Rethinking the Opium War Through Video Games: Prof. Bin Chen’s New Research
Research & Scholarly Activities
Prof. Bin Chen has published his latest research findings, “Gaming modern Chinese history: how ‘The Opium War’ challenged historical narratives”, in International Journal of Asian Studies (2026) by Cambridge University Press. This is his first paper on the history of game culture. Focusing on the strategy game The Opium War (1997), developed in the Chinese Mainland, this article argues that, while designed as a patriotic product about the Opium War, the game moves beyond simple propaganda.
Prof. Chen’s research interests are State-building in modern China, Religion in modern China, History and culture of video games. Previously, his first monograph, Hui Muslims in the Shaping of Modern China: Education, Frontier Politics, and Nation-State, was published by Routledge.
