My research interests lie at the intersection of social data science and political communication, with a particular focus on how authoritarian regimes, such as China, strategically manipulate narratives. I employ machine learning and natural language processing methods to investigate these phenomena.

Currently, my work examines China’s strategic use of sentiment in public diplomacy discourse and analyzing the impact of this discourse on international narratives. My research findings have been featured in prominent media outlets such as BBC News, The Associated Press, The Times and The Washington Post.

As part of the Programme on Democracy and Technology at the Oxford Internet Institute, I work under the supervision of Professor Philip Howard. My DPhil research is co-supervised by Dr Tom Nicholls. My DPhil studies at the University of Oxford are generously supported by the Oxford Internet Institute’s Shirley Scholarship and the Oxford Institute Dieter Schwarz Award.

I hold a BSc in Politics and Philosophy from the London School of Economics, as well as two MScs in Contemporary Chinese Studies and the Social Science of the Internet, both from Oxford University. I have also studied Mandarin at Fudan University in Shanghai.

For academic inquiries, please feel free to reach me at hannah.bailey{at}oii.ox.ac.uk. For media queries, kindly contact press{at}oii.ox.ac.uk.