PhD Thesis
 

PhD Thesis Title: “Beseeching for Babies” (Qiuzi): Metaphysics, Science and Biopolitics of Reproduction in Contemporary China

PhD Completion Date: Sep 2026

PhD Supervisor: Aditya Bharadwaj
PhD Co-supervisor: Minhua Ling

Jolene's PhD research explores the practice of beseeching for babies (qiuzi) and its intersection with the metaphysical, medical, and biopolitical dimensions of reproduction in contemporary China. Through an in-depth ethnographic study, Jolene examines how women in urban China, confronted with fertility challenges, turn to both spiritual and medical avenues in their pursuit of conception. Her work highlights the diverse ways in which these women navigate societal expectations surrounding reproduction, while simultaneously addressing their own reproductive desires and broader life goals. By analysing this practice, Jolene seeks to illuminate the complex interplay between personal agency, cultural norms, and state policies in shaping reproductive experiences and subjectivities.
 

PROFILE
 

Jolene is a PhD researcher in Anthropology and Sociology (2021-2025). She graduated with a double major in International Politics and Sociology from Peking University (2017), then obtained her Masters in Development Studies (2019) from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva.

At a broader level, Jolene’s PhD research aims to contribute to the discourse on China’s shifting fertility policies and declining birth rates in the post-one-child policy era. Her study focuses on the experiences of urban women struggling with infertility. By investigating how these women cope with and seek solutions for their fertility problems, Jolene reexamines the cultural and social understandings of fertility and infertility within the Chinese context. Furthermore, Jolene’s work situates these experiences within a global framework, contributing to the wider understanding of reproduction and fertility beyond China. Her research sheds light on the ways in which fertility and reproductive decision-making are shaped by local traditions, state policies, and global medical practices.

In addition to her PhD research, Jolene is an academic translator and has been translating an anthology on Buddhist devotional practices and funerary art in East Asia (forthcoming). She also writes about the persistence of shamanic traditions in modern Chinese society. By bridging disciplinary divides between anthropology, political science, and religious studies, her eclectic research interests engage with broader themes of authority, ethics, and identity in times of social change.
 

Publications and works
 

• Kong, Jolene Yiqiao. 2019. ‘The Changes of Reproductive Policies and Female Subjectivity in China’. Master’s Thesis, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
• Kong, Jolene Yiqiao, Richard Burzynski, and Cynthia Weber. 2019a. ‘AI & Global Governance Platform: How Should UN Agencies Respond to AI and Big Data?’ United Nations University Centre for Policy Research. (https://cpr.unu.edu/ai-global-governance-platform-how-should-un-agencies-respond-to-ai-and-big-data.html).
• Kong, Jolene Yiqiao, Richard Burzynski, and Cynthia Weber. 2019b. ‘Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: Risks and Benefits to the HIV/AIDS Response’. Equal Eyes. (https://equal-eyes.org/database/2019/7/16/artificial-intelligence-and-big-data-risks-and-benefits-to-the-hivaids-response).
• Kong, Jolene Yiqiao, Richard Burzynski, and Cynthia Weber. 2019c. ‘How Should UN Agencies Respond to AI and Big Data?’ IHEID Global Governance Centre. (https://graduateinstitute.ch/communications/news/how-should-un-agencies-respond-ai-and-big-data).
   

Translations
 

• (Forthcoming) Translator, Refiguring East Asian Religious Art: Buddhist Devotion and Funerary Practice, eds. Wu Hung and Paul Copp (2019). University of Chicago Center for the art of East Asia symposia series.
   

Workshops and Panel Discussions
 

• Reproduction in the Contemporary World: Gender, Kinship, Governance and Technologies, CUSO Gender Workshop (2024)
• UNAIDS Facebook Live Discussion about AI & big data’s impact on the HIV response, UNAIDS, Geneva Office (2019)
• Tech4HIV Panel to discuss the role of AI and other technologies in public health (2019)
   

Other Work Experiences
 

• Teaching Assistant at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology (2021-2023)
• Strategy Manager at the Sany Group, Sany Heavy Industries Co. Ltd, Beijing, China (2019-2021)
• Intern and Project Consultant at UNAIDS Geneva Office, Geneva, Switzerland (2018-2019)