HUAS95018 - China and the World through Objects and Humans

Course Description

In this course, we will take late imperial China (15-19th century), with its complex relations with foreigners, as our case study to critically analyze its historical shifts from a special, transnational perspective. Through the comparison of relevant texts and visual materials, course discussions will focus on the most concrete manifestations of foreign encounters, humans and objects, which will help us identify and evaluate the key aspects of the dynamics of international relations and their multifaceted impact on both the “Chinese” and the “Others.” Topics covered: territorial expansion, identity formation, religion and education, language and communication, trade, mapmaking, and politics.