00-6:00 pm

      Toronto Film and Media Seminar

      TIFF Bell Lightbox

      350 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5, Canada

      March 9, 2017

      Los Angeles, CA

      4:00pm to 5:30 pm

      US-China Institute

      Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

      University of Southern California

      Books will be available for sale

      Video here

      March 8, 2017

      Los Angeles, CA

      5:00-7:00 PM

      Cinema and Media Studies Colloquium

      School of Theater, Film and Television

      University of California, Los Angeles

      Darren Star Theater

      Melnitz Hall 1422

      March 7, 2017

      Los Angeles, CA

      8-9:30 pm

      University of Virginia Alumni Entertainment Club of Los Angeles

      Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

      Conference Room 4A

      2000 Avenue of the Stars

      Los Angeles, CA 90067

      March 6, 2017

      Washington, DC

      10:00-11:15 am

      Kissinger Institute on China and the United States

      Woodrow Wilson Center, 6th Floor

      Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
      One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
      1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
      Washington, DC 20004-3027

      Video here.

      February 27, 2017

      New York, NY

      5:30-7:00pm

      National Committee on US-China Relations

      6 E. 43rd St., 24th Floor

      New York, NY 10017

      Video here.

      February 7, 2017

      Denver, CO

      12:00 - 1:30 pm

      Center for US-China Cooperation

      University of Denver

      Josef Korbel

      School of International Relations

      SIE Complex - 5th Floor - Maglione Hall
      2201 S. Gaylord St., Denver, CO 80208

       


    • Stay in Touch

      ak3ff [at] virginia [dot] edu

      Linkedin

      Twitter

      Academia.edu

      Facebook

    • Twitter updates

    • Awards and Recognition

      Hollywood Made in China was selected as a finalist for the Montaigne Medal, Eric Hoffer Awards. Less than 3% of 1600 books were selected for the honor.

       

      Hollywood Made in China was reviewed and/or featured in media in 45 countries and ten languages from its publication to the present.

       

      Hollywood Made in China was named Best General Non-Fiction Book at the 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

       

      Hollywood Made in China was chosen as Best Scholarly Monograph at the Chinese American Librarian Association.

       

      Hollywood in China was a finalist for the Frank Luther Mott-Kappa Tau Alpha Journalism & Mass Communication Award.

       

    Copyright 2016

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