Ruoyi Zheng

I am a fully funded PhD researcher at the University of Manchester in the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures, where I serve as a student representative. And I am a also a postgraduate research affiliate of the Manchester China Institute.

My project examines Chinese influence, particularly Maoism, on Italian leftist culture and visual arts from the 1960s-1980s, as well as its legacy for European youth. I aim to offer a new creative interpretation of Italian neo-avant-garde movements while decentering Europe in discussions of counterculture and avant-garde theory through my PhD research, examining these movements through transnational and postcolonial perspectives.

My research interests include:

• Youth culture and political movements in Italy
• Intermediality in visual arts
• Political aesthetics and artistic expression
• Sociology of art in European contexts
• European Avant-garde movements

I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and actively participate in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) network. I strongly support all initiatives that contribute to advancing EDI principles across academic and social contexts.

Beyond my scholarly pursuits, my personal interests include dogs, languages, and various creative activities. My working languages are Chinese, English, and Italian, and I also have basic reading comprehension in French and Spanish.

I welcome collaboration opportunities with scholars working on related topics. If you are interested in discussing potential research partnerships or knowledge exchange, please feel free to contact me.