Non-noble　carbon　catalysts　have　emerged　as　the　potential　alternatives　of　precious　platinum　(Pt)-based　catalysts　to　catalyze　the　cathodic　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR)　in　fuel　cells　and　metal-air　batteries.　However,　their　catalytic　performance　including　ORR　activity　and　stability　is　still　insufficient　for　the　practical　application　of　such　electrochemical　energy　technologies.　Both　the　activity　and　stability　of　such　ORR　electro-catalysts　correlate　quite　well　with　their　nanostructure　control　and　active　sites,　therefore,　it　is　necessary　to　fundamentally　understand　the　relationship　of　the　macroscopic　material　morphologies　and　microscopic　active　sites　with　the　catalytic　performance.　This　review　summarizes　a　critical　overview　of　the　recent　progress　and　perspectives　of　non-noble　carbon　catalysts,　ranging　from　the　classification　of　material　morphologies　and　identification　of　active　sites　to　the　understanding　of　structure　effects　on　catalytic　ORR　performance.