About Us

The Division of Sinology is scientifically concerned with the Greater China area and its main components – mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Greater China is a region characterized by rapid development, great diversity, and exceptionally dynamic economic, social, and political transformation processes. At the same time, Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world where modern life remains infused with ancient traditions. The Chinese script connects regional languages with a common culture and the past with the present. The area is also marked by remarkable political diversity with a one-party state on the mainland, a hybrid post-colonial system in Hong Kong, and a liberal democracy in Taiwan. 

We strive to equip students with the competence to understand these dynamics through theoretically grounded and empirically sound analysis. The strength of the department of Sinology at the University of Vienna is its social and historical orientation. The focus of research and teaching is on developments in the 20th and 21st centuries. Methods from the social and historical sciences are applied and taught. These range from text interpretation and archival research to fieldwork and interviews to quantitative social research and machine learning techniques. Research and teaching focuses on the following topics:

The department of Sinology is scientifically concerned with the Greater China area and its main constituents – mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Greater China is a region characterized by rapid development, great diversity, and exceptionally dynamic economic, social, and political transformation processes. At the same time, the Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world where modern life is infused with ancient traditions. The Chinese script connects regional languages with a common culture and the past with the present. The area is also marked by remarkable political diversity with a one-party state on the mainland, a hybrid post-colonial system in Hong Kong, and a liberal democracy in Taiwan. 

We strive to equip students with the competence to understand these dynamics through theoretically grounded and empirically sound analysis. The strength of the department of Sinology at the University of Vienna is its social and historical orientation. The focus of research and teaching is on developments in the 20th and 21st centuries. Methods from the social and historical sciences are applied and taught. These range from text interpretation and archival research to fieldwork and interviews to quantitative social research and machine learning techniques. Research and teaching focuses on the following topics:

Politics and Law

The areas of politics and law explore the connections between technological and social modernization, political innovation, and regime stability. Particular attention is paid to digitization: local Chinese governments are increasingly turning to digital technologies to improve governance while maintaining social stability. The impact of digital participation and information flows on government performance and the relationship between the state and various groups is central to research on digitization.

The People’s Republic of China is characterized by a contrast between national political stability and, at times, considerable local unrest. Moreover, political decision-making processes have selectively been opened up to social actors. At the Division of Sinology, these patterns of mobilization, institutionalized channels of participation (such as the petition system), and the interaction between protests and elite behavior are examined. Likewise, forms of organization and political participation of non-governmental organizations and social movements are investigated.

Another research focus is the relationship between central and local governments. Although the People’s Republic of China is a centralized state, local governments have considerable scope for decision-making. Moreover, Hong Kong and Taiwan have different political and administrative systems, resulting in significant variation that can be used for comparative research. Additionally, in spite of centralization and censorship, political opinions, identities, and media discourses in Mainland China display considerable diversity. This variation is examined through surveys and (social) media discourses.

As a result of its much admired economic development, China has become increasingly important in world politics. Thus, it is critical to understand the strategies of Chinese elites and to contextualize them globally and historically. Which concepts has Chinese political science developed in relation to the international world order? What significance does China's "resurgence" have for the current system of international relations? In the Division of Sinology at the University of Vienna, these questions are an integral part of research and teaching.

An overarching theme pursued here is the environment. This topic is examined inter-disciplinary from political, historical, and social perspectives. Research and teaching on this subject focus on governmental initiatives aimed at tackling the, at times, dramatic environmental problems as well as the development of environmental organizations and protests in civil society.

Finally, narratives and discourses on law and justice are examined at the interface between law, politics, and society. This research rests on the assumption that these narratives are the foundation for the formation of political and social identities.

History and Society

In the fields of history and society, modern China and the related transformation of the society (societies) are examined based on historical event and structures.

Research on 20^th century Chinese historiography is vital for discussing the political, cultural, and intellectual state of the People's Republic of China. One objective of this research is to internationalize the discussion on Chinese history. In doing so, historiography is analyzed in a variety of forms and the connection between memory and identity in relation to key events in Chinese history since 1949 is examined. The Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961), the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), and the first phase of Reform and Opening (1978–1989) are of particular interest.

Also analyzed within this thematic area are the acquittals of politically motivated wrongful convictions in the Mao-era. Particular attention is paid to how these are perceived and discussed in Chinese feature and documentary films of the reform era. The medium of film also plays an important role in Taiwan studies.

Chinese as a Foreign Language and Foreign Language Didactics

Language training at the department focuses on modern standard Chinese. The goal for graduates of the bachelor program is to master Chinese at a level approximately equivalent to B1 (GER). Graduates of the master program should be able to use written and oral Chinese in an academic context. Additionally, graduates of the master program with an emphasis on teaching are theoretically and practically familiar with the didactics of Chinese as a second language/foreign language.

The main areas of research in the field of Chinese as a foreign language and foreign language didactics include teacher education and cooperative and collaborative learning. The goal is to apply and develop methods of action research. The theory and practice of language teaching/language learning research can thereby be combined in the best possible way. An additional focus is on corrective feedback to oral language acquisition and assessment, based on evidence from the EU-supported eTandem project "L3 TASK".

In cooperation with the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), a data collection project will be carried out in order to build a global database for Chinese as a lingua franca. Moreover, the language team is currently developing its own textbook for students of Chinese Studies. In addition, there is an emphasis on reading comprehension and its instruction, which is essential for sinologists. Special attention is paid to written language.