Past Conferences

2024 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

University of York

BPCS 2024 conference was held in-person on 5-6 June 2024 at the University of York, framed by the theme “Braving the Tides: Chinese Individuals Navigating Social Changes”. We welcomed keynote speeches from Prof. Jiang Jiehong (Birmingham City University) who spoke on on ‘The Conformed Body: Contemporary Art in China’ and Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Altehenger (University of Oxford) who presented ‘The Stuff of Contemporary Chinese History’. BPCS 2024 was supported by BACS, the University of York’s Departments of History and History of Art, and the Social History Society.

Prof. Jiang

Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Altehenger joined by chair, Jonathan Howlett

BPCS 2024 organising committee

 

2022 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

University of Oxford

The BPCS 2022 conference was held in-person again for the first time since 2019 and addressed the theme “Negotiating the New Normality”. Attendees were treated to keynote talks from Prof. Julia C. Strauss, Dr. Patricia M. Thornton and Dr. Hongwei Bao on 23rd and 24th June 2022.

 

2021 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

University of Lancaster (online)

The BPCS 2021 conference was held on 23 and 24 June 2021 with the theme “China and the World: Challenges and Opportunities” drawing speakers and audience members from researchers across the world. Our keynote speakers this year were Prof. Astrid Nordin, Prof. Peter Hays Gries and Dr. Zeno Leoni.

 

2020 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

Online

The BPCS 2020 conference was held between the 27th and 29th of June 2020 Online. Under the theme “China and the Shared Future: Transformation, Collaboration, and Challenges”, the 3-day conference with 15 panels witnessed 51 presentations from scholars around the world.

The three keynote speakers Prof. Kent Deng from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Prof. Rachel Murphy from the University of Oxford, and Prof. William A Callahan from LSE respectively delivered talks.

See also our Facebook event page

 

2019 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

University of Cambridge

The annual conference of the British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies was held at Jesus College, University of Cambridge on the 8-9 June 2019. The conference is themed on ‘China’s Global Role in the New Era’, and we have invited Professor Peter Nolan (Director for the Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge) Professor Alan MacFarlane (Professor Emeritus of King’s College, University of Cambridge) and Dr. Bingchun Meng (Deputy Head of Department of Media and Communications, LSE) to give us an 0pening dialogue.

We had 18 panels, 60 presenters during this two-day conference. This year’s topics are very diverse, ranging from drama, diplomacy and economy to ancient philosophy and local institutions. Our presenters are from all over the world including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK, Italy, Czech Republic and many other countries. We hope many students and scholars will join us for this main event of the year for the BPCS.
It is free to participate, and you can register here.

See also our Facebook event page

 

2018 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

The BPCS 2018 conference was held between 21st and 22nd of June 2018 at China Centre, University of Oxford. Under the theme “Hetero/Homogeneous China: Connections, Dynamics, and Transformations”, the 2-day conference with 24 panels witnessed 70 presentations from scholars based at the UK, Hong Kong, Mainland China, France, Germany, Thailand, the US, Australia and Russia.

The two keynote speakers Prof. Eva Kit Wah Man from Hong Kong Baptist University and Dr. Maria Jaschok from University of Oxford respectively delivered talks related to feminism in China as it intersects with philosophy and religion. Notably, it was also the first time when we had 2 performance art presentations given by Emily Gong and Yishen Chen.

The conference website

Conference photos

 

2017 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

University of Sheffield

The 2017 conference was successfully launched with the theme “From Local to Global: Regional Aspects of China.” As usual we had attendants from the UK and worldwide, who presented their fresh, outstanding and cutting edge studies. The conference of 2017 was also honored by inviting three keynote speakers:

• Marina Svensson – Professor of Modern China Studies, University of Lund, Sweden
• Marjorie Dryburgh – Lecturer in Modern Chinese Studies, University of Sheffield
• Gemma Thorpe – Artist, Sheffield

 

2016 British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference

King’s College London

The 2016 conference was a successful launch of the network’s new name: ‘British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies’. As such the event was especially large and international. The conference theme was ‘Dynamic China’ with 80 speakers based in UK and abroad. The conference included talks from two keynote speakers:

• Prof. Kerry Brown (King’s College London)– ‘Reading the Political Modern Oracle Bones: Chinese Power Under Xi Jinping’
• Prof. Barend ter Haar (University of Oxford)– ‘Antecedents for communist violence in pre-1949 socio-religious history’

 

2015 China Postgraduate Network Annual Conference

Bristol University

The conference was attended by 35 delegates from 16 institutions across the UK as well as 2 from institutions in the EU (Dublin and Amsterdam). In addition to 25 paper presentations from postgraduate students, the conference included talks from three keynote speakers:

• Professor Ishikawa Yoshihiro of Kyoto University presented on the early global reception of images of Mao.
• Professor Robert Bickers of the University of Bristol presented on the university’s Historical Photographs of China website.
• Acclaimed novelist Xue Xinran addressed the audience about her charity’s ongoing work in mainland China as well as on her experiences as a writer.

Outside of the presentations networking opportunities were provided by coffee and lunch breaks, a wine reception and a conference dinner at the Riverstation Restaurant in Bristol.

 

2014 China Postgraduate Network Annual Conference

Durham University

The China Postgraduate Network 2014 Annual Conference was held at Durham University. The Conference was jointly supported by the British Association for Chinese Studies, Durham University and the University of Nottingham.

Date: 21-22 June 2014

Venue: Arthur Holmes, CG91, Chemistry Department, Durham University

The China Postgraduate Network Conference has been held  annually since 2008 and it attracts many young scholars, research students and postgraduate students in the field of Chinese Studies (including Taiwan and Hong Kong). The 2014 CPN Annual Conference was held in Durham University on 21-22 June 2014 and was a great success.  The conference attracted 40 attendees from different universities across the UK. Professor Qian Suoqiao (Newcastle University) and Doctor Gordon C K Cheung (University of Durham) were invited as keynote speakers. During this two-day event, 18 presenters from 12 UK universities gave presentations which covered various areas of research including politics, business, history, literature, translation, sociology, film, religious studies and area studies. The annual conference offers great opportunities for young scholars and students to present their work in a friendly but academically rigorous setting. Presenters receive constructive feedback though questions and discussion and are aided in shaping their research communication skills. The conference also enables networking and knowledge transfer among aspiring academics.