Media Coverage

Portraits and interviews (since 2020)

《单读》20 June 2024. “项飙谈全球大学生抗议运动：自由主义秩序的危机、附近和“全球民间”  [Xiang Biao on the Worldwide Student Movement: the Crisis of the Liberal Order, the Nearby, and “Global Grassroots”.] By 吴琦 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/GRC2Crgr3Slxv1KwaQVeZg ; English translation and introduction by David Ownby are available at https://www.readingthechinadream.com/xiang-biao-on-the-student-protests.html

Table.Briefings, 30.06.2024, „Man bewirkt kein De-Risking, indem man Visa für Forscher erschwert“, by Fabian Peltsch. https://table.media/china/interview/man-bewirkt-kein-de-risking-indem-man-visa-fuer-forscher-erschwert/

nrc, 11.03.2024, “China was altijd al autoritair’, maar corona beschadigde het vertrouwen van zijn bevolking diep”. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/03/10/china-was-altijd-al-autoritair-maar-corona-beschadigde-het-vertrouwen-van-zijn-bevolking-diep-a4192634

L’Express, 05.03.2024, ‘Xiang Biao : "Les jeunes Chinois sont beaucoup plus pessimistes qu’avant"’, by Cyrille Pluyette. https://www.lexpress.fr/monde/asie/xiang-biao-les-jeunes-chinois-sont-beaucoup-plus-pessimistes-quavant-7LGYRSAZP5CR7D7FCPFHIMPUP4/

Süddeutsche Zeitung, 01.02.2024, “Generation Z: die "Loser" von China”. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/china-generation-z-xiang-biao-1.6334379?reduced=true

Wieder was gelernt - der ntv Podcast, 10.12.2023, “Arbeitslos, hoffnungslos, kinderlos: Chinas Jugend gibt auf”. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/arbeitslos-hoffnungslos-kinderlos-chinas-jugend-gibt-auf/id1434819309?i=1000638037813

Handelsblatt, 10.11.2023, “Die Chinesen sind sehr gut darin, sich der staatlichen Kontrolle zu entziehen”, by Martin Benninghoff. https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/forscher-xiang-biao-im-interview-die-chinesen-sind-sehr-gut-darin-sich-der-staatlichen-kontrolle-zu-entziehen/29490210.html

Neue Züricher Zeitung (NZZ), 17.08.2023 (p. 3), “Chinas Jugend hat das Gefühl für den Sinn des Lebens verloren“, by Katrin Büchenbacher.

Weltspiegel, 13.08.2023, “Vom Studium in die Armut Wird Chinas Nachwuchs um den Wohlstand gebracht?”, by Marie von Mallinckrodt and Eva Lamby-Schmitt. https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/weltwirtschaft/china-jugend-arbeitslosigkeit-102.html

Deutsche Welle (Chinese), 08.06.2023, 专访：高考制度并非中国“内卷”的根源 Special Interview: The college entrance examination system is not the root cause of China's “involution”. https://p.dw.com/p/4SJCv

專訪項飆・四：“國家全面滲入社會」的治理模式為何不可持續？”( Interview with Xiang Biao IV: Why is the "total state penetration" model of governance not sustainable? 20.1.2023, 香港01  (Hong Kong 01) https://www.hk01.com/article/857596?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral

專訪項飆・三：宇宙盡頭是考編？絕對穩定背後的機會主義 (Interview with Xiang Biao III: Is civil examination the end point of the universe? Opportunism behind absolute stability 19.1.2023, 香港01  (Hong Kong 01) https://www.hk01.com/article/858442?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral

專訪項飆・二：什麼是韌性社會？混亂與活力的辯證 (Interview with Xiang Biao II: What is a resilient society? The dialects between chaos and dynamism. 18.1.2023, 香港01  (Hong Kong 01) https://www.hk01.com/article/857985?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral

專訪項飆・一：巨大搖擺之後，中國疫後社會重建的支點是什麼？(Interview with Xiang Biao I: “What is the fulcrum of China's post-epidemic social reconstruction after the huge swing? 17.1.2023, 香港01  (Hong Kong 01) https://www.hk01.com/article/857596?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral

