From August 25 to 29, 2025, the 2025 American Studies Summer Workshop was successfully held at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University (CAS Fudan). Organized by the CAS Fudan, the workshop was designed for early-career scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students. It aimed to advance the field of American Studies in today’s global context and to strengthen the development of academic talent. Building on the successful inaugural edition in August 2024, this year’s workshop brought together more than 30 participants from over 20 institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), National Defense University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Nanjing University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, People’s Public Security University of China, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Fudan University, and others.

[Group Photo of the 2025 American Studies Summer Workshop]

The opening ceremony took place on the morning of August 25. Prof. Wu Xinbo, Dean of the Institute of International Studies and Director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, and Senior Fellow Yuan Zheng, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Association for American Studies (CAAS) and Deputy Director of the Institute of American Studies at CASS, delivered keynote speeches. Prof. Zhao Minghao, Deputy Director of the CAS Fudan, chaired the ceremony. In his remarks, Prof. Wu emphasized the importance of innovation in American Studies amid the evolving dynamics of China–U.S. relations. He called for cultivating a new generation of scholars with global outlooks and a solid foundation in independent Chinese scholarship. Senior Fellow Yuan Zheng commended the CAS Fudan’s efforts in organizing the event and its academic influence both domestically and internationally, encouraging young scholars to pursue excellence.

[Opening Ceremony of the Workshop]

[Prof. Wu Xinbo, Dean of IIS Fudan and Director of CAS Fudan]

[Senior Fellow Yuan Zheng, Vice President of CAAS]

The five-day program consisted of thematic lectures and a paper workshop. The lecturers, listed in order of appearance, included:

Prof. Wu Xinbo (Fudan University)

Senior Fellow Yuan Zheng (CASS)

Prof. Diao Daming (Renmin University of China)

Prof. Wang Hao (Fudan University)

Prof. Lin Ling (Shanghai International Studies University)

Prof. Xu Yihua (Fudan University)

Prof. Xin Qiang (Fudan University)

Prof. Song Guoyou (Fudan University)

Prof. Zhang Yang (Fudan University)

Assoc. Prof. Chen Chong (Tsinghua University)

These lectures addressed a broad range of topics, including American politics and society, religion and diplomacy, U.S. foreign and national security policy, economic development, U.S.–China trade relations, and American history. In addition, the lecturers shared insights into academic and policy research methodologies, covering qualitative and quantitative analysis, political science and international relations theory, historical methods, and fieldwork techniques in area studies.

[Workshop Schedule]

A central feature of the program was the five-day paper workshop, moderated by:

Prof. Zhao Minghao (Fudan University)

Asst. Prof. Fu Shu (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

Senior Fellow Zhao Qinghai (China Institute of International Studies)

Senior Fellow Zhao Mei (CASS, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of American Studies)

Senior Fellow Liu Weidong (CASS, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary American Review)

During these sessions, participants presented their research on topics such as U.S. political institutions, foreign strategy, society and culture, economic and industrial development, and national security. They engaged in in-depth discussions and received constructive feedback from faculty moderators, helping to refine their academic writing, analytical expression, and research design. The workshops also fostered intellectual exchange and a sense of scholarly community among participants.

[Paper Workshop Moderators]

[Student Presentation in Paper Workshop]

The closing ceremony was held on the afternoon of August 29. PhD candidate Zou Yue (Renmin University of China) and Assoc. Prof. Liu Chunpeng (Yancheng Teachers University) delivered speeches on behalf of the participants, sharing their reflections and takeaways from the workshop. Prof. Wu Xinbo and Senior Fellow Liu Weidong awarded certificates of completion to all participants, encouraging them to further explore the emerging challenges in American Studies, seize opportunities for disciplinary development, and enhance their theoretical, academic, and policy research capabilities.

Participants spoke highly of the workshop’s focus on frontier issues in contemporary American Studies and its practical guidance on research and publication. They noted that the program significantly broadened their academic horizons, strengthened their research skills, and helped foster a dynamic and collaborative scholarly network.

[Closing Ceremony]

[Prof. Wu Xinbo and Senior Fellow Liu Weidong Present Certificates]