Position
AB Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, 2022
Bio/Description

From Copenhagen, Denmark

“Through studying in Hong Kong and Shanghai, my fascination of Chinese culture, politics and contemporary society has only continued to grow. While my experience has been colored by multiple aspects of immersion—language studies, cultural activities, and limited historical exposure—I have yet to learn from substantive academic analysis of China. Hence, throughout the last three years, I have been able to observe the structures and forces that shape Chinese society but found myself lacking the means to fully comprehend them. Chinese politics are particularly fascinating to me; from the tensioning Hong Kongmainland relationship to the Belt and Road Initiative, I have often found myself trying to second-guess the central government’s motivations and strategies. China’s unique political landscape under the influences of a fast-paced, modernizing economy and society on one hand and the central government’s efforts to maintain traditional power on the other makes for a complex arena of change. This political and socioeconomic environment stands in stark contrast to my Danish background, a comparison which has always been a thought-provoking endeavor in reflecting on my home as well as development and societies generally. Hence, this global seminar represents to me the highly appealing prospect of learning about the context and implications of Chinese contemporary society.”