财富 [Fortune Chinese] 31.12.2022, “寄语2023：没有 ‘风口’了，回到‘山口’ (王昉）”  [A Message for 2023: When there is no "wind pass" anymore, let’s return to the "mountain pass" ] (by Wang Fang). http://www.fortunechina.com/lingdaoli/c/2022-12/31/content_425381.htm

The Hankyoreh (South Korea). 18.12.2022, “How a survival-of-the-fittest culture kindles jingoism among Koreans, Chinese: A conversation between Xiang Biao and Cho Mun-young” (by staff reporter Shin Da-eun). https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/1072030.html

한겨레 [The Korean Nation] 19.11.2022, “경쟁 잘하는 사람? 스스로 잘 설명하는 사람” “It’s not about competing with others, it’s about explaining one’s own life well”. https://h21.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/culture_general/52892.html

Frankfurter Rundschau, 13.-14.08.2022, „Das Kapital macht Geld aus dem Leben selbst“, pp 22-23. Online version: „Biao Xiang: Für die US-Elite war der Krieg zwischen Russland und der Ukraine fast ein Gottesgeschenk“ by Bascha Mika. https://www.fr.de/politik/biao-xiang-fuer-die-us-elite-war-der-krieg-zwischen-russland-und-der-ukraine-fast-ein-gottesgeschenk-91722241.html

谷雨实验室-腾讯新闻 (Guyu Lab-Tencent News), 05.08.2022, 跟项飙坐火车去上班 (Go to work by train with Xiang Biao) 王竞 (Wang Jin). https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/g1BBcjxLjgcp1UeheUncDw

谷雨实验室-腾讯新闻 (Guyu Lab-Tencent News), 06.08.2022. 与项飙对话：在不确定的世界，建设自 己的大后方 (Dialogue with Xiang Biao: In the uncertain world, build our own base). 张月 (Zhang Yue). https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Sbby84fxZ7jQVYRo25iJFA

Die Zeit, 17.07.2022, „Was haben wir gemeinsam?“ by Xifan Yang. https://www.zeit.de/2022/29/xiang-biao-soziologie-anthropologie-china-max-plank-institut?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

The SisaIN, 28.05.2022, 러시아의 '국뽕'에서 한중의 위기를 읽다 (The rising Russian nationalism and risks in Korea and China). By Lee Oh-sung. https://www.sisain.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=47540

The Tomorrow, 25.05.2022, 샹뱌오, 두긴을 말하다 (Xiang Biao on Dugin). By Kim Myung-joon. http://thetomorrow.kr/archives/15833

The Tomorrow, 21.05.2022, 샹뱌오, 한국공론장으로의 초대 (Inviting Xiang Biao to the Korean public sphere) By Kim Yuik. http://thetomorrow.kr/archives/15796

单读 (One-way Street), 07.04.2022, 项飙专访：乌克兰战争与日常意义 (Interview with Xiang Biao: The war in Ukraine and everyday meaning)，吴琦 (Wu Qi). https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ll4bbT8GvTcU7jn6Pm6Nkw

Sixth Tone, 27.12.2021, “Anthropologist Xiang Biao on China’s Involuted Generation” By Cai Yiwen and Xie Anran. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1009312/anthropologist-xiang-biao-on-chinas-involuted-generation.

The Print (India). 13.11.2021. "Migrant exodus during Covid due to lack of 'immobility infrastructure' in India: Expert. Biao Xiang, Director of Max Planck Institution for Social Anthropology, described 'immobility infrastructure' as what govts across the world set up to run their countries during pandemic." by Pia Krishnankutty. https://theprint.in/india/migrant-exodus-during-covid-due-to-lack-of-immobility-infrastructure-in-india-expert/765377/

Neue Züricher Zeitung (NZZ), 12.10.2021, „«Flüchtlinge sind ein westliches Konzept in den Augen der chinesischen Regierung»“ by Katrin Büchenbacher. https://www.nzz.ch/pro-global/asien/warum-china-keine-fluechtlinge-aufnimmt-nzz-pro-global-ld.1647097?reduced=true

