CHUNCHENG LIU

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I am a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research New England Social Media Collective. From Fall 2025, I will be an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies and Sociology at Northeastern University. I received my Ph.D. in sociology and science studies at the University of California, San Diego. My research interests span science and technology studies (STS), political sociology, critical data studies, economic sociology, medical sociology, and mixed methods.

My research agenda focuses on the politics of classification in action. Empirically, I work on two domains. First, I investigate  sociotechnical systems that surveil and classify citizens. My ongoing book project examines the contestation and multiplicity of Chinese Social Credit Systems across different stages. I also studied the enactment and public perception of the contact tracing application in China.

Second, I critically reexamine public health institutions that classify sexual minorities and diseases under diverse sociopolitical structure. My interests in public health was originated from my previous work with UNC Project-China, where I conduct HIV/AIDS research and intervention for two years.

My works have been published in leading journals such as Big Data & Society; International Sociology; Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of the International AIDS Society; Social Science & Medicine; Sociological Forum; and Science, Technology & Human Values with more than 1000 citations. I have also been featured in various media outlets such as The Guardian, BMJ, and RestofWorld.