Global Political Economy.
Development.
Political Geography.
South-South relations.
Global China.
Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ruben’s research explores contemporary South-South relations, while remaining critical of statist understandings of the ‘South’ that overlook emerging international hierarchies, and class or postcolonial inequalities. His primary research focus has been on China's relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, which has led him to study the internationalization of Chinese capital, China's foreign policy, the social and environmental impacts of Chinese investments and development cooperation, and the significance of natural resources and infrastructure in contested development processes. Beyond these topics, he has also contributed articles on the transformation of politics following decades of neoliberal globalization. Ruben serves as an editor for the Global China Pulse and the People's Map of Global China.  

Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Ruben worked as an Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong from 2012 to 2016, and later as a University Lecturer at the University of Leiden from 2017 to 2021.

• PhD in Geography, University of Cambridge.
• MPhil in Asian and International Studies, City University of Hong Kong.
• Diploma in Mandarin Chinese, Peking University.
• BA in Chinese Studies, Autonomous University of Madrid.
• BA in English Philology, University of A Coruña.