His research centres on modernity, religion, and religious pluralism. Dai is the author of Modernity and Chinese Religions (Beijing: Chinese Social Science Press, 2008). Dai received his BA in Politics from Jiang Han University in 1989, an MA in Philosophy from Wuhan University in 1995, and a PhD in Religious Studies from Renmin University of China in 2006. He spent two years as a post-doc at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University, USA (2007-09). Dai is the author of a number of essays, the topics of which range from sociology of religion, comparative religions, Confucianism, Chinese Buddhism, Philosophy, and Mao Zedong.