2026-27 An Wang Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chinese Studies
Harvard University
USD 67,600-70k / year
Posted on Dec 11, 2025
Position
Details
| Title | 2026-27 An Wang Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chinese Studies |
|---|---|
| School | Faculty of Arts and Sciences |
| Department/Area | Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies |
| Position Description | The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University is pleased to announce the competition for the 2026-27 An Wang Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chinese Studies. For academic year 2026-27 the Fairbank Center will offer up to two post-doctoral fellowships to support participants in an interdisciplinary research group that will study The Social Foundations of State Power in China. Through this research theme, the group will examine how social structure, inequality, and ideology sustain state capacity and regime durability in contemporary China. Building on recent empirical studies, the group will seek to understand how China’s evolving social stratification, informal institutions, and value changes underpin both the endurance and adaptation of its authoritarian state. With China’s ongoing social transformation—mass education expansion, rural–urban integration, digital governance, and renewed ideological campaigns—this is an opportune moment to build cross-disciplinary frameworks linking social stratification to state durability. The Fairbank Center will recruit up to two An Wang Postdoctoral Fellows to contribute to this research: a junior scholar working on inequality, mobility, or public opinion in China, and/or a junior scholar focusing on governance, ideology, or compliance. Disciplinary homes may include sociology, political science, economics, communication, history, or area studies. Methodological approaches may include—but are not limited to—causal inference, spatial analysis, computational text analysis, and archival or ethnographic research. Postdoctoral candidates with relevant research interests are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is January 15, 2026. Faculty Mentors: The 2026-27 An Wang research group will be led by Professor Yuhua Wang, Department of Government, and Professor Xiang Zhou, Department of Sociology. Xiang Zhou brings expertise on social stratification, causal inference, and survey data integration. His work on China’s inequality and mobility—spanning analyses of Gini trends, returns to education, and the structure of opportunity—provides the empirical foundation. Yuhua Wang contributes complementary strengths in political institutions, state formation, and authoritarian governance. His research on the long-run trade-offs between state strength and ruler survival, the infrastructural reach of the modern state, and ideological control in academia frames the project’s political and historical dimensions. Research Theme: The 2026-27 An Wang Fellows will contribute to research examining The Social Foundations of State Power in China. Building on Wang and Zhou’s recent work and utilizing pooled survey data from China, the research group seeks to address a central question for contemporary China: how does the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sustain its rule and maintain political control amid rapid economic growth and widening inequality? How can an increasingly unequal and socially heterogeneous society continue to generate broad consent and political stability? This tension—between deepening social divisions and enduring political cohesion—lies at the heart of the group’s inquiry into the social foundations of state power in China. Postdoctoral candidates’ proposed research may address questions related to several broad thematic pillars, including the political consequences of inequality and declining mobility; the ways education shapes beliefs about meritocracy and elite formation; the effects of information control and ideological monitoring on public opinion and professional behavior; the role of informal institutions and social cleavages in sustaining authoritarian governance; and the measurement of social divisions and their relationship to political attitudes and regime support. Expectations: The one-year fellowship period is from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027. The An Wang postdoctoral fellow/s will be based at the Fairbank Center, Harvard University for the in-person fellowship. As part of the interdisciplinary research group, the primary responsibility of the An Wang postdoctoral fellow will be to conduct their proposed research project under the mentorship of Professors Wang and Zhou. They will be expected to participate in workshops and collaborative projects led by the faculty mentors. Over the course of the 2026-2027 academic year, the An Wang postdoctoral fellow/s will have opportunities to share their research and engage with a community of Harvard and Boston-area researchers working on contemporary China. Fellows will participate in the vibrant academic community at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. The An Wang Fellowship provides a stipend of $67,600 – 70,000 over 12 months. The Postdoctoral Fellow position is eligible for Harvard University’s subsidized comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. In addition, $3,000 in An Wang research funding for scholarly activities will be available to each fellow. The fellowship/s will be subject to all rules and regulations of Harvard University. |
| Basic Qualifications | A strong working knowledge of Chinese and English is required. A doctoral degree in a relevant field is required. Candidates must be able to provide confirmation of successful completion of their terminal doctoral degree, in the form of a diploma or a certificate of completion from the degree-granting institution’s Registrar, as soon as available and no later than July 1, 2026. Applicants may not be more than five years beyond the receipt of their doctoral degree at the start of the fellowship. Harvard University doctoral degree recipients are not eligible for this fellowship. |
| Additional Qualifications | Applications are welcome from junior scholars of contemporary China with research interests relevant to the 2026-27 research theme, The Social Foundations of State Power in China. Relevant research may include work on inequality, mobility, or public opinion in China, and/or have a focus on governance, ideology, or compliance. Disciplinary homes may include sociology, political science, economics, communication, history, or area studies. Methodological approaches may include—but are not limited to—causal inference, spatial analysis, computational text analysis, and archival or ethnographic research. Postdoctoral candidates with relevant research interests are encouraged to apply. Candidates must provide confirmation of successful completion of their terminal doctoral degree, in the form of a diploma or a certificate of completion from the degree-granting institution, or a letter from the institution’s Registrar, as soon as available and no later than July 1, 2026. Candidates must notify the Fairbank Center of any changes to the information provided in their application that may impact eligibility. Failure to communicate such changes may result in disqualification. |
| Special Instructions | To apply, complete and submit the online application by January 15, 2026. All application materials must be in English. Applicants are required to submit: • CV • Cover letter (1-2 pages) that briefly states your interest in the program, your academic background, and a summary of your proposed research project • Research proposal (no more than 5 pages, double-spaced) • Writing sample (academic paper or dissertation chapter) • Names of two or three academic references, with current email addresses. At least two and no more than three academic recommendation letters are required, to be submitted directly by your references to the application portal. Your references will receive a request email from the portal when you submit your application. If you have not received your doctorate degree at the time of application, your dissertation advisor must submit the An Wang Postdoctoral Fellowship Advisor Confirmation Form. This confirmation form must be completed by your advisor and sent as PDF attachment to fairbankcenter@fas.harvard.edu no later than January 30, 2026. |
| Contact Information | Harriet Wong Program Administrator Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies Harvard University |
| Contact Email | harrietwong@fas.harvard.edu |
| Salary Range | $67,600 – 70,000 stipend over 12 months. |
| Minimum Number of References Required | 2 |
| Maximum Number of References Allowed | 3 |
| Keywords | China research postdoc. Postdoctoral fellowship in Chinese studies. China studies. East Asian studies. China fellowships. China research. China studies postdoc. Contemporary China. Chinese society. China political science. State and society in China. Social change in China. Sociology of China. China social sciences. |
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Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- * Please indicate the month and year in which you received, or expect to receive, your PhD or equivalent terminal degree.
(Open Ended Question)
- * In what discipline did you complete your Ph.D.?
(Open Ended Question)
- * Please briefly identify your primary area of research (field and/or geographic specialization).
(Open Ended Question)
- * Please list those languages other than English in which you have fluency, specifying reading, spoken, or both
(Open Ended Question)
- * Please list your research interests (200 character limit)
(Open Ended Question)
- * Please briefly describe the specific research project(s) you wish to complete during the fellowship (500 words or fewer).
(Open Ended Question)
- If there are specific Harvard faculty members with whom you intend to work during the fellowship please provide their name/s and indicate whether you have been in contact.
(Open Ended Question)
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
- Curriculum Vitae
- Cover Letter
- Statement of Research
- Writing Sample 1
- Other
- URL