Ning Zhang

Ning Zhang is a researcher in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) at the University of Oxford, currently holding the position of Research Associate. Previously, they were a Newton International Fellow at AMES (2022-2024) and a College Advisor at St Antony’s College. They received their PhD in Modern Chinese History from Fudan University in 2022. Their research focuses on social and political history with an emphasis on the Maoist era, including the Cultural Revolution, Sent-Down Youth Movement, and agricultural collectivization. They also explore transnational communist movements, particularly Chinese involvement in Burma’s communist activities during the Cold War.

Education:

• PhD in Modern China, Fudan University (2022)

Research interests span the history of everyday life, peasant perspectives, and marginalized groups’ experiences during revolutionary periods. Their work integrates emotional history, case studies, and interdisciplinary methodologies to analyze historical traumas and social dynamics. Recent projects include a postdoctoral study on Chinese sent-down youth who joined Burma’s communist army (1968–1989).

Teaching and Supervision: Since 2023, they have taught tutorials and lectures in Modern and Contemporary China Studies at Oxford, supervising undergraduate and Master’s dissertations in the field. They emphasize critical analysis of primary sources and historiographical debates in their teaching.

Publications include book monographs on Yen Hsi-shan’s political maneuvering during the Northern Expedition and peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from the Sent-Down Youth’s rural integration to Red Guards’ transnational activities. Their work bridges local case studies with broader themes in 20th-century Chinese history.

Methodological strengths include archival research, oral history, and interdisciplinary approaches combining political, social, and emotional history. Their research often challenges traditional narratives by centering marginalized voices and exploring understudied aspects of China’s revolutionary past.