The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cultural Studies at Macao University of Tourism (UTM) are committed to fostering a rigorous and open research environment. Grounded in cultural theories and guided by an interdisciplinary perspective, the programmes encourage students to examine everyday cultural phenomena within and outside of Macao, a city where Eastern and Western cultures converge.
Interdisciplinary Research: Inspiring New Perspectives
Rain Gan Yuxuan, a PhD student, has worked in cultural heritage conservation for many years. Through the programme, she seeks to rethink the cultural meaning of “conservation” beyond its technical dimensions. Her research focuses on the conservation of Thangka painting in Tibetan Buddhist culture. From a cultural studies perspective, she examines the challenges of safeguarding Thangka as a form of “living heritage” and explores the mechanisms that enable its continuity and transmission.
Rain believes that UTM provides a supportive environment for interdisciplinary research. She shared that “My supervisors offer guidance from different disciplinary perspectives, including cultural studies, tourism anthropology, and heritage management. The exchange of these diverse viewpoints often gives me valuable insights.”
She hopes to integrate academic research with professional practice, contributing to the development of “community-driven” cultural heritage preservation in China and beyond. “My goal is to ensure that technical conservation practices are truly grounded in respect for culture and a commitment to social development.”
An Open and Inclusive Approach to Cultural Studies
For another PhD student, Linda Li Lin, cultural studies are an “open and inclusive” field. Linda focuses on film and television culture as well as feminist gender studies. By examining the representation and narratives of middle-aged and elderly women, she explores the idea of the “Invisible woman” in film and television production. Through her work, she hopes not only to expand the scope of feminist film and television studies, but also to explore the cultural forces and social contexts behind these representations, drawing greater public attention to the emotional experiences and individual value of middle-aged and elderly women.
UTM provides strong and practical support for students’ research and academic development. Linda notes that the University offers extensive foreign-language books and scholarly resources, as well as specialised lectures that effectively broaden her academic horizons. “What I value the most”, she adds, “is that the supervisors take time to understand each student’s research area and offers individualised recommendations of relevant literature and academic conferences. This personalised guidance gives my research a clear sense of direction.” She further emphasises that the structured design of the programme has laid a solid foundation for her doctoral dissertation and future international academic engagement.
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research
PhD student Qiuyu Li focuses on the relationship between Macao’s culinary tourism and cultural identity, exploring how certain foods gradually come to symbolize the city. As she explains, “What interests me is not which foods represent Macao, but why certain foods come to be regarded as representative, who assigns them this meaning, and how these images are communicated and circulated.”
The University’s interdisciplinary framework allows her to examine tourism, communication, and everyday life within a single analytical lens, rather than treating them as separate fields. “The theory courses help me refine and sharpen my research questions, while the research method courses teach me how to turn ‘what I think’ into a solid and evidence-based arguments.” For Qiuyu, this comprehensive academic training not only makes her research more practicable, but also enables her to articulate her questions more clearly within scholarly conversations.
Qiuyu hopes to translate her research findings into critical reflections on urban branding narratives. “Promotion should not be reduced to slogans, but should instead reflect cultural expressions that are authentic, grounded, and layered.”
A Research Community Rooted in Historical and Social Context
In the UTM’s PhD in Cultural Studies programme, students engage in systematic training and receive interdisciplinary supervision, continually reflecting and exploring across the dynamic interplay between theory and practice. Their research is grounded in Macao’s rich historical context and ongoing social transformations, addressing issues such as heritage, media, and cultural identity through in-depth analysis situated in specific contexts. Together, these projects demonstrate how cultural studies deepens through careful observation, rigorous methodology, and sustained engagement with society.