People

Bozhen Zhang

AFFILIATION
International Relations Network
College
St Catherine's College
Course
MPhil International Relations
supervisor

Bozhen Zhang is reading for an MPhil in International Relations, with a focus on the construction and development of transnational affinity (between China and the Arab world) from the angles of critical constructivism and social identity theory.

Prior to coming to Oxford, Bozhen graduated with a BA in Arab Studies and a minor in International Politics from Peking University where he earned the Founder Scholarship, Robin Li Scholarship, and Ji Xianlin Scholarship. His BA dissertation was awarded "Best Undergraduate Thesis" among 200 students in his department. He also spent a semester at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, and has conducted fieldwork in Lebanon, Qatar, and Oman.

Outside of the classroom, Bozhen has volunteered to provide legal advice to asylum seekers in Oxfordshire (UK), has served as a Research & Analysis intern on countering violent extremism in Abu Dhabi (UAE), and has worked as a programme assistant to empower Syrian refugees in Beirut and Beqaa Valley (Lebanon).

In his spare time, Bozhen enjoys playing tennis and has served as a ball boy at a WTA 1000 tournament. He is also a fan of street photography.

Academic and professional interests:

  • Social identity and political discourse
  • Global IR, Chinese IR theory, Chinese foreign policy
  • Forced migration and refugees
  • Countering violent extremism (CVE)

Publications:

 

Languages:

  • Mandarin Chinese (native)
  • English (fluent)
  • Modern Standard Arabic (fluent)