Sixth Tone. 4.11.2020. “How One Obscure Word Captures Urban China’s Unhappiness: Anthropologist Xiang Biao explains why the academic concept of ‘involution’ became a social media buzzword.” By Wang Qianni and Ge Shifan. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006391/how-one-obscure-word-captures-urban-chinas-unhappiness

Media citations (since 2020)

Khabarhub. 04.09.2024. “Why China’s ‘Dream’ Campaign isn’t resonating” (by Manoj Ghimire). https://english.khabarhub.com/2024/04/394010/

Equal Times. 03.09.2024. “The ‘run’ movement: young professionals flee the repression and spluttering economy of ‘zero-Covid’ China” (by Winnie Cheung, Marga Zambrana). https://www.equaltimes.org/the-run-movement-young?lang=en

The New York Times. 02.08.2024. “Why Some Young People in China Pretend to Be Birds” (by Yan Zhuang). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/world/asia/china-birds-social-media.html

Los Angeles Times. 27.06.2024. “Disillusioned with big city life, recent college graduates in China take up farming” (by Stephanie Yang and Xin-yun Wu). https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-06-27/china-social-media-tv-young-farmers

Financial Times. 24.06.2024. “We’re like gears grinding until they break’: Chinese tech companies push staff to the limit” (by Ryan McMorrow and Nian Liu). https://www.ft.com/content/c94d046c-570a-4222-bfc5-463fdcfc66c2

Weltspiegel Doku. 27.05.2024. “Chinas Gen Z: Aus der Traum von der goldenen Zukunft?”.  https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL2Rhc2Vyc3RlLmRlL3dlbHRzcGllZ2VsLWRva3UvMjAyNC0wNS0yN18yMi01MC1NRVNa ; a shorter version: http://1.ard.de/China_GenZ_Zukunft_Weltspiegel

Asia Insight. 16.04.2024. “China's Gen Z turns frugal as economy doubts linger” (by Ck Tan and Marrian Zhou). https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/China-s-Gen-Z-turns-frugal-as-economy-doubts-linger

BBC News. 04.01.2024. “A restless Gen Z is reshaping the Chinese Dream” (by Laura Bicker). https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-67779222

South China Morning Post. 30.9.2023. “ ‘Thousands of hate messages’: Chinese artist behind London’s Brick Lane street art scandal reveals his work’s true meaning and his frustration over the response” (by Hayley Wong). https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3236086/thousands-hate-messages-chinese-artist-behind-londons-brick-lane-street-art-scandal-reveals-his

Associated Press News. 13.9.2023. “China’s ‘full-time children’ move back in with parents and take on chores as good jobs grow scarce” (by Simina Mistreanu). https://apnews.com/article/china-youth-unemployment-jobs-economy-aeddf9fd7c188db7d72dbb3cca6ebbf7

La Monde. 27. 3. 2023. “En Chine, une jeunesse « désorientée » par les difficultés économiques et en quête de «stabilité»” (by Simon Leplâtre). https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2023/03/27/en-chine-une-jeunesse-desorientee-par-les-difficultes-economiques-et-en-quete-de-stabilite_6167088_3234.html

Los Angeles Times. 30.01.2023. “ Burned out by COVID, Chinese professionals take up nomadic life: ‘I wasted so much time’ “ (by Stephanie Yang). https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-01-30/china-economic-slowdown-population-decline-burned-out-covid-young-nomads

South China Morning Post. 29.01.2023. “3 years of zero-Covid lockdowns prompt Chinese studying overseas to think twice about returning home” (by Hayley Wong). https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3207527/three-years-zero-covid-lockdowns-prompt-chinese-studying-overseas-think-twice-about-returning-home

Noema Magazine. 26.01.2023. “China’s Last Generation” (by Jacob Dreyer). https://www.noemamag.com/chinas-last-generation/

The New York Times. 11.01.2023. “As China Reopens, Online Finger-Pointing Shows a Widening Gulf” (by  Chang Che, Claire Fu and Amy Chang Chien). https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/world/asia/china-zero-covid-reopening.html

Le Monde Diplomatique. January 2023. “Je suis la dernière génération” (by Zhang Zhulin). https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2023/01/ZHULIN/65405

