Center for Chinese Studies

Laurence Coderre, 1984 – 2026

January 21, 2026

We are deeply saddened to share news regarding the passing of Laurence Coderre, Associate Professor of Chinese Literature at New York University and a distinguished alumna of the Berkeley community.

Professor Coderre earned her Ph.D. from the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures at UC Berkeley in 2015, where she studied under the direction of Professor Andrew Jones. A brilliant scholar and a valued member of our extended community, her loss is felt deeply by colleagues and former classmates alike.

To accommodate her community across the globe, Laurence's...

Laurence Coderre

Obituary

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Laurence Coderre. Laurence died peacefully on January 8, 2026, at home in Binghamton, NY with her parents by her side. She was 41 years old. The cause was complications of a congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy.

Laurence Coderre was born on July 30, 1984 at BMP Hospital in Cowansville, Québec, the only child of Shirley Smith and Jacques Coderre. Precocious, Laurence started off bilingual in her native French and English and would eventually master Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. She attended Knowlton Academy, where...

Lowell Dittmer

Alma Lowell Dittmer, a professor and writer who worked at UC Berkeley for 40 years and specialized in Chinese politics, died on April 15 in Oakland. He was 82.

He was named after his father Alma, but throughout his life went by his middle name, Lowell. His parents Alma and Veda met when they themselves were both teachers at a junior high school in Utah. They would both spend much of their life teaching; Alma as a university professor of music; his wife as a K-12 teacher with specialties in Home Economics and Remedial Reading. Lowell was the eldest of their six children, and they...

Read the Spring 2026 CCS Chair's Greetings!

January 14, 2026

Spring 2026 CCS Chair's Greetings

Call for Proposals: 2026 Berkeley Center for Chinese Studies Social Sciences Graduate Research Conference

January 12, 2026

https://ieas.berkeley.edu/berkeley-center-chinese-studies-social-science...

Berkeley Center for Chinese Studies Social Sciences Graduate Research Conference

The inaugural Berkeley Center for Chinese Studies Social Sciences Graduate Research Conference brings together current graduate students from across California to present innovative research on any aspect of China-centered or China-related academic research in the social sciences disciplines. The conference provides a window into current research in China studies, and serves as a platform for fostering interaction among up-and-coming Californian scholars, facilitating their exchange of ideas and interests. Senior scholars will be invited to serve as panel chairs and discussants. The...

CCS Events and Conferences

Berkestan 2026

Apply Now! - Academic Explorers in China Program for Undergraduates in Summer 2026

December 11, 2025

Apply Now! - Academic Explorers in China Program for Undergraduates in Summer 2026

In the summer of 2026, Peking University (PKU) will continue to host the Academic Explorers in China Program, in collaboration with partner universities in the U.S., as part of the China Deep Dive: Global Young Leaders Program. Participants will attend lectures on the PKU campus and participate in guided excursions in and around Beijing. Students from PKU will also join the program, fostering mutual understanding of cultures and values. This initiative aims to...

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