Cynthia Xinyi Chen is a PhD student in the joint East Asian and Comparative Literatures program.
Cynthia received her B.A. from the University of Hong Kong, where she double majored in Comparative Literature and Media and Cultural Studies. She then earned her M.A. from the East Asian Languages and Cultures Department at Stanford University with her thesis titled “Bodies of the Nation on Screen: Genre Production of Chinese Main-melody Blockbusters in the 2010s.” Currently, she is interested in exploring how digital technologies, including platform algorithms and screen development, shape political sentiments and cultural identification through film and video productions. Beyond her academic pursuits, she enjoys working in dance groups and theatre productions and watching films with her cat, Romeo.