Rate My Professor Jia Gao

Professor Jia Gao is Professor of Chinese Studies and Head of Chinese Studies at the Asia Institute in the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. He earned his PhD in human geography from the University of Melbourne in 2000. His research specializations encompass the sociology of contemporary China, Chinese migration and social repositioning, and Australian-Chinese relations. Gao's scholarly interests also extend to Chinese migrant entrepreneurship, social mobilisation in post-industrial China, diasporic Chinese media, and public diplomacy. Throughout his career at the University of Melbourne, he has contributed significantly to understanding societal dynamics in China and the experiences of Chinese migrants in Australia, exploring themes such as identity performance among sent-down youth and the political implications of migration policies.

Gao has authored and edited several influential books that highlight his expertise in these areas. Key publications include Aspirational Chinese in Competitive Social Repositionings: A Re-Analysis of Societal Dynamics from 1964 to 2000 (2025 edition), The Braking Mechanism in Mao-era Politics: Actions by Military Leaders after 1958 (2025), Going to Yan’an: The Making of China’s New Ruling Class (2023), Chinese Immigration and Australian Politics: A Critical Analysis on a Merit-Based Immigration System (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), Social Mobilisation in Post-Industrial China: The Case of Rural Urbanisation (2019), Chinese Migrant Entrepreneurship in Australia from the 1990s: Case Studies of Success in Sino-Australian Relations (Elsevier, 2015), and Chinese Activism of a Different Kind (Brill, 2013). His works have been published by leading academic presses and address critical aspects of Chinese social transformations, migration patterns since the late 1980s, and historical political mechanisms. Gao's research outputs, totaling over 50 publications, reflect his impact on studies of contemporary China and transnational Chinese communities.