Fredrik Fällman
Assistant Head of Department
Department of Languages andAssistant Head of Department
Department of Languages andSenior Lecturer
Department of Languages andAbout Fredrik Fällman
Researcher, teacher, Associate Professor of Sinology
Background
After undergraduate studies at Stockholm University, I studied in Beijing (Chinese language) and Wuhan (Modern Chinese history) in the 1990s, and was awarded my PhD in Stockholm in 2004 after defending my dissertation on “cultural Christians” in contemporary China. I have been a visiting researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (2003), and at Renmin University of China (2007), also being a Distinguished Adjunct Researcher at the latter 2010-2014. I was co-ordinator at the Nordic Confucius Institute in Stockholm from 2005 to 2006, and Researcher at the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities from 2007 to 2011. From 2012 to 2013 I was a Senior Research Fellow at the City University of Hong Kong. Board member at the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies, Hong Kong, 2009-2018.
In 2022 I was elected a Member of The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg.
Teaching
I teach Chinese at all levels, language courses as well as Chinese ancient and modern history, religion, history of ideas, propaganda etc.
Research
I started to take an interest in the role of religion in China during my time as a student in Beijing in the 1990s. Since then I have moved from a historical perspective to focusing on the contemporary situation. I am particularly interested in the faith of Chinese intellectuals, writers, artists and other cultural figures.
In recent years I have also become interested in religious and ethnic policies and their implications. The cultural exchange between China and the West is also one of my research interests, especially Christian mission to China and its significance, but also the role of Sinology for the image of China in the West.
Another research interest is propaganda language and the role of nationalism in propaganda, especially recontextualization of certain concepts, but also how propaganda phrases emerge and sometimes change function.
I also lecture outside the university quite often, take part in panel discussions and lead talks on China related issues.
Talk with author Liao Yiwu 5 June 2015 (Gothenburg Public Library)
Panel about Hong Kong 16 February 2022 (Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm, Swedish PEN)