Social Change and Cultural Understanding
China’s rapid transformation has reshaped its social structure, generating challenges
around demographic aging, inequality, and urban–rural disparities. At the same time,
technological change is transforming labor markets and social organization. This priority
area examines the social and cultural dimensions of these shifts, focusing on inequality,
mobility, and evolving forms of governance.
- Demographic change and aging society: Implications of low fertility and population aging for welfare systems and social stability
- Urban–rural inequality: Persistent disparities in income, public services, and social mobility across regions
- Labor market transformation: Youth unemployment, gig work, and the impact of digitalization and automation
- Social movement: Evolving state–society relations, including responses to social tensions and local forms of contention
Recent activities:
- The Long U.S.–China Institute to cohost the 2026 Overseas Young Chinese Forum Annual Meeting, centered on the theme “History, Politics and Policy: Chinese One-Child Policy, 35 Years,” convening scholars and community members to examine its origins, evolution, and lasting societal impact.
- China’s Age of Abundance: Origins, Ascendence, and Aftermath (Cambridge University Press, 2024) by Distinguished Professor of Sociology and core faculty Wang Feng examines the social and demographic transformations underpinning China’s rise, offering insights into population change, economic development, and their long-term societal consequences.