About

I am currently Senior Editor for Investigations at ChinaFile, where I work on data-driven research projects.

Previously, I was a foreign affairs research analyst in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, where I focused on modern Chinese society as well as leadership and governance, including cultural, religious, ethnic, media, and political trends. In 2016, I was a Visiting Academic Fellow at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin. I’ve also spent time living in China, Kyrgyzstan, India, and Mexico. I speak Chinese, (some) Uyghur, and (some) German. There is Spanish buried in there too, somewhere.

I received an M.A. in East Asian Studies from Stanford University and a B.A. in Linguistics from Pitzer College.

You can reach me at hello@jessicabatke.com.

If you’re looking for a formal bio and headshot, please feel free to use the following:

Jessica Batke is Senior Editor for Investigations at ChinaFile, where she focuses on data-driven research projects. She is an expert on China’s domestic political and social affairs, and served as the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research Analyst for nearly eight years prior to joining ChinaFile.