Science Under Pressure: Global Decoupling, Ideological Recalibration, and the Future of Knowledge in China

Speaker: Naiyu Jiang, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Stanford University

This project examines how external geopolitical pressures and domestic political shifts are reshaping knowledge production in China. Specifically, it asks how targeted U.S. sanctions—such as the 2020 visa restrictions on researchers in critical fields—have affected the volume, quality, and global integration of Chinese scientific output. At the same time, this study explores how growing ideological control since the 2010s has redirected the thematic priorities and intellectual orientation of social science research in China. Drawing on two large-scale datasets—over 70 million Chinese-language publications from CNKI (1995–2024) and 80 million global articles from Web of Science (1972–2024)—the project traces shifts in collaboration networks, funding patterns, and research agendas across disciplines. It aims to provide a comprehensive account of how China’s research system is being reconfigured by both global decoupling and domestic political realignment—and what this transformation means for the future of cross-border knowledge production.

About the Workshops

Our Young Researcher Workshops offer emerging China scholars an opportunity to engage directly with interdisciplinary faculty and peers from across campus to discuss and receive feedback on their research. Each workshop features one or several PhD students presenting their latest empirical findings on issues related to China’s economy. Past topics have included college major selection as an obstacle to socioeconomic mobility, the effect of a cooling-off period on marriage outcomes, and factors contributing to government corruption. Faculty and senior scholars provide comments and feedback for improvement. This event series helps to build and strengthen Stanford’s community of young researchers working on China.

Workshops are held on select Fridays from 12 - 1 pm. Lunch will be provided! 

Visit the Young Researcher Workshops webpage for more information on the content and format of the series and to learn how to sign up to present. 

Questions? Contact Ragina Johnson at raginaj@stanford.edu