By Mimi Yao A symphony of celebratory clinks fill the restaurant. Meanwhile, alone in the office, Ma Meng Chen sits hunched over a plastic container of takeout noodles.  This was not the first time she had turned down her colleagues’ dinner invitations, nor would it be the last. As a member of the Hui（回族）, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in China, Ma follows the religious practice of abstaining from pork. Her life is a careful balancing act between adhering to the religious customs of Hui culture and conforming to mainstream social norms, which makes the question of whether to attend … Continue reading  Searching for Identity in Yunnan’s Nascent AI Industry 

By Nicole Lu It’s no secret that the presence of some groups is stronger than others, especially given the vast number of student groups and associations we have here at SAS. Rumors and complaints about the perceived lack of impact of clubs and committees run amok among staff and students. Yet, underneath these murmurs seems to lie a genuine curiosity about what people actually do. At the root of the curiosity lies student councils which have always seemed a figment of a sort. They seem to exist in some invisible dimension, using big names and having big expectations and fulfilling … Continue reading Student Collectives: An Exploration of CAC

At Shanghai American School, the student council is a vital platform for student representation and leadership. Every year, students from each grade claw at the opportunity to become one of the school’s student leaders. Officially, these councils are supposed to provide a voice for the student body, organize events, and foster a sense of community. Although everyone seems to applaud them for these tasks, no one seems to know how much STUCO actually is contributing to the our student experience. Additionally, over the past year, many controversial changes have been made to the school have created a lot of confusion … Continue reading Into STUCO: an Investigation