Weishen works on the intersection of international development, international relations and development anthropology. His research interests include the politics of development; environmental politics; (geo-)politics and (geo-)economics of infrastructure.
His current research explores development interventions and their on-the-ground effects. Predominantly relying on ethnographic methods, it places development institutions (a multilateral development bank as a case) in the context of ideas and practices of green development – especially in the context of climate change and green energy transition. The research is thus put in conversation with a series of works on the Global South, development finance, development discourse, ‘development’, etc.
Weishen is a recipient of the Sino-British Fellowship Trust Grant, the University of Oxford Exeter College Academic Grant, and the College DPhil Research Grant. In 2019, Weishen became a Yenching Scholar.
Weishen has researched for a variety of institutions, including the Ministry of Commerce of China, Peking University, and private capitals. He has previously published in the Journal of Development Studies and presented at the Politics of Development Studies Conference.
Contact: weishen.zeng@exeter.ox.ac.uk
College: Exeter College
Research Interests: politics of development; environmental politics; (geo-)politics and (geo-)economics of infrastructure; the Global South; development finance; development banks; politics of climate change; green energy transition; international organisations; global governance; discourse and power; knowledge production.
