PhD Candidates in Chinese Studies (University of Leiden)

The Faculty of Humanities, Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), School of Asian Studies China is looking for PhD Candidates in Chinese Studies (2 positions of 1.0 FTE).

Project Description:

The PhD Candidates will carry out research in the framework of the project “The Smart State: Law, Governance and Technology in China”, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Dr Rogier Creemers is the Principal Investigator of this project. This project examines the deployment of digital technologies in Chinese law and governance mechanisms. The project as a whole aims to identify how Chinese governance practices and techniques evolve through the use of technologies including big data and artificial intelligence. It will also investigate how these systems require new forms of regulation in turn, most notably in the area of data protection and cybersecurity.

Key responsibilities:

The two PhD candidates will each study a specific subtopic within the project focusing on a particular issue area;

Subproject 1: Smart law enforcement; this subproject will evaluate the role of smart systems in the post-4th Plenum legal reform reform agenda. This agenda intends to enhance the professionalization of courts and law enforcement bodies, strengthen courts’ autonomy from local governments, broaden access to justice, and give priority to formal litigation. This project will review whether and how smart systems contribute to realizing these objectives, and how different categories of agents (law enforcement officers, judges, lawyers, court users, etc.) influence this process;

Subproject 2: Social credit and social management; this subproject will survey how China’s Social Credit System (SCS) is conceptualized, constructed and implemented. The SCS an effort to more effectively use information about individuals and corporate entities to strengthen law enforcement and provide greater deterrence against dishonest conduct. The research scope will include central and local levels, state and citizen perspectives, and the role of the private sector;

• The PhD candidates will be primarily based in Leiden, where they will join a research team with the principal investigator and a project data manager. The project will also require them to conduct fieldwork in China;
• They will participate in regular team meetings, present their research findings at workshops and conferences both in Europe and Asia;
• They will also contribute to the construction of a database of Chinese source materials emerging through their research;
• Where useful, they will be invited to contribute to the Leiden Asia Centre project “China in Global Cyberspace”, which examines China’s cyber diplomacy efforts;
• In the 2nd and 3rd years of their appointment, they will be given opportunities to contribute to teaching.

Selection criteria:

• A Master’s degree or equivalent in Chinese studies, law and governance, or technology studies; Candidates near completion of a degree will be considered;
• Excellent command of Mandarin Chinese, both written and spoken;
• Ability to effectively communicate in written and oral academic English;
• Demonstrable interest in the topic;
• Ability to work independently, and as part of a larger research team;
• Willingness to work in an international and competitive research environment;
• Demonstrable experience of or the potential to generate research impact beyond the direct academic context;
• Previous experience with fieldwork in China.