School of Social and Political Science

Background

As an anthropologist, I have conducted long-term ethnographic fieldwork in southeast China and rural central China on work, ethics, mobilities, and social change. My first ethnographic monograph explores the political, moral, and economic lives of ordinary people who strategized volunteering and charitable work in coping with political-economic restructurings in contemporary China. 

Thanks to the support of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Personal Research Fellowship, I have been developing a new research project on Chinese transnational humanitarianism in Southeast Asia. With an appreciation for multimodal and patchwork ethnography, I am currently also working on a graphic anthropology project that explores the potential of drawing as an alternative means for anthropological knowledge production. 

My latest publications include “Remaking the value of work: The emergence of grassroots philanthropy in China ” in American Ethnologist https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.13103; “The desire to help: Vernacular humanitarian imaginaries in China” as a part of the special issue “Vernacular Humanitarianism” in Social Anthropology https://doi.org/10.3167/saas.2023.310104. And my article " 'To Be a Little More Realistic': The Ethical Labour of Suspension among Nightclub Hostesses in Southeast China" is the winner of the 20th William L. Holland Prize for the best article published in 2021 Pacific Affairs. A short interview is available at https://pacificaffairs.ubc.ca/announcements/current-holland-prize-winner/2021-holland-prize/. 

Before joining the University of Edinburgh, I have worked at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity as a postdoctoral researcher and at Princeton University as a Global Fung Fellow. I am an editorial board member of American Ethnologist (2022 to 2028). I am also a member of RACE.ED, GENDER.ED, and Race and Inclusivity in Global Education Network.

In my research and teaching, I am committed to pluralising and decolonising knowledge production. In Edinburgh, I have taught the following modules: 

Anthropology of East Asia:  In response to students' interests, I created this module in 2021 and taught it in 2024/2025, and 2025/2026.  http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/21-22/dpt/cxscan10087.htm This course offers an overview of anthropological studies on East Asia, with a particular focus on China and its ever-growing significance in global politics. Additional academic talks and events related to the course are organised alongside the weekly lectures. 

Ethnographic Theory and Practice: A fun, team-taught, practice-based core course for second-year undergraduate students where we learn together through group-based fieldwork projects. http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/25-26/dpt/cxscan08005.htm 

EMPIRES: A team-taught interdisciplinary course open to all students of diverse backgrounds. We discuss multiple forms of imperialism and domination through plural and underrepresented perspectives. http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/20-21/dpt/cxscan08010.htm 

Social Anthropology 1A: An interactive, seminar-based introductory module for first-year undergraduate students. We introduced anthropology through a series of activities on and beyond campus. For instance, we took students on the Black History Tour of Edinburgh. http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/25-26/dpt/cxscan08013.htm 

Anthropological Theory: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/current/dps/cxpgsp11172.htm

Scottish Training in Anthropological Research (STAR): A week-long residential course undertaken in partnership with the Universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Glasgow.

Every year, I supervise undergraduate, postgraduate taught (MSc), and PhD dissertations.