PhD   London School of Economics and Political Science

MS    University of Pennsylvania

BE     Peking University

Ran is an urban planner and human geographer. Drawing upon urban planning, social and cultural geography, critical heritage studies, political sociology, and political economy, Ran’s research focuses on heritage conservation planning and heritage-led urban regeneration. Her current work examines how the decision-making and implementation process of China’s urban projects are shaped by the negotiation and contestation of state and nonstate actors as well as the national and international political contexts, how major cities and small to mid-sized cities differ in urban regeneration practices, and how heritage is constructed and leveraged in urban (re)development.

Prior to joining CUHKSZ, Ran obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science and worked as a research fellow and junior engineer at Tsinghua Tongheng Planning & Design Institute. Ran holds an MS in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a BE in Urban Planning from Peking University, China.

• Peer-reviewed articles

Wei, R., & Wang, F. (2022). Is colonial heritage negative or not so much? Debating heritage discourses and selective interpretation of Kulangsu, China. Built Heritage, 6(21). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-022-00069-7

Wei, R. (2022). Tyrannical participation approaches in China’s regeneration of urban heritage areas - A case study of baitasi historic district, Beijing. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 28(3), 279-296. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2021.1993310

Wei, R. (2021). 安阳古城地方性和宜居性研究 [Urban locality and liveability based on the experience of Zhangdefu City of Anyang in the Ming and Qing Dynasties]. 中国名城 [China Ancient City], 35(9), 43-49.

Wang, F., Peng, X., Wei, R., Qin, Y., & Zhu, X. (2019). Environmental behaviour research in resources conservation and management: A case study of Resources, Conservation and Recycling. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 141, 431-440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.024

Wang, F., Jiang, C., & Wei, R. (2017). 文化景观安全格局: 概念与结构 [Cultural landscape security pattern: Concept and structure]. 地理研究 [Geographical Research], 36(10), 1834-1842.

• Conference papers

Zhou, X., & Wei, R. (2024). 基于案例对比的矿山修复生态产品价值实现机制研究 [A case study-based research on the mechanism of realising the value of mining brownfield ecological product]. 2024中国城市规划年会论文集(09城市生态规划) [Proceeding of the Annual National Planning Conference 2024 (09 Urban Ecological Planning)], 592-608.

Huo, X., Shen, B., Wei, R., & Zhang, J. (2019). Study on the settlements and dwellings for military defense in the mountainous areas of Southern China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties: Taking the regional defense system in Fenghuang, West Hunan and the Hakka Round Houses in South Jiangxi as an example. In Proceeding of the ICOFORT Symposium on the Conservation of Historic War & Fortification Monuments and Sites.

• Other publications

Wei, R. (2023, July 31). Reflection on ACHS Santiago 2022: Languages and decolonisation in (critical) heritage studies. ECRspeak: Early Voices Blog, Association of Critical Heritage Studies – Early Career Researchers Network. https://www.criticalheritagestudies.org/ecrn/2024/8/15/ecrn-reflections-about-the-achs-biennial-conference-in-santiago-december-2022

Wei, R. (2023, June 30). Interviewing Chinese local government officials: Reflection on research transparency and coercion. LSE Field Research Methods Lab. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/fieldresearch/2023/06/30/interviewing-chinese-local-government-officials-reflection-on-research-transparency-and-coercion/