This professor delves into Chinese cinema, a medium she grew up with in the People's Republic of China. Her research areas encompass modern Chinese literature and culture, performance studies, and visual cultural studies, using critical film analysis as a primary lens. Through her scholarly work, she examines theories of counter-discourse, political theater, and popular culture in contemporary China, alongside broader explorations of visual culture and East-West comparative performance studies.
Focusing on the evolution of Chinese theater, Xiaomei Chen explores the connections between the Republican, high socialist, and postsocialist periods. She highlights the continuities in theatrical practices and the common aspirations for the social role of performance throughout the twentieth century, challenging the notion that these periods are entirely separate. This fresh perspective sheds light on the enduring legacies and trends that have shaped modern Chinese theater.