Professor Charles Stafford is a leading anthropologist specializing in China, Taiwan, and the United States. He holds a professorship at the Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics (LSE), and is a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA). His research focuses on learning, child development, morality, and the intersection of economic life with cultural and psychological processes. His seminal works include The Roads of Chinese Childhood (1995) and Economic Life in the Real World (2020), which explore how cultural contexts shape human behavior and ethical frameworks. Professor Stafford's fieldwork spans decades, from Taiwanese fishing communities in the 1980s to recent studies of kinship and cooperation in rural China and Oklahoma. He has authored influential books such as Separation and Reunion in Modern China (2000) and edited volumes on ordinary ethics and cooperative dynamics in Chinese communities. His work bridges anthropology, psychology, and economics, emphasizing interdisciplinary dialogue. His research interests include cognitive anthropology, the psychology of economic life, and the role of ritual in structuring social relations. Recent studies investigate moral judgment and cooperative behavior in diverse cultural settings. His contributions have shaped debates on how cultural norms influence decision-making and ethical practices in both traditional and modern contexts.
