The Division of Social Sciences is opening a series of labs encompassing a wide range of topics. These Labs will provide opportunities for students to work with professors on interrelated research projects, develop their research skills in a certain area and foster their general intellectual development. Interested students may contact the lab leaders for further information (see the e-mail addresses below).
1. Global Elections Lab
Prof. Jason Douglas Todd – jason.todd@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The Global Elections Lab exists to advance our understanding of electoral institutions and voting behaviors by studying the world’s more obscure elections. Undergraduates develop research skills by tracking down old election returns and legislative rosters, cleaning and curating datasets, discussing trade-offs to research designs, and summarizing and analyzing data. Ultimately, the Lab aims to connect and train budding researchers, cultivate senior theses and collaborative research projects, and produce public goods in the form of original datasets. Visit us at https://sites.duke.edu/globalelectionslab/ to learn more!
2. SocioTech Futures Lab
Prof. Fan Liang – fan.liang@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Prof. Luyao Zhang – luyao.zhang@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Prof. Charles Chang – charles.c.chang@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The SocioTech Futures Lab is an interdisciplinary research hub that explores how emerging technologies, such as AI and social media, influence human behavior, social inequalities, and ethical norms. Integrating theories from economics, communication, social policy, and urban studies, the lab examines the cultural, environmental, and governance implications of new technology. We employ computational and quantitative methods to generate rigorous, practical insights to inform policy, ethical frameworks, and societal adaptations.
3. Geopolitics of theTwenty-First Century
Prof. Andrew Cheon – andrew.cheon@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Prof. Paula Ganga – paula.ganga@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Despite the relative stability the international system has enjoyed since the end of World War II, geopolitics has returned to the top of the headlines with wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine. With geopolitics as a point of departure, our lab will systematically examine variables that contribute to international conflict and cooperation on pressing issues such as development, trade, and climate, as well as the role of domestic factors, such as institutions and public opinion, in constraining leaders’ decisions.
4. Psychology of Human-AnimalIntergroup Relations Lab
Prof. Wen Zhou – wen.zhou@duke.edu
Center for the Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations (C-PHAIR) is dedicated to advancing the understanding of how humans perceive their moral status in relation to other species, and why these beliefs take the forms they do. Our research seeks to uncover the psychological, developmental, and evolutionary roots of these perceptions. Our work focuses on two central areas: 1) When are humans viewed as equivalent to non-human animals? We ask under what conditions and why this occurs, how boundaries between human and non-human are drawn, and how these patterns emerge across development and evolutionary history. 2) How do perceptions of human-animal similarity or difference shape conservation attitudes and pro-environmental actions? In particular, we investigate how both direct experiences with animals and psychological processes influence people’s willingness to extend moral concern and protection to other species.
5. The NEST Lab: NurturingEcosystems through Social Ties
Prof. Yeshim Iqbal – yeshim.iqbal@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The NEST (Nurturing Ecosystems through Social Ties) Lab examines howrelationships and social integration help (or harm!) children and youth’sdevelopment. We challenge traditional notions of who constitutes ‘family’and ‘community’ by focusing on China and the Indian subcontinent and tounderstand the composition and nature of the social ecosystems that shape earlydevelopment.
6. Economic History and Development Research Lab
Prof. Camila Saez – camila.saez.muller@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Prof. Peiyuan Li – peiyuan.li@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The Economic Historyand Development Research Lab atDuke Kunshan University explores howhistorical economic processes, institutions, and events have shapedcontemporary outcomes across different regions and periods. The lab’s primary purpose is to give undergraduatestudents direct, hands-on research experience, with a strong focus on datacollection, cleaning, and analysis. Students will work under faculty guidance,learning to identify and gather historical data, prepare it for analysis, andinterpret findings in relation to broader research questions. For more information, please visit thewebsite at https://www.oscarpeiyuanl.com/econ-history-lab or contact Prof. Camila Saez at camila.saez.muller@dukekunshan.edu.cn and Prof. Peiyuan Li at peiyuan.li@dukekunshan.edu.cn.
7. The Urban Lab
Prof. Mengqi Wang – mengqi.wang@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The Urban Lab will function as a hub for the interdisciplinary study of the city at DKU. Broadly speaking, it aims to study the spatial dimension of human activities cutting across disciplinary fields such as urban history, urban anthropology and sociology, urban/regional economics, geography, and the study of smart city and sustainability. It seeks to facilitate interdisciplinary conversations from scholars and students who conduct quantitative and qualitative research. The lab will also aim to attract students who are interested in the study of the city and foster potential signature work projects.
8. Economic Growth Lab
Prof. Xin Jin – xin.jin@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Prof. Liuchun Deng – liuchun.deng@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Our lab studies how economies grow and innovate, using both theory and real-world data. Students get to learn about cutting-edge topics in economic growth and technology, while also gaining hands-on experience with data collection, cleaning, and analysis.Current projects include creating sector-level data on capital use and exploring automation trends like robots and AI. By creating these datasets, we can open the door to exciting new research on China’s growth and technology.
9. Economics of Choice: Health & Labor Lab (E.C.H.O. Lab)
Prof. Ming Gu – ming.gu@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The Economics of Choice: Health & Labor Lab (E.C.H.O. Lab) is dedicated to advancing the understanding of how preferences and choices shape outcomes in health and labor markets in China and beyond. Our research tackles the key drivers of individual and collective decision-making through rigorous empirical methods, with a particular focus on pressing issues in health, labor, and development. Our mission is to foster a vibrant, interdisciplinary research network that connects faculty, students, and alumni across institutions on topics of shared interest. By joining the E.C.H.O. Lab, participants gain access to hands-on experience with cutting-edge research, alongside opportunities to develop advanced professional skillsets.
10. Global Long-Term Care (LTC) and Workforce Development Lab
Prof. Meifang Chen – meifang.chen@dukekunshan.edu.cn
The Global Long-Term Care (LTC) and Workforce Development Lab, led by Dr. Meifang Chen, Assistant Professor of Health Policy, is an interdisciplinary hub dedicated to improving care systems worldwide. Bringing together students and faculty from across disciplines, the lab tackles pressing challenges in aging, workforce development, and social care. Through collaborative research, hands-on training, and international/local partnerships, we prepare the next generation of leaders to design innovative, evidence-based solutions that strengthen long-term care globally.
