Luke Robinson

Dr. Luke Robinson is an Associate Professor in Film Studies at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities, where he has been since 2014. Previously, he taught at the University of Nottingham's Department of Culture, Film and Media. He holds a BA from the University of Cambridge, an MA and PhD from SOAS (University of London), and a certificate from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. His research focuses on Chinese independent cinema, film festivals as sites of cultural translation, and the global circulation of documentary media. Robinson is co-editor of influential volumes like Chinese Independent Cinema and Chinese Film Festivals, and his work bridges cultural studies, visual anthropology, and media policy analysis. He maintains the Chinese Independent Film Archive and has published widely on topics ranging from Taiwanese subimperialism to the cultural politics of Sundance and CNEX. His teaching spans global cinema studies, film festival curating, and East Asian media aesthetics.

Education:

• BA, History, University of Cambridge
• MA, Chinese Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London
• PhD, Film and Media Studies, SOAS
• Certificate in Chinese Studies, The Hopkins-Nanjing Center

Research Themes: Chinese independent film ecosystems, transnational film festival circuits, documentary as public culture, and the intersection of politics with audiovisual media. Recent work examines humanitarian intervention narratives in documentaries and the evolving role of non-state cultural agents in soft power dynamics.