The Academic Lecture Titled “When Left-behind Children Become Adults and Parents - The Long-term Human Capital Consequences of Parental Absence in China” Successfully Held

At the invitation of Professor Qiao Dongping from the School of Social Development and Public Policy (SSDPP), Professor Fang Xiangming from the College of Economics and Management of China Agricultural University gave a lecture titled "When Left-behind Children Become Adults and Parents - the Long-term Human Capital Consequences of Parental Absence in China" in Room 2030 of the Rear Main Building of SSDPP, Beijing Normal University at 18:30, October 10, 2023. The event was presided over by Fang Zuyi, a post-doctor of SSDPP. Many graduate and undergraduate students majoring in public management, sociology and psychology were present at the event and said they had learned a lot from it.

As a professor and doctoral supervisor at the College of Economics and Management of China Agricultural University as well as the director of the Center for Health Economics and Policy Research, Fang Xiangming is mainly engaged in the study of child health, child protection, rural social security, rural human capital and agricultural modernization. Professor Fang has led many international, national and provincial research projects. Before returning to China, he served as a senior economist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. He has won multiple international and domestic awards over the past two decades, and was listed among the "Highly Cited Chinese Researchers" by Elsevier in 2022 and 2023.

At the very beginning, Professor Fang briefly introduced his educational background and work experience, and told his story in the study of child health and child protection.

Then, Professor Fang cut to the chase based on his latest research findings. In terms of research background and significance, he introduced the current situation of left-behind children in China and pointed out that previous scientific research has shown childhood adversity can lead to changes in brain structure and affect physical and mental health and cognitive development.

In terms of research purpose and content, this study aims to explore the impact of being left behind experiences on intergenerational and individuals' human capital, health, cognitive and non-cognitive abilities during adulthood, as well as the influencing mechanisms.

In terms of research methods, Professor Fang introduced "China Family Panel Studies" (CFPS) and explained the definitions of core concepts such as left-behind children and the experience of being left behind, as well as the measurement methods for core variables such as health status and mental health. The study solved, Professor Fang also pointed out, the endogeneity problem by introducing two instrumental variables, namely, abnormal weather and regional employment rate.

Finally, Professor Fang explained the research results and conclusions in detail, introduced the impact of being left behind experience of different types, stages and durations on various aspects of adulthood, as well as the role of gender, registered residence and living conditions in this process, and discussed the impact of being left behind experience on the offspring's human capital after the left-behind children become parents as well as the influencing mechanism.

The lecture received enthusiastic feedback from the participants. Professor Fang answered the students' questions patiently and meticulously. Especially regarding the CFPS data measurement indicators over the years, the application of the five personality dimensions in psychology, and the causes and mechanisms behind research results, Professor Fang provided clear and detailed answers by giving real-life and academic research examples.

Through the event, the participating students have got a more in-depth understanding of the current situation of left-behind children, the extensive and profound impact of being left behind experiences on individuals and generations, and the research methods as well.