Xiangji Zhan
M.A. Student, Cinema and Media Studies
Xiangji Zhan (she/her) is a cinema and media scholar with a background in filmmaking from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Her research engages with posthumanism and feminist theory, focusing on digital labor and the evolving landscape of China’s new media industry.
Currently, her work explores the paradox of empowerment and exploitation among Chinese housewives participating in short video platforms as digital laborers. By examining how these women navigate economic precarity, platform capitalism, and gendered labor structures, her research critically interrogates the intersection of technology, agency, and oppression in the digital age.
In addition to her academic pursuits, she has extensive hands-on experience in film production. She has worked as a production designer in film projects and interned at a television station, honing her practical skills in media production. This blend of creative practice and critical inquiry informs her approach to media studies, allowing her to bridge theoretical frameworks with industry realities. With strong academic writing abilities and a deep understanding of film aesthetics and media operations, she contributes to interdisciplinary discussions on digital economies, labor ethics, and feminist media practices.
Research Interests
East Asian Cinema, Chinese Digital Media, Feminist Media Studies, Posthumanism, Queer Theory, Film Editing, Platform Labor
Education
MA, Cinema and Media Studies, UCLA (in progress)
BA, Filmmaking (Production Design and Editing), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
