Dr. Ruishi Zhen

Biography

Ruishi Zhen is a doctoral researcher at the Unit of Social Anthropology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. His thesis research is part of the Swiss National Science Foundation project titled ‘Digital Agriculture: Sino-European Contrasts, Correspondences and Collaborations,’ led by Dr. Lena Kaufmann. His research examines the transition of agricultural producers to alternative food practices in rural China from a socio-technical perspective. He focuses on the motivations and experiences of smallholder farmers, investigating the social, cultural, and technical processes that enable this transition toward becoming alternative agricultural producers. Conceptually, his work draws on the anthropology of technology and skill, employing a socio-technical approach to illuminate specific social and technical resources that are embodied in the skilled practices of agricultural producers. These resources are crucial for performing the processes necessary to shift from a productivist agricultural system to producer-driven alternative food networks (AFNs). Originally from Fribourg, Ruishi completed his MA in Asian Studies at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies at Lund University and holds an MSc in Research in International Development from SOAS, University of London. His broader research interests include China’s agricultural development and alternative agri-food systems.

Research Interests

Experience