How is knowledge about China produced around the world — and who gets to be recognized as an expert?
We were delighted to share a fascinating talk hosted by the Sol Plaatje University at Sociology Tuesdays, presented by our writer, Professor Julie Yu-Wen Chen, on her book Global Knowledge Production About China.
In her presentation, Julie explores how our understanding of China is shaped not only by research and scholarship, but also by language, translation, travel, diaspora communities, institutional networks, geopolitics, and researchers’ own experiences with China.
She introduces two important concepts — ‘Scientific Chineseness’ and ‘Sinological Chineseness’ — and examines the tensions between claims of neutrality and objectivity on the one hand, and deeper cultural and linguistic immersion on the other.
The talk also looks at the broader structures that shape China knowledge production, including:
- The development of China studies across different regions of the world
- The influence of the United States on China studies in Latin America
- The impact of Cold War politics on scholarship about China
- The growing securitization of China research in Europe and beyond
- Questions of expertise, proximity, political sympathy, and representation
It is a thought-provoking discussion about China studies, global knowledge production, geopolitics, and who gets to shape the narratives through which China is understood. If you’re interested in China, international relations, academia, geopolitics, or the politics of knowledge, check out the book
🎥 Watch the recording back on YouTube:
