Leo Kin-Chong ChaoGraduate Student

Biography

Leo Chao is a PhD student in the Civil Society and Community Research program at the School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Broadly speaking, he adopts mixed methods to study the resilience of individuals and communities against macro political and economic change in Hong Kong. His current research interests lie at the intersection of consumer activism, environmental movements, gender, and citizenship. In particular, he wants to study and collaborate with the consumer movements that support local food and agriculture in Hong Kong to examine the emergence of consumer consciousness, the connection between community and ecosystem, and the contested claims on food, environmental justice, and identity in a relatively politically repressive and economically neoliberal context in the 21^stcentury.

Education and Relevant Experience

Leo Chao obtained his Master of Philosophy in Gender Studies/Sociology and a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Sociology, both from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he also worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant before joining UW–Madison. His previous research experiences included projects on the challenges to men and masculinity in the de-industrialized Hong Kong, the tensions in gender and family roles of migrant workers in Southern China, and the intergenerational conflicts and negotiation of marital choice in Guangdong, China.

Awards and Recognitions

Graduate School Fellowship by UW-Madison (2019-2020)