《報導者》[The Reporter, Taiwan]. 20.12.2022. "辦護照、轉資產、別父母：中國大城市中產和白領「潤」的重重難關" （陳倩兒）[Apply for passports, transfer assets, bid farewell to parents: the multiple obstacles in "running away" by middle class and white-collar in China's big cities] (by Chen Jin'er). https://www.twreporter.org/a/run-philosophy-china-middle-class

《報導者》[The Reporter, Taiwan]. 19.12.2022. "'潤學潮' 下最危險的逃難路徑：穿越巴拿馬叢林的中國人" (陳映妤) [The most dangerous escape route under the "tide of run philosophy": the Chinese in Panama jungles] (by Chen Yinshu). https://www.twreporter.org/a/run-philosophy-chinese-migrants-darien-gap

Deutschlandradio. 13.12.2022. "Generation Y in China kündigt Leben statt arbeiten" (by Eva Lamby-Schmitt). https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/china-generation-y-tangping-lifestyle-100.html

Weltspiegel. 23.10.2022. China: Kein Job für junge Leute. Tamara Anthony. https://www.daserste.de/information/politik-weltgeschehen/weltspiegel/sendung/china-kein-job-fuer-junge-leute-100.html (Video)

Tagesschau. 23.10.2022. Ein unaufhörlicher Wettbewerb. Tamara Anthony. https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/asien/china-jugend-arbeitslosigkeit-101.html

Neue Züricher Zeitung (NZZ), 22.09.2022, „China hat sich während der Pandemie eingeigelt – das ist der Staatsführung gerade recht“ by Katrin Büchenbacher. https://www.nzz.ch/meinung/xi-jinping-schottet-china-ab-und-profitiert-davon-nzz-ld.1646249

The Telegraph, 18.06.2022, “Brutal lockdown proves final straw for the middle classes fleeing Shanghai” by Simina Mistreanu and Jenny Pan. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/06/18/brutal-lockdown-proves-final-straw-middle-classes-fleeing-shanghai/

The Washington Post, 15.06.2022, “‘Zero covid’ has many in China dreaming of leaving” by Lily Kuo and Lyric Li. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/15/china-pandemic-zero-covid-migration-runxue/

BBC Chinese, 13.06.22, 上海封城引爆「潤學」討論 ，內卷、躺平後中國年輕人開始「潤」了？by 本尼. https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-61760256

Die ZEIT, 13.04.2022, „Revolte im Liegen“ by Xifan Yang. https://www.zeit.de/2022/16/jugendbewegung-china-kapitalismus aussteiger?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

RSI Rete due, 24.03.2022, 9:00. https://www.rsi.ch/play/radio/livepopup/rete-due

Bloomberg Newsletter, 08.12.2021, “Lie Flat Meets the Great Resignation” by Tom Hancock. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-08/what-s-happening-in-the-world-economy-lie-flat-meets-great-resignation

Bloomberg Businessweek, 07.12. 2021, “From the Great Resignation to Lying Flat, Workers Are Opting Out” by Allen Wan, Amanda Wang, Tom Hancock, Katia Dmitrieva, Carolynn Look, Yuko Takeo, and Samson Ellis. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-12-07/why-people-are-quitting-jobs-and-protesting-work-life-from-the-u-s-to-china

Neue Züricher Zeitung (NZZ), 12.10.2021, „“Flüchtlinge sind ein westliches Konzept in den Augen der chinesischen Regierung““ by Katrin Büchenbacher. https://www.nzz.ch/pro-global/asien/warum-china-keine-fluechtlinge-aufnimmt-nzz-pro-global-ld.1647097?reduced=true

Bloomberg, 18.08.2021, “Xi Crackdowns Look to Whip China’s ‘Lying Flat’ Youth Into Shape” by Lucille Liu. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-18/xi-crackdowns-look-to-whip-china-s-lying-flat-youth-into-shape

Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), 12.07.2021, „Der stille Protest – wie junge Chinesen der Leistungsgesellschaft trotzen“ by Katrin Büchenbacher. https://www.nzz.ch/international/der-stille-protest-wie-junge-chinesen-der-leistungsgesellschaft-trotzen-ld.1629500

The Guardian, 05.07.2021, “The low-desire life: why people in China are rejecting high-pressure jobs in favour of ‘lying flat’”. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/05/the-low-desire-life-why-people-in-china-are-rejecting-high-pressure-jobs-in-favour-of-lying-flat

