Leta Hong Fincher

Leta Hong Fincher is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures at Columbia University. Her research focuses on gender inequality, feminist activism, and social policy in China, with notable contributions through her award-winning journalism and two critically acclaimed books. She holds a BA from Harvard University, an MA from Stanford University, and a PhD from Tsinghua University.

Her first book, Leftover Women: The Resurgence of Gender Inequality in China (2014), examines societal pressures and gendered policies affecting unmarried women in China, while her second book, Betraying Big Brother: The Feminist Awakening in China (2018), documents the growth of grassroots feminist movements despite state repression. These works have been recognized by institutions such as the Asia Society, Vanity Fair, and Newsweek.

Dr. Fincher’s writing appears in major publications like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Dissent Magazine, where she critiques China’s authoritarian policies and advocates for women’s rights. She won the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi award for her reporting on China. Her articles address topics ranging from #MeToo in China to the consequences of the one-child policy on gender dynamics.

Her academic and journalistic work intersects with global struggles against authoritarianism, emphasizing the role of gender equality in democratic resilience. She is active on social media, with the Telegraph naming her an ‘awesome woman to follow on Twitter.’