Research

PhD Project

Dissertation

My doctoral research project involves Calvinist theologian and federalist scholar Johannes Althusius, anarchist and federalist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and Austro-Marxist Karl Renner & Otto Bauer. For this, I have completed a thesis titled Do Asymmetrical and Non-territorial Federalist Arrangements Contribute to Pluralistic Coexistence in Multinational Polities? A Normative and Historical Analysis [in formating]. This structurally complex and large-scale thesis involves discussions of federalism, pluralism, nationalism, and case of Spain, Belgium and Canada.

Books Translated Related to My PhD Dissertation

In addition to my dissertation, I have simultaneously been working on translating the books of these theorists relevant to my research, into Chinese or English—this can also be seen as a byproduct of my doctoral research. 

• Regarding Althusius, I translated Politics Methodically Set Forth and Illustrated with Sacred and Profane Examples (Chinese translation) and Johannes Althusius and the development of natural law theory (Chinese translation). 

• Regarding Proudhon, I translated The Principle of Federation (Chinese translation), edited a Full 31 Chapters English Version of The Principle Of Federation (in English), and edited A Collection of Scattered Articles and Letters of Proudhon (in English). 

• Regarding Renner and Bauer, I translated The Question of Nationalities and Social Democracy (Chinese translation).

Publications

Journal Articles

• Kong, L. (2025). Federalism: A Comprehensive Review of Its Evolution, Typologies, and Contemporary Issues. Encyclopedia, 5(4), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5040156

• Kong, L. (2025). Proudhon's Critique of Nationalism in His Federalism Vision. Philosophies, 10(5), 97. https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10050097

(Q1; ESCI)

• Zhao, Z., & Kong, L. (2025). Differences in religious practices of indigenous peoples in rural and urban areas of China. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-025-02452-x

(Q1; SSCI & AHCI)

• Kong, L. (2025). Johannes Althusius: The First Federalist in Early Modern Times. Histories, 5(3), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/histories5030035

(Q2; ESCI)

• Kong, L. (2024). The Sacred Federation of Tibet and the Mongol Empire. Histories, 4(4), 557-574. https://doi.org/10.3390/histories4040029 

(Q2; ESCI)

Books Edited & Translated

• Proudhon, P.-J. (2025). The Principle Of Federation and the Need to Reconstitute the Party of Revolution. Full 31 Chapters Version (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to English). 292 pages.  Open Democracy & Stettbach Press. ISBN: 978-1-7393257-7-0.

[ISBN] [Google Books] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon] 

• Bauer, O. (2025). The Question of Nationalities and Social Democracy (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to Chinese). [In Chinese: 民族问题与社会民主党]. 604 pages. Karl-Marx Verlag. ISBN: 978-3-9825536-5-8.

[ISBN] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon] 

• Gierke, O. F. v. (2025). Johannes Althusius and the Development of Natural Law Theory (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to Chinese). [In Chinese: 约翰内斯·阿尔图修斯与自然法国家理论的发展]. 658 pages. Karl-Marx Verlag. ISBN: 978-3-9825536-4-1.

[ISBN] [Google Books] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon] 

• Proudhon, P.-J. (2024). A Collection of Scattered Articles and Letters of Proudhon (L. Kong, Ed.). 409 pages. Karl-Marx Verlag. ISBN: 978-3-9825536-2-7. 

[ISBN] [Google Books] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon]

• Sun Tzu (2023). The Art of War by Sun Tzu (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to English). 131 pages. Istanbul Institute of Political Strategy. ISBN: 978-1-7392712-2-0.

[ISBN] [Kindle] [Amazon]

• Althusius, J. (2023). Politics Methodically Set Forth and Illustrated with Sacred and Profane Examples (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to Chinese). [In Chinese: 政治：系统地阐述，以神圣和世俗的例⼦说明]. 284 pages. Open Democracy & Stettbach Press. ISBN: 978-1-7393257-2-5. 

[ISBN] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon]

• Proudhon, P.-J. (2023). The Principle Of Federation and the Need to Reconstitute the Party of Revolution (L. Kong, Ed. & Trans. to Chinese). [In Chinese: 联邦原则，和重建革命党的必要性]. 276 pages. Open Democracy & Stettbach Press. ISBN: 978-1-7393257-4-9. 

[ISBN] [Hal-science] [PhilPapers] [Amazon]

Work in Progress 

I am currently working on a series of research articles, which cover federalism in Chinese history, the federal theories of Althusius, of Proudhon, of Arendt, and of others. I am also preparing to translate one of Proudhon’s works into Chinese.