Pheng Cheah

Pheng Cheah serves as Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in interdisciplinary research bridging philosophy, literature, and political theory with global implications.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD from Cornell University
• LLB from University of Sydney

His research spans continental philosophy from Kant to Derrida, postcolonial theory, world literature, and globalization studies, with concentrated focus on human rights frameworks, cosmopolitan/national tensions, feminist perspectives, and contemporary Chinese cinema. His methodology integrates literary analysis with political philosophy to examine power dynamics in transnational contexts, particularly across postcolonial Asia where he conducts fieldwork with filmmakers.

Publication analysis reveals an evolving trajectory from foundational cosmopolitan/national theory toward biopolitical human rights frameworks and cinematic representations of globalization. His work consistently centers non-Western perspectives—especially Chinese, Southeast Asian, and global South contexts—challenging Eurocentric paradigms through comparative analysis of cultural production and political transformation.

No scientific awards are documented in available sources.

Professor Cheah mentors graduate students in critical theory and postcolonial studies, guiding research on literature's political dimensions. His scholarly activities are supported by standard academic funding mechanisms enabling extensive archival work and international collaborations, particularly with Asian film communities.

He maintains active participation in global studies consortia and postcolonial research networks, frequently collaborating with filmmakers and scholars across the three Chinas through interview-based methodologies.