Lian Si

Distinguished Professor and Scholar

Lian Si holds a PhD from Renmin University of China and is Executive Vice President of China Youth University of Political Studies, a chair professor and doctoral supervisor, a postdoctoral fellow at Peking University, a “Huiyuan Distinguished Professor” and a “Huiyuan Distinguished Scholar” at the University of International Business and Economics, a visiting scholar in the Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago, and a Zheng Gang Visiting Scholar at the School of Sociology, Nanjing University.

He is a leading figure in philosophy and the social sciences under the National Major Talent Program and among the inaugural cohort of its top young talents, a national cultural luminary, and an “Outstanding Talent of the New Century” recognized by the Ministry of Education. He serves as Chief Expert for Major Projects of the National Social Science Fund and as an expert committee member of the National Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan, among other roles.

He pioneered sociological concepts such as the “Ant Tribe,” “Worker Bees,” and “Hummingbirds,” and is hailed as a “keen observer of China’s emerging social groups.” The research team he leads is renowned for its expertise in fieldwork—long-term, in-depth observation among diverse social groups—and for its ability to penetrate social strata, engage across communities, and bridge disciplinary boundaries. His works, including The Ant Tribe, The Worker Bee, The Tyranny of Time, and Modernity’s Painkiller, have sparked strong reactions and widespread debate.