Calvin Hui

Calvin Hui is an Associate Professor of Chinese Studies in the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures at the College of William & Mary. His research focuses on modern Chinese humanities, diaspora studies, critical theory, and cultural studies, with emphases on Marxist theory, gender studies, and post-colonialism. He holds a PhD in Literature from Duke University, where he studied under Rey Chow, Fredric Jameson, and Michael Hardt.

He has been awarded prestigious fellowships, including the CUSP Fellowship (2023), ACLS Fellowship (2019), and Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation grants (2020 and 2016). His book, The Art of Useless: Fashion, Media, and Consumer Culture in Contemporary China (Columbia UP, 2021), explores consumer culture in China. His work also examines 'shanzhai' (copycat) cultures and JIA Zhangke’s cinema.

Hui teaches interdisciplinary courses such as 'Fashion, Media, and Chinese Consumer Culture' and 'Advanced Seminar in Chinese (Fake Globalization, Counterfeit China)'. He has directed honors theses and supervised independent studies on topics like Chinese migrant labor, environmental concerns, and diaspora. He currently serves as faculty director of the Freeman Internships in East Asia and organizes the Chinese Major Forums to showcase student research.