Hannes Gohli

Hannes Gohli is a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Assistant at the University of Würzburg's Faculty of Philosophy, specifically at the Chair of China Business and Economics. His research is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), and he also holds a post-doctoral research position at Princeton's Institute for International and Regional Studies supported by the Paul and Marcia Wythes Centre on Contemporary China.

His educational background includes a Master of Science from the University of Würzburg and a Bachelor of Arts from Syddansk University in Sønderborg, Denmark, both in China Business and Economics. His academic journey was influenced by experiences in Brazil and Colombia witnessing Chinese investment, and a year at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

• Bachelor of Arts: Syddansk University, Sønderborg, Denmark
• Master of Science: University of Würzburg
• Doctoral Studies: University of Würzburg (DFG-funded project)
• Postdoctoral Research: Princeton's Institute for International and Regional Studies

Gohli's research investigates horizontal and vertical power dynamics in China's energy transition and data governance. His work examines how resource allocation steers societal behavior, state bureaucracy structures, and local contestation. Methodologically, he specializes in conducting interviews with PRC stakeholders including state officials, SOE managers, private entrepreneurs, and academics, complemented by document analysis. His theoretical frameworks combine steering theory, developmental state theory, and information capitalism to analyze what he terms the 'Chinese digital developmental state.'

His publications reveal a consistent focus on Chinese policymaking mechanisms, particularly in energy sectors and industrial policy. The articles show progression from analyzing intentional ambiguity in smart grid policy (2019) to examining the 2021 electricity crisis (2022), and more recently expanding to Belt and Road energy investments (2024). A notable trend is his development of 'steering theory' as an analytical framework for understanding Chinese policy design and implementation across different sectors.

Gohli actively contributes to academic discourse through conference presentations at the International Sustainable Development Research Society and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Asienkunde. He also runs the China Competence Centre at the University of Würzburg, supporting scholars in establishing research collaborations with Chinese partners and participating in German debates about balancing research security with cooperation with Chinese institutions.

His teaching portfolio includes courses such as 'Challenges of China's Economic Rise,' 'Business and Finance,' 'China's National Innovation System,' and 'Management in China' at both Bachelor and Master levels. His methodological expertise in conducting field research in China, including navigating bureaucratic structures to access key stakeholders, represents a significant contribution to China studies methodology.