His research is at the intersection of performance and history, with a primary expertise in kunqu, a classical form of song drama associated with the Kunshan and Suzhou area. He is particularly interested in the relationship between culture and its written or audiovisual record, together with the controls and contingencies to which the record and archives are subject. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include Chinese drama, and media and the arts.
In addition to his academic work, Gordon has translated subtitles for the Jiangsu Kunqu Theatre for over five years and worked as producer on two major kunqu shows. He sings the "xiaosheng" role and regularly performs on the avocational Kun Opera circuit in China and beyond.
Hunter Gordon has an M.A. (honors) in English literature and psychology from the University of Glasgow and a Ph.D. from Royal Holloway, University of London, for which he spent two years as a China studies fellow at Nanjing University. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Shanghai Theatre Academy.
He also holds a certificate from the National Council for the Training of Journalists and previously worked as a reporter for The Observer newspaper in London.