Alexander Trauth-Goik is a post-doctoral researcher at the Department of East Asian Studies, University Vienna. His research evaluates policy making and implementation in China in relation to surveillance, propaganda, and civic education. Since September 2022 he has been working as part of the European Research Council (ERC) grant project: Engineering a Trustworthy Society: The Evolution, Perception and Impact of China’s Social Credit System and is also a corresponding researcher for the China Data Analysis & Research Hub. Before coming to Vienna Alex was a doctoral student in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry at the University of Wollongong, Australia. His doctoral thesis used qualitative methods to evaluate state and citizen interpretations and engagements with the Chinese Social Credit System.

Outside of his academic work, Alex competes at a semi-professional level in the sport of Brazilian jiujitsu. Students know him for his ample use of martial arts metaphors (some say annoying).