Yunxiang Yan

Yunxiang Yan is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His work focuses on China and Cultural Anthropology, with specific expertise in Economic Anthropology, Family and Kinship, and Individualization.

• Education: Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from Harvard University (1993).

Yan’s research explores the intersection of social change, moral theory, and family dynamics in modern China. His ethnographic studies in rural villages provide foundational insights into exchange theory and cultural globalization.

Recent publications analyze food safety, medical ethics, and moral crises in China, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach combining anthropology, sociology, and philosophy. Articles span themes like intergenerational intimacy, political oppression, and networked social structures.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Guggenheim Fellowship
  • Levenson Prize-winning Research

Yan’s work bridges local Chinese studies with global anthropological discourse. He has held positions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Johns Hopkins University, and UCLA since 1996. His career reflects a commitment to documenting the lives of ordinary people, rooted in his early experiences as an expelled villager during Maoist China.

Contact: yan@anthro.ucla.edu