The New York Times, 03.07.2021, “These Chinese Millennials Are ‘Chilling,’ and Beijing Isn’t Happy” by Elsie Chen. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/world/asia/china-slackers-tangping.html

Le Figaro, 02.07.2021, “«Faire la planche», la résistance passive des jeunes chinois face au régime” by Sebastien Falletti. https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/faire-la-planche-la-resistance-passive-des-jeunes-chinois-face-au-regime-20210702

CommonWealth Magazine (Taiwan), 30.06.-13.07.2021, “From Wolf Character to Lying Flat” by Shi Shuhua, pp. 84-86.

NIEUWS, 28.06.2021, “Waarom een partij met miljoenen doden op haar geweten toch floreert: Chinese Communistische Partij viert honderdste verjaardag” by Giselle Nath. https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210627_96685793

De Standaard, 26.06.2021, “Waarom een partij met miljoenen levens op haar geweten toch floreert” by Giselle Nath. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20210625_97560130

Jacobin magazine, 25.06.2021, “China’s Downwardly Mobile Millennials Are Throwing in the Towel” by Meagan Day. https://jacobinmag.com/2021/06/chinese-students-white-collar-workers-millennials-lying-flat-tang-ping?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_b1861ff0f40e1cfc770d6f13357a984c421210a0-1628153009-0-gqNtZGzNAnijcnBszQX6

BBC, 14.06.2021, “The buzzwords reflecting the frustration of China's young generation” by Fan Wang and Yitsing Wang. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-57328508

The Straits Times, 13.06.2021, „Humans shouldn’t have to work so hard. We should aim for a simple life, that is why I do things slowly” by Aw Cheng Wei. https://www.pressreader.com/singapore/the-straits-times/20210613/281745567332017

Financial Times, 09.06.2021, “Obedience and fear’: the brutal working conditions behind China’s tech boom” by Yuan Yang. https://www.ft.com/content/37e9e0c6-952e-4fcf-9318-786ebd5e3a3d

The New Yorker, 14.05.2021, “China’s „Involuted” Generation” by Yi-Ling Liu. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/chinas-involuted-generation

Goethe Institut Yimagazin, 05.05.2021, „Warum sich China zurückentwickelt“ by Maximilian Kalkhof. https://www.goethe.de/prj/yim/de/mag/22136263.html

The Indian Express, 01.05.2021, “As the pandemics second wave rages, migrants trudge home again” by Mukta Naik.  https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/as-the-pandemics-second-wave-rages-migrants-trudge-home-again-7297303/

RSI, 24.03.2021, «Scuola Cina» Gabriele Battaglia. https://www.rsi.ch/rete-due/programmi/cultura/laser/Scuola-Cina-15110343.html?f=podcast-shows

The New York Times, 11.03.2021, “China’s Jaded Techies Find a Hero in Elon Musk” by Raymond Zhong. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/technology/china-elon-musk-fans.html

De Volkskrant, 19.02.2021, “De gigantische stress van de Chinese jeugd kent een woord: involutie” by Leen Vervaeke. https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/de-gigantische-stress-van-de-chinese-jeugd-kent-een-woord-involutie~b0b9572c/

South China Morning Post, 28.01.2021, “National security law: boost for Britain, blow to Hong Kong? How the BN(O) ticket may affect fortunes of both sides” by Phila Siu, Rachel Yeo and Danny Lee. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3119508/national-security-law-boost-britain-blow-hong-kong-how-bno

Sixth Tone, 04.11.2020, “How One Obscure Word Captures Urban China’s Unhappiness” by Wang Qianni and Ge Shifan. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006391/how-one-obscure-word-captures-urban-chinas-unhappiness

RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera, 16.06.2020, “Il Covid e la mobilitazione di massa” by Gabriele Battaglia. https://www.rsi.ch/play/radio/laser/audio/il-covid-e-la-mobilitazione-di-massa?id=13139505&fbclid=IwAR0J611PvsaSmbPGipK8ghiGuiYCZiQM3SUNYPIL3eS3x5-n9jGfWQ-MkG8