Johanna Ransmeier

Johanna Ransmeier is an Associate Professor affiliated with the Department of History and East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the College, University of Chicago. She focuses on modern Chinese history, legal frameworks, and societal structures.

• PhD in History from Yale University (2008)
• AB in History from Amherst College (1997)

Her research examines intersections of family dynamics, law, and crime in modern China. Current projects include a book on human trafficking during the late Qing and Republican periods, analyzing how traditional family systems enabled exploitative markets. She also plans to explore legal literacy in early 20th-century China.

Prior to joining the University of Chicago, she taught at McGill University and worked in human rights advocacy, assisting Chinese activists. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary legal and social challenges.