Cai Chen (he/him/his) Date and place of birth: 1994 in Hubei, China Nationality: Chinese Address: 1040 Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium +32 Contact: c.chen.eu@gmail.com Google Scholar ORCID HAL Academia ResearchGate LinkedIn · · · · · · · Current position: PhD student (Institutional page) Laboratory of Anthropology of Contemporary Worlds (LAMC) Structure de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le genre, lŠégalité et la sexualité (STRIGES) ULB Centre for East Asian Studies (EASt), Maison des sciences humaines (MSH) Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium Short Bio Cai Chen is a PhD researcher at the Laboratory of Anthropology of Contemporary Worlds (LAMC), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium. He holds an Erasmus Mundus Joint MasterŠs Degree in Transnational Migrations awarded by the Université de Lille, France. CaiŠs ongoing doctoral research explores the ethnoracial relations of Chinese-Congolese couples living in the postcolonial DR Congo. His previous work focuses on the interrelationship between migration and sexuality amongst gay Chinese migrants in France, featuring in Journal of Chinese Overseas(vol. 19, n° 2), Migrations société(vol. 35, n° 192), and The Conversation (France). Education Université libre de Bruxelles Brussels, Belgium PhD in Political and Social Sciences (in progress) since Oct 2022 Specialization: Social Anthropology (LAMC) Thesis: Intimacy across boundaries: an ethnography of ethnoracial dynamics among Sino-Congolese couples in postcolonial Congo (DRC) (in progress); Supervisor: Dr. Asuncion Fresnoza-Flot Université de Lille Hauts-de-France, France Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in Transnational Migrations (Master Mitra) 2019 – 2021 With exchanges at the Universitatea Babes, -Bolyai (Romania) and the Universidad de Granada (Spain) Thesis: Sexuality and Mobility: The Trajectories of Gay Students from China to France and beyond (grade: 19/20); Supervisors: Dr. Asuncion Fresnoza-Flot and Dr. Nathalie Coulon Dalian University of Foreign Languages Bachelor of Arts in French Studies (option: International Trade) Liaoning, China 2012 – 2016 Additional Training Université libre de Bruxelles Brussels, Belgium Odysseus Summer School: European Union Law and Policy on Immigration and Asylum 2020 37 hours; 24 August Ű 04 September 2020; Institute for European Studies Columbia University in the City of New York Migration and Human Rights Workshop 20 hours; 20 July - 07 August 2020; Institute for the Study of Human Rights New York, USA 2020 Professional and Research Experience Doctors of the World Paris, France Social Worker (full-time), Program Lotus Bus Apr – Sept 2022 Social, legal, and health rights promotion program for Chinese female migrant sex workers in France Oriented and accompanied Chinese women to access their social, medical, and legal rights; Served as an interpreter and mediator between Chinese women and lawyers, medical professionals, or the police; Received, informed, assisted, and empowered victims of sexual violence. ·· · French National Centre for ScientiĄc Research (CNRS) Paris, France Jan 2022 – Mar 2022 Research Assistant (full-time, contract), Cermes3 Research assistant for the project ŠMigraChiCovidŠ (Chinese diaspora in France in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic) coordinated by Dr. Simeng Wang (Cermes3, CNRS) Collected and organized research papers by topic, created a shared Zotero library for the team, wrote literature review reports, and helped edit in-text citations and reference lists for manuscripts; · Last updated on Wednesday 3rd April, 2024– 20:32:16 Managed the communication of the team and promoted the research results of the project (commu·nication, publications, research activities); Assisted ·tion). with the organization of academic