8th CERPE Workshop, November 26-28, 2025, HS 7, Campus I, Trier University
"Chinese On the Move: Migrations and Representations Across Time in Europe and Beyond"
The China-Europe Research Platform on Chinese Migration to and Beyond Europe (CERPE) is delighted to hold 8th annual workshop at Trier University. The workshop will focus on the multifaceted phenomenon of Chinese migration and the complex negotiations of identities by Sinophone diasporas. This event seeks to deepen our understanding of transnational Chinese migrations and cultural representations from a broad spectrum of perspectives.
Historically, Chinese migration has been driven by diverse motivations, ranging from economic pursuits like the mid-19th century Gold Rush in the United States, to seeking educational and entrepreneurial opportunities in the 20th century and beyond. In contemporary times, despite challenges such as geopolitical conflicts, economic downturns, and policies promoting decoupling and isolationism, Sinophone diasporas continue to evolve and diversify. This has resulted also in novel diasporic and societal responses in countries of migration destinations.
Moreover, advancements in technology have catalyzed the formation of dynamic online communities and have fostered a rich variety of cultural and artistic expressions among Chinese migrants and their descendants. These expressions manifest across multiple platforms, including literature, fine arts, and digital media, and play a pivotal role in shaping communication and contemporary representations of Chineseness abroad. These depictions are crucial for understanding how Chinese and non-Chinese creators alike negotiate concepts of home and identity on local, national, and global scales.
Overview of the program
Wednesday, November 26
16:00 Conference Opening
(Ralf Hertel, Kristin Shi-Kupfer and Mette Thunø)
16:30 Keynote Lecture: Chris Lee (Vancouver):
Paths of Exit: Chinese Migrant Identities on the Move
18:00 Navigating Chineseness in the Diaspora Film Screening with Elena Barabantseva
Thursday, November 27
09:00 Panel 1: Politics and Diasporas
Contributions by Ming Luo (Beijing) / Maggi W.H. Leung (Amsterdam), Emilie Tran (Hong Kong) and Sofia Gaspar (Lisbon)
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Panel 2: Literature
Contributions by Ralf Hertel (Trier), Judith Neder (Dresden) and Eva-Maria Windberger (Luxembourg)
12:30 Lunch and PhD Poster Session
14:00 Panel 3: Education
Contributions by Queenie Lam / Christof Schöch (Trier), Carsten Schäfer (Cologne), Florence Lévy / Manon Laurent / Elisa Rossi / Elia Labdouni (Paris)
15:00 Coffee Break
15:30 Panel 4: Museums, Memories and Qiaoxiang
Contributions by Mette Thunø (Aarhus), Irene Masdeu Torruella (Barcelona) and Ren Na (Jinan)
Friday, November 28
09:00 Panel 5: Politics and Diasporas II
Contributions by Desmond Cheung (London), Ute Wallenböck (Bonn)
and Simeng Wang (Paris)
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Panel 6: Faith, Social Media and the Digital World
Contributions by Nanlai Cao (Hong Kong), Kristin Shi-Kupfer (Trier) and Franziska Plümmer (Amsterdam)
12:30 Lunch and PhD Poster Session
14:00 Panel 7: Food
Contributions by Antonia Purk (Mannheim) and Martina Bofulin (Ljubljana)
15:00 Coffee Break
15:30 Closing Discussion
Please find the detailed program to download here.
Convenors:
Kristin Shi-Kupfer (Chinese Studies) & Ralf Hertel (English Studies)
If you are interested in participating in the next CERPE2026 workshop, please follow updates on the CERPE network website here.
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