Jan KIELY

Jan KIELY is a historian of modern China specializing in religion, social morality, law, justice, and conflict resolution in the 20th century. He currently serves as Chargé d'enseignement et de recherche (Research and Teaching Fellow) at the Geneva Graduate Institute's Department of History and International Politics. His work focuses on religious revival, legal institutions, and the intersection of state policies with societal practices in China.

Education: BA (Yale University, 1988), MA (University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, 1993), PhD (University of California, Berkeley, 2001).

Research Interests: KIELY explores topics such as Buddhist revival in modern China, the role of law and justice in socio-political conflicts, and the evolution of state ideologies through institutions like prisons and re-education camps. His recent work delves into rural religious practices, health systems, and performative cultural expressions in 20th-century local contexts.

Professional History: Former Professor and Director of the Center for China Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2007–2021), Co-Director and Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center (2007–2010), and visiting faculty at institutions including Harvard University and Peking University. Currently completing a book on rural religious and health practices in 20th-century China.

Academic Roles: Associate Editor of Twentieth-Century China and Research Fellow at the Chinese University of Hong Kong-Sun Yat-sen University Center for Historical Anthropology.