Politics of Algorithms
How does an AI/algorithm enact as a sociotechnical system to evaluate people? How do people return the gaze?
My research under this theme examines various algorithmic sociotechnical systems that promote the legibility of citizens for the state and the market. I aim to move beyond the perspective of algorithmic determinism by exploring the messiness and interactive configuration process of AI-driven algorithmic systems. I have studied the contact tracing APP and social credit systems in China.
Social Studies of Public Health
How is public health associated with and influenced by power and political structures?
My projects under this theme focus on the politics of public health and sexuality. Chinese modernism and authoritarianism produce a hybrid of Foucauldian reproductive biopower and authoritarian repressive power. I am interested in how they interact and/or contradict each other in the production of subjectivity and disease control. My most recent project contextualizes different societies' responses to COVID-19 within their socio-political structures.
Public Health Studies
How do social factors affect health-related outcomes among vulnerable populations?
I study social factors that influence health outcomes among vulnerable populations in order to develop community-based health communication campaigns. My research focuses on HIV-related risks among sexual minorities and socio-cultural factors. I am particularly interested in emerging technologies, such as social media and mobile APPs, in the HIV epidemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I also studied the impact of racial discrimination on the mental health of Asians and Asian Americans.
