Lei Lei

Throughout her doctoral studies, Lei has actively engaged with the academic community by presenting portions of her research at several prestigious national conferences, including the Economic History Society Conference and the KCL Digital Humanities Scholars Workshop. Additionally, she has presented her work at international symposiums such as the 21st Annual Conference of the Chinese Society for the History of Economic Thought. 

These opportunities have allowed her to receive valuable feedback from experts in the field and to contribute to edited conference compilations, further disseminating her research findings. Lei is also an active member of several scholarly associations, including the European Association for Chinese Studies (EACS), the Economic History Society (EHS), and the Association for the History of Chinese Economic Thought, which reflect her commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. 

Lei’s research centers on the transformations in economic thought and practices during the late Qing dynasty, with particular emphasis on the interactions among the Qing central government, compradore-merchants, and literati-officialdom amid the global rise of neomercantilism. Her work explores the intersection of intellectual history, business history, and the development of economic institutions in pre-modern China from a global history perspective. By combining traditional historical analysis with digital humanities methodologies, Lei seeks to offer innovative perspectives on ancient Chinese texts and economic ideas. 

Before embarking on her PhD at SOAS, Lei completed a Master’s degree in Economic History at the London School of Economics and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Liverpool. Her interests include the intellectual history of Western and Chinese economics during the Qing dynasty, Sino-Western encounters and communication, economic thought in pre-modern China, and modern enterprises in the Qing dynasty. Looking ahead, Lei aspires to build an academic career that bridges history, economics, and digital humanities, contributing to a richer understanding of China’s economic past and its global significance.

• Intellectual history of Western and Chinese economics during the Qing dynasty;
• Sino-Western encounters and communication;
• Economic thought in pre-modern China;
• Business History in the late Qing