معرفی
Ding Fei is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cornell University. Her research spans international development, economic geography, and labor studies, with a regional focus on China-Africa relations.
Research Interests: Ding Fei's work critically examines the political economy of Chinese investment in Africa, particularly in infrastructure-led industrialization and global production networks. She investigates capital-labor relations, South-South migration, and the everyday encounters among states, firms, and workers. Her research combines political economy with ethnographic methods to explore the developmental impacts and social dynamics of Chinese engagement in Africa.
Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications analyze the transnationalization of Chinese private investment, the localization of Chinese corporate standards in Africa, and the lived experiences of Chinese workers. These works reflect a growing scholarly interest in moving beyond state-centric narratives to understand the roles of private actors, labor mobility, and institutional interactions in shaping development outcomes.
- Scientific Awards:
- Affinito-Stewart Grants, President’s Council of Cornell Women (2024)
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology–Cornell University Joint Seed Grant (2022)
- Cornell Center for Social Sciences Research Grant (2022)
- Early Career Fellowship in China Studies, Henry Luce Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies (2020)
Teaching and Advising: Ding Fei teaches courses such as Qualitative Research Methods and International Institutions. She integrates her field experiences into pedagogy, emphasizing research design, emotional engagement, and ethical practice. She mentors students in independent research projects and encourages interdisciplinary, action-oriented thinking. While no formal advisees are listed, her teaching fosters close student-faculty collaboration.
Labs and Research Groups: She is affiliated with the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities and engages with interdisciplinary research initiatives at Cornell, contributing to discussions on global urbanism and development policy.
