Successful Workshop Studying China in the Age of Polycrisis

On Thursday 28 May 2026 the PLURALIZE Project held workshop looking across concepts, language, methods, imaginaries and collective horizons to examine power, governance, infrastructure and everyday life in China and beyond.

China workshop
Credit: Shizhi Zhang

Researchers from a range of disciplines and institutions gathered at the University of Sheffield for the workshop Studying China in the Age of Polycrisis. The event explored the challenges and opportunities of researching China in a rapidly changing world shaped by interconnected political, economic, technological, environmental, and social transformations.

The workshop was organised around four key themes: Polycrisis, Methodology, Positionality, and Theorising (Global) China. Through keynote presentations, group discussions, and collaborative activities, participants reflected on how these themes are reshaping their China-related research in different disciplines across the social science, and influencing the ways scholars conduct and communicate research.

A particular highlight of the workshop was a collective writing exercise, which encouraged participants to develop ideas collaboratively and explore new approaches to knowledge production across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. The event fostered lively discussion among researchers at different career stages and from diverse academic backgrounds, creating valuable opportunities for intellectual exchange and networking.

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