We invite you to join us for a lecture by Frank Pieke, a renowned Dutch cultural anthropologist and expert on modern China.
Abstract
There are more than 10.7 million Chinese nationals living overseas today – about 60 million, if their descendants are included, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This means that China has one of the largest diasporas in the world. In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has attracted scrutiny by many Western nations, including Canada, for its actions in trying to co-opt or influence diverse Chinese nationals living overseas.
This lecture promises to shed light on the multifaceted dynamics surrounding the CCP’s activities abroad. It will also cover the case of the Netherlands, where Pieke is based, giving us a perspective of the reach and limitations of overseas party building and influence in countries with smaller overseas Chinese communities.
About Frank Pieke
Frank N. Pieke, earned his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology and Chinese Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992. He has held academic positions in Leiden and Oxford, including directing the University of Oxford’s China Centre. In 2010, he became the Chair of Modern China Studies at Leiden University and co-founded the Leiden Asia Centre. Currently, Pieke is a Visiting Research Professor at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore (2022-2023) and an Adjunct Professor at Leiden University and the Leiden Asia Centre (2018-2024). His research interests focus on China’s influence and superpower status, resulting in notable publications such as “The Good Communist” (2009) and “Knowing China” (2016).
