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durhamchina.bsky.social
Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
@durhamchina.bsky.social
110 followers 110 following 9 posts
we are a multi-disciplinary research centre dedicated to the study of contemporary China and the wider East Asian region, based at Durham University
https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/contemporary-chinese-studies/
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Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
chenchenzhang.net
🚨new open-access article!🚨
what do drastically different representations of the Paris Olympic opening ceremony on Chinese social media tell us about competing narratives of civilization & transversal alignment in digital reactionary politics?
academic.oup.com/isagsq/artic...
Abstract: Scholarship on “non-Western” civilizational discourse in international relations remains largely limited to the versions crafted or endorsed by the state. This paper takes the representation of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Chinese social media as an entry point to exploring vernacular and competing narratives of civilization in global cultural politics. Drawing on data from multiple platforms, I scrutinize visions of civilizational progress, decay, and betrayal, interlaced with contested imaginaries of “China”, “France”, and “the West”, in celebratory and demonizing discourses on the spectacle. First, I argue that ideas of “civilizational standards” have always been co-produced, appropriated, and negotiated by actors from the peripheries, rather than monopolized by the centre. A nuanced and situational reading of the celebratory discourse shows how users employ civilizational and universalist vocabularies to contest locally hegemonic structures, which may simultaneously reproduce and challenge homonationalist logics. Secondly, the paper contributes to the emerging literature on the co-opting of the anticolonial language in reactionary politics, showing that in this case, the accusation of coloniality is turned inwards to target the internal other, whose identification with progressive values is recast as colonial subservience and betrayal. Finally, I show that the trope of “Western civilizational decay” and certain constructions of difference/affinities are instrumental to queerphobic nationalist narratives. However, civilizational signifiers such as “West” and “East” function in digital reactionary discourse less as a tool for narrating cultural distinctiveness than as flexible transnational codes, allowing for transversal alignment to emerge across conventional geopolitical and ideological boundaries.
November 24, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
sgiadurham.bsky.social
In this new paper, Renu Singh, an assistant professor in comparative politics at SGIA, and co-authors Pengyu Zhu, Zining Wang, and Xinying Tan investigate how China's multi-level EV policies enabled "technology leapfrogging"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
China's model of technology leapfrog: A case study of electric vehicle policies and the development of green technology
The development of green technology is vital for driving economic growth and building low-carbon economies. In this era of technological advancement, …
www.sciencedirect.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
chinamediaproject.bsky.social
Our Chinese-language sister publication Tian Jian (田間), specializing in reporting on issues related to global Chinese-language media, just went live with their website. Check it out here: tian-jian.org
October 24, 2025 at 4:37 AM
durhamchina.bsky.social
📝New blog post! Helene Bode writes about the rise of divorce parties, drawing on her Master's research on discursive re/production of female subjectivities on Chinese social media. oddchinaout.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/f...
From Shame to Celebration: Why Chinese Women Are Throwing Divorce Parties
On Xiaohongshu (a popular Chinese social media platform), a woman in a black dress poses with her female friends, a banner in the background spelling out “This fucking marriage ends here!”. The roo…
oddchinaout.wordpress.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:01 PM
durhamchina.bsky.social
📝New blog post! Soumya Ranjan Gahir writes about square dancing 广场舞 as an everyday practice that reclaims urban space, asserts gendered visibility in a society that often sidelines older women, and adapts creatively to the rhythms of digital culture.
oddchinaout.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/t...
The Quiet Power of China’s Dancing Women
One summer evening in Chengdu, a video went viral: hundreds of women in sequined tops and trainers filled a shopping-mall plaza, dancing in synchrony to a remixed pop anthem. The clip was shared mi…
oddchinaout.wordpress.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
yangyangcheng.bsky.social
"Countless Yingzhis live among us, while the Zitaos of China are fading away with time. The tears of Chinese women, if unleashed, could drown a nation."
For @chinabooksreview.com, I write about gendered violence and illusions of liberation through two novels by Fang Fang (tr @bairuiwen.bsky.social):
No Country for a Woman | China Books Review
Women in China have suffered abuse, silencing and erasure — despite the Communist Party’s slogans about women’s liberation. Two novels by the Wuhan writer Fang Fang show how gendered oppression persis...
chinabooksreview.com
October 9, 2025 at 3:12 PM
durhamchina.bsky.social
Did you know that a new exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Palace Museum in Beijing is now free to visit at Durham's Oriental museum?
jointly organised by the Palace Museum & the Oriental Museum @durham-university.bsky.social
www.durham.ac.uk/things-to-do...
Journey of a Century - Durham University
www.durham.ac.uk
October 2, 2025 at 8:10 AM
durhamchina.bsky.social
How do Dongbei crime dramas draw on Dongbei’s marginality to envisage alternative femininities? check out our new blog post by Min Xu: Sister in furs: female gangsters in northeastern Chinese crime dramas 穿貂皮的姐：东北悬疑剧里的女性黑帮形象 oddchinaout.wordpress.com/2025/08/21/h...
Sister in furs: female gangsters in northeastern Chinese crime dramas 穿貂皮的姐：东北悬疑剧里的女性黑帮形象
[The author offers this piece in both languages, with the simplified Chinese version after the English.] [本文作者提供了双语版本，简体中文版本位于英文版本之后。] English version While researching TV crime dramas in China, I …
oddchinaout.wordpress.com
September 25, 2025 at 10:51 AM
durhamchina.bsky.social
we are super excited to launch our student research blog Odd China Out. submissions bridging scholarly work with a wider audience, in English or bilingual, are welcome!
oddchinaout.wordpress.com
(no title)
A Chinese Studies research blog. Let's exchange ideas, tell stories, and keep asking better questions!
oddchinaout.wordpress.com
September 25, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
durhameducation.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Dr Qiandong Zhou who passed her viva with flying colours on 29 Aug 2025! Dr Zhou was supervised by Prof Julie Rattray & Dr @coralinglingxu.bsky.social ! We express our deep gratitude to examiners Drs @chengyongtan.bsky.social & Jasper Roe for an engaging viva!
September 8, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
coralinglingxu.bsky.social
Excited to give my book talk at King's China Week @lauchinainstitute.bsky.social, in conversation with Dr @yanranyao.bsky.social, book your place soon for this in person event! See you on 23 Oct! @sunypress.bsky.social
www.kcl.ac.uk/events/book-...
Book talk - The Time Inheritors: How Time Inequalities Shape Higher Education Mobility in China | King's College London
Dr Cora Lingling Xu, Durham University, discusses how time inequalities shape higher education mobility in China as part of China Week 2025.
www.kcl.ac.uk
September 8, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
coralinglingxu.bsky.social
Join us either online or in person-an exciting seminar by Professor Shibao Guo! @chiedmobilities.bsky.social @uofg-glacier.bsky.social @durhamchina.bsky.social @yiminzhao.bsky.social @chenchenzh.bsky.social
durhameducation.bsky.social School of Education at Durham University @durhameducation.bsky.social · Jun 3
Join us for our next seminar:

