Mingran Cao is a PhD candidate at the Institute for Area Studies. His research interests center on social, economic, and environmental history of modern China.

More information about Mingran Cao

Fields of interest

• 19-20th Century China
• Social and Economic History
• Business-State Relations
• Environmental History
• Commodity Frontier

Research

His research project is titled “From Salt Marsh to Cotton Frontier: State, Capital, and Spatial Transformation in Coastal Jiangsu, 1895–1950.” It examines how land reclamation companies in coastal Jiangsu founded and managed cotton plantations while negotiating with the state, society, and the coastal environment. From a global perspective, the project explores how these companies contributed to the region’s economic, social, and spatial transformation during a turbulent period in modern Chinese history.

Curriculum vitae

2023-Present: PhD Candidate, Institute for Area Studies, Leiden University
2022-2023: Government Affairs Desk Coordinator, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China
2020-2021: MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History, University of Cambridge
2016-2020: BA in International Affairs and Political Science, The George Washington University

Selected publications

Cao, Mingran. Spatial transformation and water infrastructure in coastal Jiangsu: the role of land reclamation companies during the early twentieth century, Planning Perspectives 40(5): 1387-1400. doi: https:⁠/⁠/doi.org/10.1080/02665433.2025.2525515