Sinikka Wasland Gjems

Summary

Sinikka Wasland Gjems is a research assistant in the Research Group for Eastern Europe and Asia. In June 2026 she completed her master’s degree in Chinese Culture and Society at the University of Oslo (UiO). 

Her master’s thesis titled "Producing rural pasts and futures: How migrant entrepreneurs in China navigate a culture of striving" is about young Chinese who have moved from urban to rural China to become entrepreneurs and their role in the Chinese labour market and rural development policies. As part of her thesis she conducted five months of fieldwork in China. 

Sinikka’s other research interests include China's position in international political economy, China's nation - and image-building, and how technological change impacts and is impacted by Chinese society. She has previously worked as a research assistant at UiO and has been an intern at the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing.