Janet Theiss

Janet Theiss is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Utah's College of Humanities, focusing on gender, legal, and cultural dynamics in East Asian history. She has taught courses on Modern China, Environmental History of China, and Asia in the World, emphasizing gender, race, and empire.

• Languages: Chinese (Mandarin), Russian, Japanese, French

Research Interests: Her work explores the tension between Confucian ideals and lived experiences in Qing China, particularly through gendered legal cases, female artistic expression, and the politics of chastity and suicide. She examines how individuals navigated moral order and social obligations.

Publication Trends: Recent scholarship analyzes Qing-era women's agency in legal systems, artistic transcendence in Jiangnan, and the interplay between Confucian ethics and survival strategies amid scandals.

Scientific Awards:

• Humanities Distinguished Faculty Service Award (2018)
• Award for Global Engagement (2015)
• Fellow, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (2011)

Advising and Grants: She has secured grants from the Korea Foundation, Japan Foundation, and U.S. Department of Education for research on East Asian history, language programs, and gender studies. She serves on professional boards including the Association for Asian Studies and American Historical Association.