and public events (graphic design, logistics, coordinaDec 2020 – Feb 2021 Research Assistant (intern), MAF, Cermes3 Research assistant to Dr. Simeng Wang, and assistant for the research network Migration from East and Southeast Asia in France (MAF) Assisted with manuscript preparation (formatting, copyediting, references), proofreading, and book indexing; Managed the communication of the research network (website, Facebook, Twitter, WeChat); Organized several academic and public events (Ąlm screening and round-table, book launch, and international workshop). · · Hiroshima University Hiroshima, Japan Research Assistant (part-time, remote) Nov – Dec 2021 Research assistant for the literature research on COVID-19 and migration for the project ŞA comparative research on mobilities, representations and social relationships among migrant workers under the PandemicŤ funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and coordinated by Prof. Itaru Nagasaka (Hiroshima University, Japan). Institute for Migration Research, University of Granada (UGR) Granada, Spain Research Trainee (intern) Nov 2020 – Jan 2021 Research trainee at the Documentation Centre for Migration Studies (CDEM), Institute for Migration Research, UGR Learned about literature research, research repository management, and document analysis. · StarTimes Group, West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) Beijing, China Specialist in Overseas Market Development (full-time) Jul 2016 – Mar 2019 Sector: Media, radio, and television infrastructures Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Communications in Mali for a national television and radio broadcasting system; Established a partnership with a local country general agent distributor in Mali; Researched and developed new markets and established new partnerships in Burkina Faso; Maintained public relations with officials and other partners in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger; Took care of internal and external communications for country offices; Managed, tracked, and reported on ongoing projects. · ·· ·· Skills and Toolset Experiences • Languages: Chinese (native), English (C1), French (C2), Spanish (B2), Dutch (A1). • ICTs: MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Canva (graphic design), WordPress (website design), etc. • Scientific working and writing: Zotero, LaTex, NVivo, etc. Awards and Grants • Noria Research Grant (2024, Ąeld grant) • Publication Subsidy (2024), ULB Research Department • Subside Vladimir ORLOFF (2023-2024), ULB Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences • ULB-CCCI Grant for Research Stay Abroad (2024), Commission de classement des crédits internationaux • GIS Asia Conference Grant (2023), French Academic Network on Asian Studies • Conference Allowance (2023), ULB Institute of Sociology • Conference Allowance (2023), ULB Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences • F.R.S.-FNRS Mobility Grant for ScientiĄc Meeting (2023), Belgian Fund for ScientiĄc Research • ULB-MSH Seed Money Doctoral Grant (2022-2023), ULB Maison des sciences humaines • Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (2019-2021), European Commission • National Encouragement Scholarship (2014), Liaoning, China Last updated on Wednesday 3rd April, 2024– 20:32:16 Publications Journal Articles 1. Chen, C. (2024). Situated Researcher: A Critical Autoethnography on Migrant ResearcherŠs Mobility, Positionality, and Agency. Belgeo: Belgian Journal of Geography, 2023(4), https://doi.org/10.4000/belgeo.66217. 