Dr. Looney completed her PhD in Government at Harvard University in 2012. Trained as a comparative political scientist, her research focuses on the politics of rural development in East Asia. Her work examines the relative success or failure of rural development policies in China (2000s), Taiwan (1950s-1970s) and South Korea (1950s-1970s), and advances a theory that specifies the varying contributions of land reform, farmers' organizations and campaigns in rural development.