Xiaochen Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Applied Economics at Duke Kunshan University. Specializing in regional and urban economics, as well as population studies, Professor Zhang’s research focuses on migration, aging, and policy evaluation.
Professor Zhang recently concluded his research project “Population Aging, Regional Innovation, and Productivity: Evidence from China,” which was supported by a CSCC Faculty Research & Creative Activity Grant. The project examines the influence of population aging on local labor markets and innovation, within the context of China’s knowledge-based economy and its evolving demographic structure.
Using census and patent data from 2000 to 2015, Professor Zhang’s identified a U-shaped relationship between the median age of urban populations and their innovation output, indicating that cities with younger or older age profiles tend to be more innovative than those in the middle age range. This paradigm-shifting discovery, which diverges from similar European studies, could have wider implications for managing demographic changes in fast-aging economies. We are honored to have the opportunity to sit down with Prof. Zhang and delve deeper into his research findings through our questions. Read More
Lingyi Shen is an Anthropology student set to graduate in May 2025. Over the past four years, she has worked closely with the CSCC. She served as a student coordinator for the Care and Gender Cluster and the N Aging and Care Initiative, helped organize and lead several CSCC events, and participated in multiple CSCC research/community projects.
Lingyi’s signature work project is an ethnographic study that delves into the lived experiences of older adults in China, specifically those who live with dementia in residential care facilities. The study probes into the subjective experiences of aging and how individuals with dementia strive to maintain their sense of self and identity amidst the cognitive decline. The methodology draws on narratives from institutionalized older adults with dementia, presenting their stories of self-negotiation, belonging, relationships, and their struggles in expressing subjectivity.
In this conversation, we delve deeper into Lingyi’s timely research, a topic of increasing relevance due to the demographic shifts happening in China and across the globe as populations age. Read More
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