Reimagining Chinese Diasporas in a Transnational World: Hypermobility, Hyperdiversity and Hyperconnectivity by Dr Shibao Guo, University of Calgary, Canada

Scan the QR code below for more details!

📍Confluence Building CB-1017
📅04/06/25
🕑13:00-14:00
June 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
durhameducation.bsky.social
Join us for our next seminar:

Reimagining Chinese Diasporas in a Transnational World: Hypermobility, Hyperdiversity and Hyperconnectivity by Dr Shibao Guo, University of Calgary, Canada

Scan the QR code below for more details!

📍Confluence Building CB-1017
📅04/06/25
🕑13:00-14:00
June 3, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
coralinglingxu.bsky.social
Had a blast at my keynote @BPCS @sunypress.bsky.social & @uoe-sps.bsky.social! Overwhelmed by kindness &friendship! Numerous touching moments when strong resonance was shared & tears were shed. Unequal time is real; friendship is real too! Together we are stronger!
May 24, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
yiminzhao.bsky.social
I’m so honoured to be able to have this interview talking about my research. This is also a great opportunity for myself to look back and reflect on the trajectory.
geogdurham.bsky.social Geography at Durham @geogdurham.bsky.social · May 22
The second in our series of research video interviews with colleagues in our Department is now available. This one is with @yiminzhao.bsky.social where he answers a range of our questions about the passage & progress of his research and the impacts he hopes it will achieve: tinyurl.com/25xub94a
A research interview with Dr Yimin Zhao
YouTube video by DurhamUniversity
www.youtube.com
May 23, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
coralinglingxu.bsky.social
Proud supervisor moment: Tong Meng just published her 1st article on UK-based female Chinese intl students’ racial preferences in partnering on mobile dating applications (MDAs): @drannallewellyn.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... @durhameducation.bsky.social @durhamchina.bsky.social
Love in a Transient Sexual Field: Female Chinese International Students’ Racialised Desire on Mobile Dating Applications - Tong Meng, 2025
Race has been documented as an imperative criterion in partner selection among migrants. However, most existing studies on this issue focused on second-generati...
journals.sagepub.com
May 16, 2025 at 8:12 AM
durhamchina.bsky.social
ICYMI, We'll be hosting a talk by Dr Yanran Yao and Prof Astrid Nordin @astridnordin.bsky.social this Friday on their project on supporting Chinese diaspora communities. all are welcome!
March 17, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
coralinglingxu.bsky.social
It has arrived! Holding 'The Time Inheritors' in my hands feels wonderful. Pre-order w/ promo code 'SNWS25' @sunypress.bsky.social (sunypress.edu/Books/T/The-...), get 30% off. Out on 1st April (hardcover) and 1st October (paperback) 2025! #time #China #internationalstudents #Migration #rural #urban
March 10, 2025 at 9:49 AM
durhamchina.bsky.social
we look forward to hosting this talk on illiberal state feminism by @zhouyunyun.bsky.social
📅 Tuesday, 25 February
⏱️2-3:30pm
📍W414 Geography
February 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM