Sociology
Current Research
The interactions between groups of people are the essential blocks on which societies are built and provide a window into the human condition, allowing us to understand the world. This is what the Fairbank Center strives for in its support of sociological scholars and scholarship. Throughout the year the Center holds events and screenings dedicated to exploring these issues.
Expertise

Susan Greenhalgh 葛苏珊
Professor of Anthropology
Susan Greenhalgh is Professor of Anthropology and John King and Wilma Cannon Fairbank Professor of Chinese Society at Harvard University. Before moving to Harvard, she was Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Irvine and, before that, Senior ResearchRead More

Ya-wen Lei 雷雅雯
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Ya-wen Lei is Assistant Professor of Sociology, having previously been a Junior Fellow at the Society of Fellows at Harvard University. Professor Lei grew up in Taipei, Taiwan, graduating from her undergraduate studies at the National Taiwan University.
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Nicole Newendorp 柳云嫦
Lecturer on Social Studies
Dr. Newendorp received a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Columbia University, an M.A. from Harvard University’s Regional Studies-East Asia Program, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University’s Department of Anthropology.
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Martin K. Whyte 怀默霆
John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Sociology, Emeritus, former Director of the Fairbank Center
Professor Whyte’s primary research and teaching specialties are comparative sociology, sociology of the family, sociology of development, the sociological study of contemporary China, and the study of post-communist transitions.
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Xiang Zhou 周翔
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Xiang Zhou is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Harvard University. His research focuses on quantitative methodology, social stratification and mobility, and contemporary Chinese society. He has published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, SocialRead More
Research Projects
Land of Many Palaces Screening
The Fairbank Center recently screened a film by Adam Smith and Song Ting, which examined the relocation of thousands of farmers the country to the city. The film screening was followed by a discussion with directors Adam Smith and Song Ting. This event was co-sponsored with the Committee on Inner Asian and Altaic Studies.
Latest News
2018-2019: A Year in Review of China Studies at Harvard
Read and download our 2018-2019 Annual Report here. The 2018–19 academic year was a challenging time for all of us at the Fairbank Center who devote ourselves to the study of China. The U.S.-China bilateral relationship continues to deteriorate and there are few...
Fall 2019 Courses on China
COURSES PRIMARILY FOR UNDERGRADUATES Government GOV 1288: China’s Economic Development Nara Dillon How has China achieved high economic growth rates for 40 years? Have the post-Mao economic reforms created a market economy, or a new form of state...