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Research Activities 
 

My research activities are exciting and diverse. To check out the big questions that linger in my mind.

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I break down these big questions into different feasible research areas. To explore my current 

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To explore some of my past and current projects

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To see my publications 

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Besides researching and publishing, I engage in many academic conferences and attend events. 

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I am in the final stage of wrapping up my PhD dissertation. If you are curious about it, check it out.

Research Questions 

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Generally, I am driven by a broad range of interests. I am very curious about almost everything, ranging from physics to biology, from politics to economics, from arts to music, from history to philosophy, and from anthropology to religions. 

 

Below are some big questions that keep me awakened and motivated; they also guide me in designing my specific research projects and programmes. 

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1) Why do conflicts happen throughout human history, between and among people, states, religions, communities and individuals? Can we find ways to mitigate conflicts and live peacefully together and then even better cooperate?

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2) What makes a country to rise or decline?  What makes an individual or a firm rise or decline?Can different entities rise or decline peacefully?

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3) What drives economic growth and development which are crucial to the livelihood of the vast majority of humanity? How can we grow economics in a sustainable, just and inclusive way that co-exists with the environment and other species peacefully and benefit the entire humanity?

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4)  Why and how does change and evolution of human societies happen? In particular, what are the driving forces of the different waves of profound transformation of economic, social and cultural as well as romantic and sexual life between the late 19th and 21st centuries?

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5) How could we improve the existing research methods to tackle these big questions? How can we present these questions and issues more effectively via music and arts?

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To tackle these big questions, I break them down into smaller, manageable questions and research areas. 

Research Interests 

My research interests are very broad. I am generally curious about pretty much everything. However, my current research focus on the following areas:​

​1) International Relations (IR) Theories and Grand Strategies

2) Global Political Economy (GPE) and Development
 
3) Economic Geography, Sociology and Anthropology

4) Ethnicity, Migration and Racism
 
5) Research Methods and Philosophies of Science

First, I examine the knowledge innovation and (re)production of emerging IR theories around the world, especially in China, India, and Brazil. Furthermore, I situate the emerging Chinese IR theories in the broader theoretical debates on Global IR, non-Western IR and post-Western IR. Besides, I also look at Canadian and European theoretical approaches to IR/IPE from a comparative perspective. On the practical level, I look at grand strategies( or lack thereof) of leading powers, such as the US, China and the EU, and Russia.

Second, my GPE research centers around the ongoing tensions between globalization, regionalization and economic nationalism and their impacts on socio-economic development. I especially focus on global trade and finance as well as the Belt and Road Initiative.

Third, I draw from economic geography, economic sociology and economic anthropology to study global value chains and global production systems. Moreover, I focus on new cities, especially emerging global cities, city clusters and megaregions, such as the Greater Bay Area.

Fourth, I try to understand how both the international and internal migration processes as well as globalization shape identities, intimate relationships as well as global cities and urban/suburban environments. In addition, I scrutinize their relationships to various forms of discrimination, especially anti-Asian racism.

Fifth, I am passionate about experimenting and developing new qualitative and quantitative methods, to better conduct research and understand the complex phenomena in the aforementioned four areas. In particular, I am interested in new digital methods aided by new technologies. Moreover, I pay special attention to the epistemologies and ontologies of whichever methods that I apply.
 

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