博士生研讨会 | Postgraduate Workshops in China Studies

A weekly workshop series for PhD students in China studies to present their research and receive constructive feedback from their peers. Bringing faculty and students together from across the Humanities, they contribute to our multidisciplinary and inclusive China studies research environment.

Autumn 2025 Workshops 

Open to MCI affiliated faculty, postdocs, PhD and postgraduate students through registration on Eventbrite.

Each event is held as a working lunch in MCI's Lee Building, and includes a thirty-minute presentation from the PhD student and a Q&A session.

The University of Manchester is committed to academic independence and the freedom of speech. The views speakers present are entirely their own, and do not represent those of The University of Manchester or the Manchester China Institute.

ECR Induction – Exploring Chinese Studies
Dr Aoife Cantrill on textiles in Zhang Ailing’s Wartime Writing
Dr Bruce Bao on Western Views of China in Natural Language
Ke Ma on Whiteness in China's Fashion Modelling Industry
Pengfei Xu on the Evolution of China's Social Credit System
Dr Federica Mirra on rethinking Xi Jinping’s China Dream through visual arts
Feiyang Xu on Alibaba's Expansion in Southeast Asia
Ruoning Chen on Digital Nationalism in China
Dr Edwin Jiang on Chinese identity in the People’s Republic

History and Leadership

Then (MCI) postdoctoral researcher Dr Tao Wang created the workshop series in 2019. Humanities PhD students Chengzhi Zhang (SoSS), Yixiao Zhang (SOSS), Jingjing Huang (SoSS), and Yuhao Ren (SEED) are running it in 2025/26.

Call for speakers

Are you a PhD student working on China? Need to prepare for job talks or learn how to talk about your research with colleagues in China studies outside of your home discipline? We invite PhD students to submit proposals for presentations on any topic related to China Studies or the Chinese-speaking world. We welcome a wide range of subjects, including social sciences, linguistics, the arts, and beyond.

If you’d like to present, please send the following details to mci@manchester.ac.uk by 1 December or 25 June to be considered for the next semester’s workshop series:

  • Full name
  • Brief bio: (include academic title, institution, profile picture)
  • Talk title: Up to 75 characters, capturing your topic or research question on China
  • Abstract: Up to 200 words
  • Availability: Indicate your availability throughout the current academic year

Our PGR convenors will review your application. Please also consult our 2025 guidelines for successful applicants before your presentation.