2. Chen, C. (2023). Un chercheur chinois sur le terrain en RD Congo : parcours, identités et relations dŠenquête. Suds : Géographies critiques, perspectives des Suds, 288, 199-209. https://doi.org/10.4000/suds.897 [In French] 3. Ponce, A. R., & Chen, C. (2023). Rethinking the Gay Chinese Migrant through the Prism of Migration Aspirations: Observations from France and Belgium. Journal of Chinese Overseas, 19(2), 220Ű247. https://doi.org/10.1163/17932548-12341489 4. Chen, C. (2023). Migration et (re)socialisation sexuelle : le cas des jeunes migrants homosexuels chinois en France. Migrations société, 35(192), 131Ű145. https://doi.org/10.3917/migra.192.0131 [In French] Book Chapters 1. Chen, C. (forthcoming). Chinese in DR Congo: Reciprocal Migration, Conjugal Mixedness, and Power Inequalities. In E. Tran & Y. Zoubir (Eds.), Handbook of Chinese Migration to the Middle East and Africa . Leiden: Brill. [under review, open access] 2. Chen, C., & Ponce, A. R. (2024). Sexuality, Socialization, and Inequalities on the Move: The Lived Experiences of Young Chinese Gay Migrant Men in France and Belgium. In M. Thunø & S. Wang (Eds.), Handbook of Chinese Migration to Europ (pp-pp). Brill. DOI [forthcoming: 05/2024] Other Publications 1. Chen, C. (forthcoming). Chinoises en Suisse : une perspective féministe, intersectionnelle et transnationale. Yali Chen, Lausanne, Éditions Antipodes, 2023, 385 pages. Revue des politiques sociales et familiales, 153, [Book Review, in French]. 2. Chen, C. (2024). WeChat and the Chinese Queer Diaspora. Blog Scientifique de l’Institut Confucius, Université de Genève, https://ic.unige.ch/?p=1551. [ScientiĄc Blog Article] 3. Chen, C. (2024). A Chinese Ethnographer in DR Congo: ReĆections on the Field and Fieldwork. Congo Research Network, Field Notes. [Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4] [Blog Posts] 4. Chen, C. (2023). ŞRich but VulnerableŤ: Chinese Migrants Meet Street-Level Bureaucrats in the DRC. Routed Magazine, n° 23: Inequalities and Migration. https://www.routedmagazine.com/post/rich-butvulnerable-chinese-migrants-meet-street-level-bureaucrats-in-the-drc [General Audience Article] 5. Chen, C. (2023). Racisme sexuel : quand les migrants gays asiatiques font face à la fétichisation. The Conversation (France), 03/09/2023. https://theconversation.com/racisme-sexuel-quand-les-migrantsgays-asiatiques-font-face-a-la-fetichisation-209631 [General Audience Article, in French] 6. Chen, C. (2022). Book Review: Fresnoza-Flot, A., & Liu-Farrer, G. (Eds.). (2022). Tangled Mobilities: Places, Affects, and Personhood Across Social Spheres in Asian Migration. Advances in Southeast Asian Studies, 15(2), 325Ű328. https://doi.org/10.14764/10.ASEAS-0083 [Book Review] Communications Talks Presentations at Conferences, Seminars, and Worrkshops 1. ŞTrois espaces-temps de la migration des étudiants gays chinois vers la FranceŤ (17 June 2024). Event for the public audience “Asiatiques queers en France : entre désirs et désenchantements”, MAF research network, Paris (France), (Workshop) 2. ŞThe situation of Chinese migrants (with L. Monteil)Ť (08 December 2023). Roundtable Discussion "Domestic violence in ‘mixed’ couples involving Asians", BelMix research team, ULB (Belgium), (Roundtable) 3. ŞChina-Africa Intimate Encounters: Unpacking How Chinese-Congolese Couples Navigate Ethnoracial Boundaries in the Postcolonial DR CongoŤ (07-08 December 2023). 3rd Congo Research Network (CRN) PhD Days, Africamuseum, Tervuren (Belgium), (Workshop) 4. ŞChina-Africa-Europe Onward Migration from an Aspirations-Capabilities Framework: The Circulation of French-Speaking Chinese Migrants among Francophone CountriesŤ (16-17 November 2023). 6th CERPE Workshop “In an Era of Uncertainties and New Opportunities – Chinese Migrations in Europe”, Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-Iscte), Lisbon (Portugal), (Workshop) 5. ŞRevisiting ŚMarriage MigrationŠ through the Biographical Accounts of Two Chinese Women Who Are Married to Congolese Men and Living in the DR CongoŤ (03 Octoberr 2023). EASt Young Scholar Seminar 2023, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), (Internal seminar) Last updated on Wednesday 3rd April, 2024– 20:32:16 6. ŞBeing Gay, Son, and Chinese: Understanding the Multiple Roles of Chinese Gay Students in France and their Non-Linear Migration TrajectoriesŤ (06 July 2023). 