Overview
Baojun Sheng began to know and be interested in modern Israel/Palestine and Middle East since 2008 Gaza War and the subsequent outbreak of the Arab Spring. Sheng did not hesitate to choose Hebrew Language as his priority field of study after China’s National College Entrance Examination, and then was fully funded to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Israel after a year of intensive Hebrew learning at Sichuan International Studies University (SISU). During Sheng's time in Israel, and most recent M.A. study at the University of Chicago, he developed interests in the cultural duality of Arab Jews and Palestinians with Israeli citizenship.
My current research at Cornell focuses on Hebrew, Arabic and French literal works and cultural productions productively characterized by oriental Jewish diaspora as well as immigrants geographically ranging from North Africa to Levant and Iraq since Nahda until present time, dealing with the subjects of communist ideologies, nationalist movements, Mizrahi-Ashkenazi relations, Arab nostalgia, and self-identification.
Research Focus
- Modern Hebrew and Arabic literature
- Intellectual history of oriental Jews
- Jewish diaspora in Afro-Asia
- Sino-Israel Relations
Publications
- "The Development of Arabic Parties in Israel and its Influence." Israel Studies, no.1. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press(China), 2020.
- "A Study of Hebrew Language Teaching in Compulsory Education in Israeli Arab Schools."Israel Studies, no.2. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press(China), 2021.