Postgraduate Research Student
Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology
J.Swindells19@student.xjtlu.edu.cn
Biography
Jolyon received a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Human Geography from Leeds University in 2010. After moving to China in 2011 for employment, he then passed the HSK Level 6 examination in 2018 - the highest qualification for foreign students studying Chinese language. In 2019 he was awarded an entrance scholarship for the MA program at XJTLU’s China Studies Department and graduated in the summer of 2020 with distinction. He was then awarded a full scholarship for his PhD research and returned to XJTLU in March 2022. His project examines the citizenship decisions of Sino-British parents made on behalf of their children.
Research
Jolyon’s research interests focus on migration studies, specifically, the themes of citizenship and belonging for children in bi-national families. In the Chinese context, the transmission of nationality from parents to children takes on added significance given China’s non-recognition of dual nationality.
Thesis title
Taking the Nation out of Nationality: The Leveraged Citizenship(s) of Sino-British Children in China and Beyond
Supervisors
Dates of Study
March 2022 – February 2026