Revolving around fundamental questions of authoritarian governance, especially in China, my research covers large stretches of historical time and topic areas. How does it all fit together? The map below is the key. It shows party membership per capita, aka "party saturation" in the language of apparatchiks, in different Chinese provinces in 2010. I argue that, with the exception of three provinces in China's Far West, party saturation reflects party state strength. My research shows (1) why the party is stronger in some places than in others (2) and what kinds of practical effects party state strength has for governance and the lives of ordinary Chinese. The first question takes me deep into history, the second takes me deep into local governance issues today. Navigating through the menu items on the left-hand-side of this text, you will find work-in-progress as well as completed research projects. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to know more.