Jinyan Zeng

Jinyan Zeng is a Senior Lecturer and Affiliated Researcher at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University, with additional affiliation to the Department of History. She joined the Centre as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in July 2021 and has established herself as a prominent scholar in gender studies, film studies, and Chinese society research.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD from the University of Hong Kong (2017)
• 2017 Oak Human Rights Fellow (film and photography) at Colby College (USA)
• 2020 Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of Haifa (Israel)
• BA in Economics from the People's University of China, Beijing

Dr. Zeng's research focuses on gender and sexuality, culture and politics, intellectual identity and social activism, and ethnicity with particular emphasis on China. Her work critically examines the intersection of gender, ethnicity, and political expression in contemporary Chinese society, with special attention to marginalized voices and communities. She has made significant contributions to understanding feminist activism in the post-2010s Sinosphere, as evidenced by her co-edited volume 'Feminist Activism in the Post-2010s Sinosphere' (Bloomsbury Academic, December 2024).

Her recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong focus on documentary filmmaking, feminist aesthetics, and the experiences of minority groups in China. Her work often centers on female authors, filmmakers, and activists, particularly exploring the identities of the post-2000s Inland Tibet Class generation and their expression through Sinophone-Tibetan films. Her research bridges film studies, gender studies, and China studies, creating innovative interdisciplinary approaches to understanding contemporary Chinese society.

Her notable recognition includes:

• Special Jury Award (with monetary award of KRW 10,000,000 and a trophy) from Film Festivals (2021)

Dr. Zeng has been actively involved in academic supervision and has contributed to various research projects examining gender, ethnicity, and cultural expression in China. She has organized conferences on feminist activism in post-2010 China and events exploring the Uyghur crisis from perspectives of ethnicity, gender, and ethics. Her research involves transnational collaboration across multiple institutions and countries, reflecting her commitment to understanding Chinese society through diverse disciplinary lenses.

Her work contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality and reduced inequalities, advancing understanding of complex social dynamics in contemporary China with implications for policy and social justice initiatives.