About Liang
Liang is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department studying modern African history with an emphasis on South Africa. Liang received his B.A. in International Relations in 2005 from Peking University, where he also completed his first doctorate in International Relations in 2010. His previous dissertation examined the Japan-South African relations in the post-apartheid era.
Liang's current dissertation project explores the history of labor-intensive industrialization in South Africa's former decentralized areas with a particular focus on Chinese garment factories and industrial Zulu women. It is titled "On the Edge of Capitalism: African Local States, Chinese Family Firms, and the Transformation of Industrial Labor." Over the years, Liang's research has been funded by various Harvard University grants, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French National Research Agency (ANR), the Government of Ghana, the Japan Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the South African Millennium Trust.
Born and raised in China, Liang loves swimming, visiting museums, and spending time with family. Liang is also a big fan of NBA games. He now lives with his wife and their two-year-old son in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Liang's CV
Liang's referees