By Firat Koklu (Spring 2026 Seminar Fellow) I was not sure what to expect when I first joined the CACI seminar. My academic world, as a historian of the Ottoman Empire and the modern Middle East, revolves around labor migration, legal regimes, and the multilayered workforces they produce. China felt Read more
By Juan Rúa-Serna (Spring 2026 Seminar Fellow) Growing up in Latin America, I had very few chances to learn something about China. The chances were even rarer if you grew up in Colombia, a country that very early in its history adopted a foreign policy strictly focused on looking “up” Read more
Our 2026 Summer Fellows Fatima Rahman, Chris Harding, Sarah Feinstein, and Bibi Calderaro joined our Program Consultant, Jennifer Holdaway, at Shihuyu Village, in the Huairou District near Beijing. They also visited Beijing Normal University and exchanged with Faculty and students.
By Rosa Arevalo Leon (Spring 2026 Teaching Fellow, Fall 2025 Seminar Fellow) Over the course of this year, participating in the China at CUNY Initiative (CACI) significantly expanded the way I think about Chinese culture, society, and politics. One of the most valuable lessons I took away from the program Read more
By Sara Feinstein (Spring 2026 Seminar Fellow) I did not have a substantial background learning about China prior to participating in the CACI seminar. I was seeking an opportunity to learn about China and consider how a cross-cultural perspective might shape my research interests and ideas for teaching. I really Read more
Author: Amalia Torrecillas
By Amalia Torrecillas (Spring 2026 Teaching Fellow, Fall 2025 Seminar Fellow) This past academic year, I had the opportunity to participate in the China at CUNY Initiative (CACI), an experience that has been deeply enriching both intellectually and pedagogically. For me, the fellowship contributed to two central areas of growth: Read more
