About
Dr. Jie Yang is a Professor of Anthropology at Simon Fraser University (SFU), specializing in linguistic anthropology and China studies. Her research focuses on the intersection of power, ideology, and governance in contemporary China, particularly through the lens of language, mental health, and neoliberal policies. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Toronto (2006), an MA in Sociolinguistics from Beijing Language & Cultural University, and a BA in English Language & Literature from Shandong University.
Dr. Yang’s research explores topics such as China’s beauty economy, therapeutic governance, and the psychological impact of unemployment and urban poverty. Her notable works include Unknotting the Heart: Unemployment and Therapeutic Governance in China (2015), which won the 2016 Francis L.K. Hsu Book Prize. She has received grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), including a Partnership Development Grant (2022–2025) for research on indigenous psychology in China.
Her current projects include an edited volume on the political economy of affect in East Asia and a monograph on therapeutic practices governing marginalized groups in China. She has also contributed to academic discourse through peer-reviewed articles on topics such as gender, mental health, and state policies. Dr. Yang actively participates in interdisciplinary dialogues, advocating for cross-cultural understandings of psychological care and social governance.
