Melissa Chan is an Emmy-nominated journalist based between Los Angeles and Berlin. She focuses on transnational issues, often involving China’s influence beyond its borders, as well as the rise of global authoritarianism and defense of democracies. She has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Time, The Guardian, and more. Her debut graphic novel, You Must Take Part in Revolution, co-authored with activist artist Badiucao, was released in March 2025.
Melissa Chan
Articles
Opera (and Comics) Against Fascism
Exploring how the graphic novel ‘Death Strikes’ intersects with the modernist opera ‘Der Kaiser von Atlantis,’ a work composed by Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust.
Art, Freedom, and a Menagerie: On Ai Weiwei’s “Zodiac”
Melissa Chan reviews “Zodiac” by Ai Weiwei.
The Great Leap to Valhalla: Wagner in China
Melissa Chan writes about the performance of Wagner operas in China.
55 Voices for Democracy: "How 'Stolen Words' Harm Democracy" by Melissa Chan
For the Thomas Mann House series "55 Voices for Democracy," award-winning journalist Melissa Chan discusses the faltering image of democracy.
Incremental Wins Do Matter
The career of a major human rights lawyer resonates with issues we face today.
Symphonies Silenced, Sonatas Streamed: The State of Classical Music During COVID-19
Melissa Chan considers the state of classical music in the age of coronavirus.
The Terrifying Truth in Jeffrey Lewis’s Novel on Nuclear War
Melissa Chan considers "The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States."
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