Jun Li

This book explores the evolving dynamics of China's urban labor market and social hierarchies over four decades of economic reform, offering a systematic analysis of structural shifts and their societal impacts. It begins with an overview of the key drivers that are reshaping Chinese society. This is followed by three thematic sections. Part One examines the decline of traditional systems such as hukou (household registration) and danwei (work unit), revealing their diminishing role in labor market differentiation. Part Two analyzes emerging divisions and labor market segmentation via comparative and longitudinal evidence. Part Three focuses on employment disparities among college graduates and their implications for social mobility. Combining authoritative survey data from leading Chinese institutions with rigorous quantitative methods, this study bridges historical context and contemporary trends to unravel the complexities of urban stratification. This book is essential for scholars of sociology, labor economics, and Chinese studies. It also serves as a resource for policymakers, librarians, and general readers interested in China's socioeconomic transformation.

This book unfolds the artistic and cultural exchanges between China, Persia, and Italy, picturing “a Transcultural Renaissance on the Silk Road” with fascinating reading of rich images. The author has been intensely engaged in the transcultural art history for more than a decade, spanning east and west, crossing different fields of painting, architecture, philosophy, cartography and literature. With illuminating case studies, it also explores the intermedial play between painting and poetry, poetry and architecture and visual art and literature. The book proposes "another form of history of art ": history of art is a theoretical history that interprets works of art; yet it is also a "visible history of art" that exists in the form of exhibitions

Theoretical and Computational Advances of Molecular Reaction Dynamics provides a strong foundation and comprehensive review of the principles, formulations, and methodology of MRD, with detailed tutorial guides and case studies for practical application, whilst demonstrating recent developments. It is designed to help improve understanding of the full-dimension accurate potential of the energy surface, chemical kinetics, reaction dynamics, collision energy transfer, and molecular spectra using MRD techniques. Details are given for calculating various molecular dynamic properties for various prototypical reactions/chemical species efficiently and accurately. Useful and timely tutorials for the practical implementations with tips and usable codes are included for research in this multidisciplinary field. The book also familiarizes readers with state-of-the-art research frontiers on theoretical and computational MRD, showing the new methods, theories, applications, and advances that have developed for the investigation of chemical kinetics, reaction dynamics, and molecular spectra—at the microscopic atomic or molecular level—in the era of machine learning and big data.

This book details the knowledge of digital instrumentation human–machine interaction (HMI) design, infotainment system HMI design, multi-mode interaction design, and driving automation HMI design in intelligent vehicles from the perspective of human factors engineering. It explains the design methodology of intelligent vehicle systems, intelligent driving, and multi-mode interaction from multiple perspectives, covering ergonomics theory, industry specifications, design cases, design principles, trends, and challenges in related fields. This book is suitable for automotive user experience (UX) and HMI designers, product managers, etc. It is also used as a textbook or reference book for automotive design, human–computer interaction design, and other related courses in higher education institutions.

Although sensor fusion is an essential prerequisite for autonomous driving, it entails a number of challenges and potential risks. For example, the commonly used deep fusion networks are lacking in interpretability and robustness. To address these fundamental issues, this book introduces the mechanism of deep fusion models from the perspective of uncertainty and models the initial risks in order to create a robust fusion architecture. This book reviews the multi-sensor data fusion methods applied in autonomous driving, and the main body is divided into three parts: Basic, Method, and Advance. Starting from the mechanism of data fusion, it comprehensively reviews the development of automatic perception technology and data fusion technology, and gives a comprehensive overview of various perception tasks based on multimodal data fusion. The book then proposes a series of innovative algorithms for various autonomous driving perception tasks, to effectively improve the accuracy and robustness of autonomous driving-related tasks, and provide ideas for solving the challenges in multi-sensor fusion methods. Furthermore, to transition from technical research to intelligent connected collaboration applications, it proposes a series of exploratory contents such as practical fusion datasets, vehicle-road collaboration, and fusion mechanisms. In contrast to the existing literature on data fusion and autonomous driving, this book focuses more on the deep fusion method for perception-related tasks, emphasizes the theoretical explanation of the fusion method, and fully considers the relevant scenarios in engineering practice. Helping readers acquire an in-depth understanding of fusion methods and theories in autonomous driving, it can be used as a textbook for graduate students and scholars in related fields or as a reference guide for engineers who wish to apply deep fusion methods.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the kinetic theory for describing flow problems from molecular scale, hydrodynamic scale, to Darcy scale. The author presents various numerical algorithms to solve the same Boltzmann-like equation for different applications of different scales, in which the dominant transport mechanisms may differ. This book presents a concise introduction to the Boltzmann equation of the kinetic theory, based on which different simulation methods that were independently developed for solving problems of different fields can be naturally related to each other. Then, the advantages and disadvantages of different methods will be discussed with reference to each other. It mainly covers four advanced simulation methods based on the Boltzmann equation (i.e., direct simulation Monte Carlo method, direct simulation BGK method, discrete velocity method, and lattice Boltzmann method) and their applications with detailed results. In particular, many simulations are included to demonstrate the applications for both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. With the development of high-resolution CT and high-performance computing facilities, the study of digital rock physics is becoming increasingly important for understanding the mechanisms of enhanced oil and gas recovery. The advanced methods presented here have broad applications in petroleum engineering as well as mechanical engineering , making them of interest to researchers, professionals, and graduate students alike. At the same time, instructors can use the codes at the end of the book to help their students implement the advanced technology in solving real industrial problems.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the kinetic theory for describing flow problems from molecular scale, hydrodynamic scale, to Darcy scale. The author presents various numerical algorithms to solve the same Boltzmann-like equation for different applications of different scales, in which the dominant transport mechanisms may differ. This book presents a concise introduction to the Boltzmann equation of the kinetic theory, based on which different simulation methods that were independently developed for solving problems of different fields can be naturally related to each other. Then, the advantages and disadvantages of different methods will be discussed with reference to each other. It mainly covers four advanced simulation methods based on the Boltzmann equation (i.e., direct simulation Monte Carlo method, direct simulation BGK method, discrete velocity method, and lattice Boltzmann method) and their applications with detailed results. In particular, many simulations are included to demonstrate the applications for both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. With the development of high-resolution CT and high-performance computing facilities, the study of digital rock physics is becoming increasingly important for understanding the mechanisms of enhanced oil and gas recovery. The advanced methods presented here have broad applications in petroleum engineering as well as mechanical engineering , making them of interest to researchers, professionals, and graduate students alike. At the same time, instructors can use the codes at the end of the book to help their students implement the advanced technology in solving real industrial problems.

