Yi Li

Yi Li is a Lecturer in East and South East Asian History at the Department of History and Welsh History, Aberystwyth University. She holds a PhD from SOAS, University of London (2012), and has previously held positions as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and as an online learning programme manager at SOAS.

Her educational qualifications include:

• BSc, Fudan University
• MSc, National University of Singapore
• MA, University of London
• PhD, SOAS, University of London

Yi Li's research focuses on the colonial and postcolonial history of the Burmese Chinese, Chinese migration and diaspora, and modern East and Southeast Asian history. She employs interdisciplinary and place-based storytelling methodologies to explore identity, heritage, and education in post-coup Myanmar. She is actively involved in global initiatives to support displaced Myanmar youth through narrative-based pedagogy.

Her recent scholarly output (2016–2025) spans books, journal articles, book chapters, and commissioned reports, with a consistent focus on migration, identity, and colonial governance in Southeast Asia. Her works frequently appear in reputable journals and publishers such as Springer, Oxford University Press, and ISEAS Publishing. Themes include Burmese Chinese communities, women in the legal profession, labor movements, and cultural preservation.

She has led externally funded projects such as 'Stories of peace from Myanmar to Wales' (2024–2025) and has organized numerous workshops and training programs for educators in Myanmar and Wales. Her academic service includes organizing international events on migration, diaspora, and decolonial pedagogy.

Yi Li is actively engaged in research networks and collaborations, particularly with institutions in Southeast Asia. She has been a visiting researcher at Chiang Mai University (2024) and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance inclusive education and historical understanding.