From Curiosity to Scholarship: Three DKU Class of 2026 Students Reflect on Research and Finding Their Path with the CSCC
By Zihan Chen, Class of 2026 & Violet Nguyen, Class of 2028 For many first-year students at Duke Kunshan University, research can feel like something distant: a world of faculty offices, grant proposals, academic talks, and polished conference presentations. But for three members of the Class of 2026 — Chia-l Wei, Hanyang Zhou, and Felipe Rebello […]
Event Report: Food Delivery Workers and Their Algorithmic Labor in the Platform Economy
Report by: Zihan Chen | Photography by: Yiwen Chen On April 10, 2026, the CSCC hosted Dr. Sophie Ping Sun, Associate Professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and visiting scholar at the University of Oxford, for a lecture titled Food Delivery Workers and Their Algorithmic Labor in the Platform Economy. The event drew on Dr. […]
Event Report | Suffering Without Complaint: Autonomy and Dependence Among Rural Migrants in Shanghai
By Zihan Chen, Class of 2026 On April 16, 2026, the CSCC, in co-hosting with the Division of Social Sciences and Anthropology@DKU, held a two-part academic event featuring Dr. Xiao He, Lecturer at East China University of Political Science and Law. The event opened with a 45-minute student workshop titled Between Speech and Silence: Research […]
China on Two Wheels — Connecting China & the Netherlands
Report by: Violet Nguyen | Photography by: Haozhe Lou |Edit by: Annemieke van den Dool In China—often called the “Kingdom of Bicycles”—the role of the bicycle has shifted dramatically over time. From being the dominant mode of everyday transport to its decline and now steady revival through bike-sharing and new infrastructure, cycling in China reflects changing […]
CSCC Celebrates Academic Year 2025–2026 with Awards and Community Gathering
Edit by: Chi Zhang | Photography by: Haozhe Lou On April 27, the CSCC hosted its end-of-semester celebration and awards ceremony, bringing together faculty, students, and community members to mark the conclusion of the 2025–2026 academic year. The event served as both a moment of reflection on the Center’s activities and a recognition of the outstanding achievements […]
Event Report: “China-Latin America in a Changing World” Conference
By Felipe Silvestri, Class of 2026 On April 10, 2026, the Center for the Study of Contemporary China (CSCC) and the DKU Latino Organization co-hosted the inaugural “China & Latin America in a Changing World” Interdisciplinary Conference at Duke Kunshan University. Held in AB2103 from 9:30 to 15:00, the event brought together scholars, researchers, and […]
Event Report: Fandom Nationalism: Participatory Censorship and Performative Patriotism in China’s Online World
Report by: Violet Nguyen | Photography by: Haozhe Lou On April 24, 2026, the CSCC Digital Technology and Society Cluster and the Cluster for Gender and Global China co-hosted Dr. Ningxin Wang, Assistant Professor in the Division of Development and Governance at The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen, for a compelling talk titled Fandom Nationalism: […]
Rethinking US–China Relations: Differences, Similarities, and Sociological Insights
By Zihan Chen, Class of 2026 On April 22, 2026, the Center for the Study of Contemporary China (CSCC) at Duke Kunshan University hosted Mr. Frank Tsai, Founder and CEO of China Crossroads and former Director at the Economist Intelligence Unit. The lecture featured Tsai, who holds a PhD in Sociology and has over two […]
A “0 to 1” Milestone: Recap of the Digital Innovation Challenge (DIC) Finance Track
By Xieling Li, Ke Ning, Zhonghan Dai, Yanpei Yu & Shuhan Zhao | Advised by Professor Luyao Zhang From October 2025 to March 2026, the 2025 Digital Innovation Challenge (DIC)—a cross-campus innovation competition focused on AI-driven solutions—ultimately engaged 75 teams from 6 countries and advanced nine finalist teams to Innovation Day. The DKU DIC initiative […]
Event Report: Rainforest Weft—Weaving Together Sustainability and Creative Practice 雨林织叙
On March 20, 2026, the CSCC China Stories & Images Cluster hosted Rainforest Weft: Weaving Together Sustainability and Creative Practice 雨林织叙, featuring guest artist Hong Yan, an internationally recognized fabric artist from Xishuangbanna. Organized by Professor Kaley Clements, the event brought together an exhibition, panel discussion, and hands-on workshop to explore the intersections of traditional […]