ESP Biography



KEN-BEN CHAO, Stanford freshman studying political science



Major: Political Science

College/Employer: Stanford

Year of Graduation: 2017

Picture of Ken-Ben Chao

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Ken-Ben prefers to be called Ben. He grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended `Iolani School. During his high school years, he served as captain for the History Bowl Team and was two-time state champion. He also founded and served as President for the Model United Nations program. Ben is deeply interested in comparative politics, international relations, political theory, literature, philosophy, history, theoretical astrophysics, and watching association football. Most importantly, he enjoys working with younger students and strongly believes in the importance of a liberal arts education to develop more complete individual characters.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

S4386: Introduction to International Law in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)
A quick introduction to the foundations of international law. In particular, we will focus on the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and if we have time, the Genocide Convention. We will address themes of state sovereignty, enforcement, and justice.


S4388: The United Nations in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)
1. Introduction to the United Nations System. 2. Participate in a brief Model United Nations simulation with Stanford Model UN Travel Team members. Topic and country assignments will be announced via email.


S3653: Politics of Modern China and Sino-American Relations in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
National People's Congress? Politburo? Standing Committee? Central Military Commission? If you've ever wondered about the intricacies of Chinese politics, then this class is perfect for you. We will begin first with an exploration of the Chinese government system from a local to national level. We will discuss the challenges of governing such a large, multi-ethnic territory and how the Beijing central government will adapt to suit the needs of the populace. Time permitting, we will proceed to an open discussion on how the United States should approach China's rising influence in East Asia and the world. It will be fast-paced, exciting journey into the mysterious world of government in the world's largest "communist" nation!


S3654: Ethics of Politics in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
"To be feared is much safer than to be loved." -Niccolo Machiavelli Why are citizens today so distrustful of their governments? Why are we so apprehensive of our politicians? Our class will focus on ethical theories in political philosophy. We will discuss different moral systems in the realm of political and social thinking, such as utilitarianism and libertarianism. We will cover the writings and thoughts of Niccolo Machiavelli, John Rawls, and more. We will also have discussions, debates, and time permitting, simulations to further the proposed curriculum. Ready to question your own worldview? Join us for an exciting journey through history and politics!


S3683: Great Empires, Great Powers: The Rising and Ebbing Tides of History's Grandest Civilizations in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)
At the height of the Roman Empire, a Roman citizen could walk from one end of the empire to the other end armed only with the words "civis Romanus sum," and he/she could remain assured that no harm would befall him/her. What were history's great empires? What led to their rises to power? And what caused their dramatic declines and collapses? What lessons do the stories of these empires teach us about our world today and the international system of great power politics? We will cover a selection of case studies. Potential studies include the Roman Empire, the German Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, and more. We will discuss some of the trends in the histories of these civilizations and compare them to the United States today.