Carsten Schäfer

Dr. Carsten Schäfer is a Researcher at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Cologne, specializing in Modern Chinese Studies. Previously, he served as a Universitätsassistent (pre-doctoral researcher) at the University of Vienna's Institute for East Asian Studies/Sinology between 2011-2015. He earned his PhD in 2018 from the University of Vienna with a thesis on overseas Chinese identities and integration processes in Europe. His academic background includes a Master's degree completed in 2010 after studies in Freiburg, Shanghai, Beijing, and Vienna.

Research Interests: His work focuses on Overseas Chinese Studies, Migrationswissenschaften (migration studies), modern Chinese history, historiography, and Chinese cinema/television. He examines topics such as diaspora politics, transnational media discourse, and cultural memory.

Publications & Translations: Notable works include analyses of Mao Zedong's cinematic portrayal (1978-2015), studies on Chinese migrants in Vienna, and co-edited volumes on post-Cold War historiography. He has also translated contemporary Chinese literature into German, including works by Hao Jingfang and Chen He.

Teaching: He teaches courses on Chinese migration patterns, Greater China identity formation, and China's foreign policy at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His seminars address themes like transnationalism and diaspora studies.

Professional Activities: Active in academic conferences across Europe and Asia, he has presented on topics ranging from diaspora policy to film historiography. His research bridges empirical fieldwork with theoretical frameworks in migration studies and cultural analysis.