Utilizing a case study method and a Multiperspectival Approach, this volume presents a pioneering, in-depth study about China’s teacher education policy since the 1990s. It critically investigates the rational, dynamic and complex implementation process taking place at the micro institutional level for the transformations of teacher education institutions. The book first introduces the sociopolitical and cultural background of China’s teacher education system and its challenges under the condition of globalization, and illustrates major national initiatives for nurturing highly qualified teachers. It then explores new teachers’ identities in an era of enhanced professionalism, uncovers the ways they reflect China’s teacher education reform, and distills the rationales behind these policy actions. This is followed by an analytic presentation of the findings of the case study of a provincial normal university, with a particular focus on such core pieces of the implementation jigsaw as policy flow, the dynamism of implementation, sociopolitical and cultural confluence, and institutional barriers in the complex process. Lastly, the book unravels key recommendations and implications for policy implementation studies from the China policy case, and constructs a Chinese Zhong-Yong Model of policy implementation, and sheds new light on policy studies of teacher education reform in particular and public policy in general, which may be transferable to other sociopolitical contexts seeking to nurture world-class teachers and achieve educational excellence in a global age.

Utilizing a case study method and a Multiperspectival Approach, this volume presents a pioneering, in-depth study about China’s teacher education policy since the 1990s. It critically investigates the rational, dynamic and complex implementation process taking place at the micro institutional level for the transformations of teacher education institutions. The book first introduces the sociopolitical and cultural background of China’s teacher education system and its challenges under the condition of globalization, and illustrates major national initiatives for nurturing highly qualified teachers. It then explores new teachers’ identities in an era of enhanced professionalism, uncovers the ways they reflect China’s teacher education reform, and distills the rationales behind these policy actions. This is followed by an analytic presentation of the findings of the case study of a provincial normal university, with a particular focus on such core pieces of the implementation jigsaw as policy flow, the dynamism of implementation, sociopolitical and cultural confluence, and institutional barriers in the complex process. Lastly, the book unravels key recommendations and implications for policy implementation studies from the China policy case, and constructs a Chinese Zhong-Yong Model of policy implementation, and sheds new light on policy studies of teacher education reform in particular and public policy in general, which may be transferable to other sociopolitical contexts seeking to nurture world-class teachers and achieve educational excellence in a global age.

The school-to-work transition has been an important topic in the fields of education and sociology research in the past few years. Pre-vocational education, which takes place during lower-secondary school and aims to facilitate the school-to-work transition, is of critical significance in introducing the participants to the world of work and/or in preparing them for entry into further vocational education programs. With a strong comparative nature, Jun Li presents this systematic investigation of the pre-vocational education in Germany and China and analyzes their curricula of pre-vocational education. By combining the methods of content analysis and teacher interview, the author offers an in-depth perspective into the realms of pre-vocational education and reveals the divergences between the prescribed curriculum and the enacted curriculum. The findings also relate closely to an intensively discussed issue in the sociology of education in the past few years, namely the issueof knowledge and its status, function and forms in the school education today.