20th IMISCOE Annual Conference “Migration and Inequalities: In search of answers and solutions”, University of Warsaw (Poland), (Conference) 7. ŞMobilités et enjeux de santé sexuelle des jeunes migrants gays chinois en France : une étude exploratoireŤ (25 May 2023). Journées d’études "HSH nés à l’étranger", Campus Condorcet, Paris (France), (Internal workshop) 8. ŞMigration and Sexual (Re)Socialization: The Case of Young Chinese Gay Migrant Men in FranceŤ (06 April 2023). Workshop “Chinese Migration to Europe and China’s Diaspora Governance”, French Research Institute on East Asia (IFRAE), Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO), Paris (France), (Workshop) 9. ŞFavoriser lŠentraide mutuelle, la solidarité et le mentorat parmi les chercheur.e.s émergeant.e.s queers et trans migrant.e.s et racisé.e.sŤ (29 March 2023). Atelier organisé par Pr. Edward Ou Jin Lee and Dr. Gerardo Perfors-Barradas, avec la participation de Nancy Nzeyimana Cyizere, Clark Pignedoli, Axel Ravier, Cai Chen, Yi-Jhen Chen et Damien Trawale, Institut de Géographie, Sorbonne Université, Paris (France), (Roundtable) 10. ŞBetween the ŚVirtualŠ and the ŚRealŠ: BeneĄts and Challenges of Using WeChat to Research Chinese Queer Sojourners in FranceŤ (09 February 2023). International Workshop "WeChat Ethnography: New Practices and Limits of an Emerging Research Method (Part-2)”, University of Geneva (Switzerland, (Workshop) 11. ŞNegotiating Sexuality and Kinship: The Multidirectional Trajectories of Chinese Gay Students in France and their Dilemma of ŚReturnŠ or ŚRemainŤŠ (03 February 2023). International Seminar “Chinese Educational Mobilities in Europe and Beyond”, WG5: Labour and Migration, China in Europe Research Network-CHERN [Online], (Seminar) 12. ŞSexuality, Socialization and Inequalities on the Move: The Lived Experience of Young Chinese Gay Migrant Men in France and Belgium (with A. R. Ponce)Ť (12 November 2022). ISSCO XI: 30th Anniversary Conference “Diasporic Futures: Sinophobia, Techno-Political Strife, and the Politics of Care”, San Francisco (the United States) [Online], (Conference) 13. ŞSexuality and Mobility: The Trajectories of Gay Students from China to France and beyondŤ (17 January 2022). IFRAE-UOS Joint Seminar on Migration and Gender, French Research Institute on East Asia (IFRAE, France) and University of Seoul (UOS, South Korea)[Online], (Seminar) 14. ŞRethinking the Gay Chinese Migrant: A Comparative Case Study of Sex(uality) as Motivation among Informants in Paris and Brussels (with A. R. Ponce)Ť (19 November 2021). 4th CERPE Workshop in Paris “Chinese Migrations in Europe: between Continuity and Renewal”, CNRS Campus-Villejuif, Île-de-France (France), (Workshop) 15. ŞSexuality and Mobility: The Trajectories of Gay Students from China to France and beyondŤ (03 June 2021 ). Webinar Mitra “Crossing Perspectives on Transnational Migrations: An Interdisciplinary Approach”, Université de Lille (France) [Online], (Webinar) Invited Talks Individual Presentations as Parts of Seminars or Courses 1. ŞLa Chine oppressive versus la France libérale ? : mobilités des étudiants homosexuels dŠorigine chinoise en FranceŤ (06 March 2023). Séminaire “Sexualités et genre dans le monde sinophone” (responsable : Yi-Jhen Chen) | Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis (France), (Invited presentation) 2. ŞSexualité et mobilités : trajectoires des étudiants homosexuels dŠorigine chinoise en France (discutant : Regis Schlagdenhauffen)Ť (13 December 2022). Séminaire EHESS (2022-2023) "La Chine contemporaine et ses diasporas : l’apport des sciences sociales" (responsable : Simeng Wang) | EHESS : École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Campus Condorcet (France), (Invited presentation) 3. ŞUsing Virtual Ethnography amid Covid-19: Exploring Sexuality and Mobility in the Trajectories of Gay Students from China to France and beyondŤ (05 February 2021). Seminar of Master Students under Prof. Asuncion Fresnoza-Flot | Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)[Online], (Invited presentation) Last updated on Wednesday 3rd April, 2024– 20:32:16 Academic Services Peer-review 1. Book chapter (June 2023), In M. Thunø & S. Wang (Eds.), Handbook of Chinese Migration to Europe (2024, Brill). Communication Manager 1. Congo Research Network (since Dec 2023): website maintenance [For more info]. 2. BelMix: Belgian-Asian Couples research project (since Jun 2021): visual design, website, newsletter, and event organisation [For more info]. 3. EASt: ULB Centre for East Asian Studies (Mar 2022 Ű Sept 2023): visual design, website, newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter [For more info]. 4. MAF: research network Migration from East and Southeast Asia in France (Oct 2020 Ű Apr 2022; Oct 2022 Ű Jun 2023): visual design, website, Twitter, Facebook, and WeChat [For more info]. Scholarly Events Organization 1. 08 December 2023 Ű Roundtable Discussion "Domestic violence in ŚmixedŠ couples involving Asians", BelMix research team, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 2. 13 October 2023 Ű EASt-JSPS Research ProjectŠs Hybrid Workshop ŞCOVID-19 pandemic experiences of Filipino migrant workers with common roots but different routesŤ, EASt/MSH, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 3. 03 October 2023 Ű EASt Young Scholar Seminar 2023, EASt/MSH, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 4. 25-26 May 2023 Ű Journées de travail ŞHSH nés à lŠétrangerŤ, funded by ANRS (French National Agency for Research on AIDS), Campus Condorcet, Paris (France) 5. 09 December 2022 Ű Mitra Public Lecture ŞThe role of cultural factors in processes of adaptation of immigrants in PolandŤ by Prof. Marcelina Zuber (University of Wrocşaw, Poland), Master Mitra, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 6. 25 November 2022 - Book Discussion ŞUnderstanding migration and mobilities through a lens of tanglenessŤ with Prof. Noel B. Salazar & Prof. Adrian Favell, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 7. 21 March 2022 - Postgraduate Workshop MITRA ŞMigration research methods in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and strategiesŤ, Master Mitra, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) 8. 10, 11, 22 February & 11 March 2022 - Screenings-debates of the documentary of the ŚMigraChiCovidŠ research team ŞBetween Two Worlds: The Chinese Diaspora in France in the Time of Covid-19Ť, Paris & Aubervilliers, Île-de-France (France) 9. 02 February-01 April 2022 - Photography exposition of the ŚMigraChiCovidŠ research team Ş(Sans) Frontières au temps du coronavirus : Regards croisés sur la population dŠorigine chinoise en FranceŤ, the Library "Grand équipement documentaire" (GED), Campus Condorcet, Aubervilliers, Île-de-France (France) 10. 18-19 November 2021 - 4th CERPE Workshop in Paris ŞChinese Migrations in Europe: between Continuity and RenewalŤ, CNRS Campus Villejuif, Île-de-France (France) 11. 26 July 2021 - Book Launch Event ŞChinese Immigrants in Europe: Image, Identity and Social ParticipationŤ, Paris (France) 12. 02-03 June 2021 - Webinar Mitra ŞCrossing Perspectives on Transnational Migrations: An Interdisciplinary ApproachŤ, Université de Lille (France) 13. Since June 2021 - BelMix Seminar Series and events of the Belgian-Asian Couples Research Project headed by Prof. Asuncion Fresnoza-Flot, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) (16 sessions in total) Last updated on Wednesday 3rd April, 2024– 20:32:16