Overview
I have a keen interest in the social and cultural history of China, particularly from 1949 onward. My research primarily focuses on the historical and contemporary nuances of everyday life in China under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I examine how routine practices—from clothing choices to underground reading and relationship preferences among Chinese citizens—have been shaped by their experiences and memories, from Mao’s communist revolution to the socio-economic reforms introduced under Deng Xiaoping after 1978.
In attempting to grasp the intricacies of life during the Mao era (1949–1976), I have reflected on the Chinese political system: How can China's authoritarian regime, despite recurring challenges and upheavals, demonstrate such continuity over time? What roles have ordinary Chinese citizens played—whether through adaptation, negotiation, or resistance—in sustaining or shaping this system from within? How did they interpret their experiences under shifting political and social conditions, and what kinds of lessons or understandings did they draw from those encounters? These questions, and its broader implications, have been a central focus of my research. While many esteemed colleagues have examined elite politics and power dynamics during the Mao era, I have sought to explore the lived experiences of ordinary people—their routines and the subtle politics embedded within—areas I felt merited closer attention. My aim is not necessarily to evaluate the success or failure of China’s communist revolution since 1949, but to explore its long-term effects on individuals, society, and China’s evolving relationship with the wider world.
Very fortunately, I have had the opportunity to engage in scholarly discussions in English, Chinese, and French. Over the years, I have contributed articles to respected journals such as The China Quarterly, The Chinese Historical Review, and Foreign Affairs, written books in Chinese and English, and participated in various other academic projects. In 2016, I collaborated on a special issue for The China Quarterly, and in 2017, I contributed to a volume on the Chinese Cultural Revolution published by Cambridge University Press.
Currently, I am working on several projects, including three monographs and a memoir, following the publication of Unfiltered Regard for China: French Perspectives from Mao to Xi (Routledge, 2025).
The COVID-19 pandemic, along with some shifts in my academic path since 2019, have significantly shaped my development as both a person and a scholar. As China’s global role grows, strategic competition among major powers intensifies, and debates over democracy and authoritarianism reframed international discourse, my work has increasingly turned toward interpreting the nature of the CCP regime, China’s political evolution, societal changes, and global ambitions. Meanwhile, as access to China becomes more limited and academic freedom faces mounting constraints, the mission of studying China has become both more complex and more essential. In these conditions, I believe it is important to proceed with intellectual humility, ethical responsibility, and a commitment to scholarly inquiry.
Research Focus
My first book, Who Will Marry My Daughter (Beijing: Chinese Social Sciences Press, 2012; 2013), examines how parents' experiences during the Mao era shaped their perspectives on their children's mate choices, particularly for those children born after China's economic opening in 1978. A curious trend has manifested since 2005: urban parks in major Chinese cities have become matchmaking hubs. Though countless parents congregate every weekend and holiday with hopes of finding potential spouses for their adult children, success remains elusive. I probe this phenomenon, suggesting that while these markets might not yield many matches, they serve as an emotional outlet for a generation facing the collective anxieties brought about by rapid market-driven changes and increasing individualism.
My second book, Fashion and Politics (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2013), explores the subtleties of everyday sartorial practices, choices, conformity and resistance in Guangdong province during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). I present three findings. First, Guangdong's proximity to Hong Kong and Macao significantly influenced local fashion. Many residents received clothing packages from relatives abroad. Second, the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, persisting even during the Cultural Revolution, became a source of sartorial inspiration. Locals often observed and were influenced by the diverse attire of foreign attendees, which contrasted with their standard revolutionary garb. Finally, these sartorial trends set the stage for a major fashion transformation in China from the late 1970s to the 1980s. My book challenges prevalent stereotypes of monochromatic, uniform, and gender-neutral dress codes during the Cultural Revolution, highlighting the presence of regionally distinctive and gender-specific choices.
By merging insights from everyday clothing fashion with the intricacies of mate choices, I've strived for a comprehensive understanding of changing perceptions and dynamics within the PRC. Both books, as pioneering works in their respective areas, have been warmly received. Notably, Who Will Marry My Daughter achieved best-seller status in 2013, selling 10,000 copies within just two months of its debut.
Awards and Honors
Academic Appointments and Fellowships:
- Visiting Scholar, Harvard-Yenching Institute, Harvard University, Aug. 2016-Aug. 2017.
- Edward Teller National Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Sept. 2017–Aug. 2018.
- Visiting Professor, Center for International Studies, Paris Institute of Political Studies, Feb. 2020-Feb. 2021.
- Digital Visiting Professor, Institute of Sinology, Heidelberg University, Apr. 2021-Oct. 2021.
- Resident Fellow, European Institute for Chinese Studies Paris, Feb. 2021- Jun. 2021.
- BBRG Non-Resident Scholar, Department of Gender & Women’s Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Sept. 2018-Aug. 2019.
- Visiting Scholar, Lee Hysan Visiting Scholar, Universities Service Centre for China Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Jan. 3-31, 2016.
- Visiting Scholar, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, Jul.-Aug. 2014.
- Academic Visitor, Merton College & China Center, Oxford University, Sept.18-Oct. 3, 2013.
- Visiting Scholar, Lee Hysan Visiting Scholar, Universities Service Centre for China Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Jul.-Aug. 2008.
Course Offerings:
Spring Semester
- History of U.S.–China Relations, 1949–2025 (Seminar-Spring 2026 )
- Tyranny and Dignity: Chinese Women from the Cultural Revolution to the White Paper Protests (Lecture)
Autumn Semester
- Life and Death in China under Mao (Lecture)
- Global Maoism: Past and Present ( Seminar)
- Fashion and Politics in the 20th-Century China (Seminar)
Professional Experience
Institutional Service
- Member, Cornell Humanities Council(2024-2026)
- Core Faculty, Cornell East Asia Program(2022-present)
- Faculty Affiliate, Cornell Institute for China Economic Research (2025–present)
- Cornell Faculty Senator(2024-2027)
- Member, Cornell Senate Nominations and Elections Committee(2024-2027)
Publications
Forthcoming Books (in English)
- Red DNA: How the Cultural Revolution Has Shaped the Xi Jinping Generation.
- The CCP Mind: A Hidden Story.
- Crossing the Three Great Walls: A Memoir
- Unfiltered Regard for China: French Perspectives from Mao to Xi(Routledge, 2025)
- Fashion and Politics in China's Cultural Revolution(Bloomsbury, 2026)
Books (in Chinese)
- Peidong Sun. 2013. Fashion and Politics: Everyday Clothing Practices in Guangdong during the Cultural Revolution(Beijing: People’s Publishing House).
- Peidong Sun. 2012; 2013. Who Will Marry My Daughter? The Parental Matchmaking Corner in Shanghai’s People’s Square(Beijing: Chinese Social Sciences Press).
Edited Volumes (in English)
Patricia Thornton, Peidong Sun & Chris Berry eds. 2017. Red Shadows: Memories and Legacies of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
Translations (French to Chinese)
- Sun Peidong. 企业在倾听：学习后工业管理 (Shanghai: 格致出版社 [Truth & Wisdom Press], 2009). Translation of L’Entreprise à l’Écoute: Apprendre le Management Post-industriel by Michel Crozier (Paris: InterÉditions, 1989).
- Sun Peidong. 消费社会学 (Beijing: 社会科学文献出版社 [Social Sciences Academic Press], 2005). Translation of La Sociologie de la Consommation by Nicolas Herpin (Paris: La Découverte, 2004).
