Dr. Kaijun Chen

Associate Professor

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Biography

Kaijun Chen specializes in Chinese literature and material culture during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1912), with a particular interest in the history of technology. He held a Postdoctoral position at the Max-Planck-Institute for the History of Science in Berlin before joining Brown University in 2016. His monograph project investigates the multiethnic Qing state and the role trained experts played in controlling technology and aesthetics, especially in the eighteenth-century porcelain industry. Chen's research also explores how techno-political control shaped the cultural production and literary writing of expert officials. His published studies examine the literary rhetoric in artisanal merchants' manuals and how technical knowledge was transferred, influencing tastes in decorative arts and connecting domestic and global networks. Chen has actively participated in conferences and exhibitions, sharing his expertise in Chinese ceramics and their influence.

Research Interests

Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow

2014-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Max-Planck-Institute for the History of Science • Berlin, Germany

Conducted research on the history of technology and cultural production during the Ming Qing dynasties.

Courses

CHIN 1010 - Stories of the Chinese Empire EAST 0303 - Literature, Science, and Technology in China EAST 0304 - Words and Things: Literature and Material Culture in Early Modern China EAST 0600 - Literature and Social Inequality in Late Imperial China EAST 0610 - Popular Culture and Media in Early Modern China EAST 0620 - Literature, Science, and Technology in China EAST 1030 - Words and Things: Literature and Material Culture in Early Modern China EAST 1190 - Literature and Science in Early Modern China EAST 1304 - Crafting Early Modern China: Handicraft, Witchcraft, and Statecraft EAST 1940A - Crafting Early Modern China: Handicraft, Witchcraft, and Statecraft EAST 1951 - Literature and Technology in Early Modern China EAST 1951A - Prose of the World: Understanding Late Imperial Chinese Fiction and Belles-Lettres EAST 1951B - Desktop Stage: Drama and Performance in Late Imperial China

Requirements for Brown University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GRE General
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Undergraduate degree in Economics or related field
Application Checklist
  • Personal Statement
  • Transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE Scores
  • TOEFL/IELTS Scores (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Department: Department of Economics