Role
Xiang Zhang is a Senior Lecturer in International Development, specializing in China’s political economy, globalization, supply chains, and digital transformation. His role involves interdisciplinary research, curriculum development, and teaching across multiple disciplines, including economic geography, political economy, international development, and digital governance.
He actively supervises postgraduate dissertations, leads discussions on international trade and economic resilience, and contributes to the development of research-led teaching methodologies. In addition, he supports international collaborations and policy discussions on China’s role in global governance, supply chains, and international cooperation.
Career overview
Dr. Zhang’s academic journey bridges geography, political economy, and international development, with a focus on China’s evolving role in the global economy. His research covers:
- Economic geography of digital transformation and its impact on China’s industrial strategies.
- Geopolitical shifts in global supply chains, trade networks, and investment flows.
- The role of digital platforms in shaping economic policies and global narratives.
- China’s foreign policy and its implications for international development.
Before joining Nottingham Trent University, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Miami University, Ohio, USA, where he contributed to International Studies and Global Development curricula. His interdisciplinary background allows him to integrate economic, political, and technological perspectives into his teaching and research.
Research areas
Dr. Zhang’s research explores global economic geography, international trade networks, and the digital economy, with a strong regional focus on China, East Asia, and Latin America. Specific areas include:
- The Political Economy of China and the Digital Economy: Examining how digital transformation shapes China’s industrial and trade policies.
- Global Supply Chain Resilience: Investigating disruptions caused by geopolitical conflicts, pandemics, and technological shifts.
- Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and International Trade Relations: Assessing China’s impact on economic partnerships, infrastructure financing, and trade networks.
- Artificial Intelligence and Global Development: Utilizing LLM-based sentiment analysis, GIS spatial modeling, and digital discourse analysis to evaluate global economic policies.
His work integrates quantitative (GIS, Python, R) and qualitative (discourse analysis, NLP, and field research) methods to provide comprehensive insights into contemporary globalization and development challenges.
External activity
Dr. Zhang is actively involved in international policy discussions, interdisciplinary collaborations, and research engagements with global institutions. His consultancy work includes advising policy think tanks, development agencies, and global governance institutions on China’s role in international development, investment policies, and digital economies.
Conference Speaker & Panelist: Presenting on supply chain resilience, trade policies, and economic development at leading international forums.
Editorial & Peer-Review Contributions: Reviewer for Nature Scientific Reports, Growth and Change, GeoJournal, Geoforum, and The Professional Geographer.
Policy Engagement: Collaborating with governmental and non-governmental organizations on economic strategies and development policies.
He has also organized NTU International Development Forum (2021, 2022, 2023) to facilitate discussions on global economic shifts.
Publications
- Zhang, X., 2024, Supple Chains and Geography, in B. Warf (Ed) The Encyclopedia of Human Geography. New York, NY: Springer
- Zhang, X., 2024, E-commerce, in B. Warf (Ed) The Encyclopedia of Human Geography. New York, NY: Springer
- Zhang, X. 2022. The Internet media in China, in P.C.Adams and B. Warf (eds) Routledge Handbook of Media Geographies. New York, NY: Routledge
- Zhang, X., 2021, A geography of the Internet in China, in B.Warf (ed). Routledge Studies in Human Geography: Geographies of the Internet, New York, NY: Routledge
- Zhang, X., 2021, The Trump effect in China: Social Aspects of the Sino-US trade conflict and the pro-Trump group in China, in B.Warf (eds) Political Landscape of Donald Trump, New York, NY: Routledge
- Zhang, X., 2019, Investigation of e-commerce in China in a Geographical Perspective, Growth and Change, 50(3), 1062-1083. https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12307
- Zhang, X., 2019, The geography of the Internet in China, in B.Warf (ed). Handbook on Geographies of the Internet, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar
- Zhang, X., 2018, A Socioeconomic and Political Geography of Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America, GeoJournal, DOI: 10.1007/s10708-018-9902-3
- Zhang, X., 2018, Alibaba, in B.Warf (ed). The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet, 3v, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Zhang, X., 2018, Baidu, in B.Warf (ed). The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet, 3v, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Zhang, X., 2018, China and Global Value Chains: Globalization and the Information and Communications Technology Sector, Growth and Change, DOI: 10.1111/grow.12246
- Zhang, X., 2018, Tencent, in B.Warf (ed). The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet, 3v, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Zhang, X., 2018, Weibo, in B.Warf (ed). The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet, 3v, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Zhang, X., 2017, Spatial patterns and social implications of Japanese fast food chains in China, Asian Geographer, DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2017.1405826