The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping

On Tuesday, March 10, the Clements Center for National Security, the Asia Policy Program, the America in the World Consortium, and the Strauss Center for International Law will host Joseph Torigian, Associate Professor at American University, for a book talk on his recent release The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping. Join us from 12:15 – 1:30 pm in SRH 3.122, The LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Joseph Torigian is an associate professor at American University’s School of International Service and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He specializes in the politics of authoritarian regimes with an emphasis on elite power struggles, civil-military relations, and grand strategy in China and Russia. Utilizing primary sources and rare interviews, his research offers new insights into how leaders in these nations navigate domestic and international threats, a theme explored in his books, Prestige, Manipulation, and Coercion (Yale University Press, 2022) and The Party’s Interests Come First (Stanford University Press, 2025). Mr. Torigian’s distinguished academic career includes fellowships at Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, with research supported by the Fulbright program and the MIT Center for International Studies. A frequent contributor to Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, their expertise is regularly featured in global media outlets such as The New York Times, The Economist, and the BBC. 

The Asia Policy Program is a joint effort of the Clements Center for National Security and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law.