Rural enterprises have played an important role in the extraordinary success of China's economy over the last two decades. They have greatly increased off-farm employment in rural areas and brought substantially increased incomes and standards of living to many rural people. Jun Li provides a comprehensive analysis of the financing of China's rural enterprises over the reform period, and discusses the key aspects of rural enterprise development in China, including the growth of rural enterprises and enterprise-level behaviour, the role of state policy, rural financial institutions and local government. Brings new and challenging analysis to the current debate on the Chinese financial system and the financing of SMEs.

This book provides a fresh interpretation of how Chinese civilization was created and transformed in the process of its early formation (1766-221 BC). It describes the principal features of that civilization which had a profound impact on the later development of Chinese history. In particular, it discusses in detail the main characteristics of the social and political organizations of that period, and argues that, contrary to the traditional interpretation, economic development in ancient China had its own dynamism.

This book provides a fresh interpretation of how Chinese civilization was created and transformed in the process of its early formation (1766-221 BC). It describes the principal features of that civilization which had a profound impact on the later development of Chinese history. In particular, it discusses in detail the main characteristics of the social and political organizations of that period, and argues that, contrary to the traditional interpretation, economic development in ancient China had its own dynamism.

With the rapid advancement of sensor technology and digital system, the capabilities of network communication have significantly improved, allowing multiple computing nodes to exchange information and collaborate seamlessly through networks. This progress has accelerated the development of distributed optimization theory and its applications in emerging fields such as low altitude economy, big data, and artificial intelligence. These emerging domains usually involve solving complex large-scale optimization problems, making it difficult for traditional centralized methods to handle. Therefore, it is necessary to study distributed algorithms to solve complex optimization problems in large-scale networked systems. In addition, the emergence of applications of large language model further stimulates researchers' growing interest in distributed optimization. This book provides the advanced methods and techniques of distributed optimization in networked systems, and thus is necessary and important for the research community. This book focuses on designing high-performance algorithms for solving more practical and complex optimization problems (multi-block optimization, composite optimization, constrained optimization, optimization with diversity objective functions, etc.) in the context of distributed optimization in networked systems and their successful application to real-world applications (model predictive control, smart grids, etc.). Readers may be particularly interested in the book on consensus and optimization protocols, forward-backward splitting methods, proximal gradient methods, primal-dual methods, fixed point methods, asynchronous communication/computaion mechanisms, randomized block coordinate techniques, operator splitting schemes, uncoordinated step sizes strategies, etc., in the process of distributed optimization in various networked systems. This book will introduce readers to the latest and advanced techniques in "Network-System Research and Distributed Composite Algorithm Design", and help them develop their own novel distributed algorithms that have practical applications. The prerequisite for understanding this book is to master basic mathematical knowledge, including graph theory, matrix theory, linear algebra, probability theory, etc. This book is meant for the researcher and engineer who uses distributed optimization algorithms in fields like control theory, electronic information, artificial intelligence, and computer science, etc. It can also serve as complementary reading for distributed optimization in networked systems at the post-graduate level.

Although sensor fusion is an essential prerequisite for autonomous driving, it entails a number of challenges and potential risks. For example, the commonly used deep fusion networks are lacking in interpretability and robustness. To address these fundamental issues, this book introduces the mechanism of deep fusion models from the perspective of uncertainty and models the initial risks in order to create a robust fusion architecture. This book reviews the multi-sensor data fusion methods applied in autonomous driving, and the main body is divided into three parts: Basic, Method, and Advance. Starting from the mechanism of data fusion, it comprehensively reviews the development of automatic perception technology and data fusion technology, and gives a comprehensive overview of various perception tasks based on multimodal data fusion. The book then proposes a series of innovative algorithms for various autonomous driving perception tasks, to effectively improve the accuracy and robustness of autonomous driving-related tasks, and provide ideas for solving the challenges in multi-sensor fusion methods. Furthermore, to transition from technical research to intelligent connected collaboration applications, it proposes a series of exploratory contents such as practical fusion datasets, vehicle-road collaboration, and fusion mechanisms. In contrast to the existing literature on data fusion and autonomous driving, this book focuses more on the deep fusion method for perception-related tasks, emphasizes the theoretical explanation of the fusion method, and fully considers the relevant scenarios in engineering practice. Helping readers acquire an in-depth understanding of fusion methods and theories in autonomous driving, it can be used as a textbook for graduate students and scholars in related fields or as a reference guide for engineers who wish to apply deep fusion methods.

This book examines the ways in which China’s universities have changed in the dramatic move to a mass stage which has unfolded since the late 1990s. Twelve universities in different regions of the country are portrayed through the eyes of their students, faculty and leaders. The book begins with the national level policy process around the move to mass higher education. This is followed by an analysis of the views of 2,300 students on the 12 campuses about how the changes have affected their learning experiences and civil society involvement. The 12 portraits in the next section are of three comprehensive universities, three education-related universities, three science and technology universities, and three newly emerging private universities. The final chapter sketches the contours of an emerging Chinese model of the university, and explores its connections to China’s longstanding scholarly traditions