Chang Xu

What does science and technology mean in a Chinese context? This course provides a historical survey of science and technology studies in China, spanning from the thirteenth to the twentieth century. Positioning China within a global order, we will delve into questions such as: Was there a unique “Chinese” way of studying Nature? How did science, technology, and empire intersect in early modern and modern Chinese history? How did non-Chinese scientists and engineers contribute to China’s knowledge of the world? Throughout the semester, we will explore the worlds of Confucian scientists as well as Muslim geographers, Jesuit engineers, Manchu anatomies, and Chinese barefoot doctors. We will also examine a variety of subjects, including the global circulation of scientific knowledge, technology in empire-building, and the epistemic encounters between the West and China.

This course explores the intertwining history of medicine and empire-building from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. With a focus on experiences in Asia, we will delve into questions such as: How has medicine played a role in colonial expansion and imperial politics? What is “colonial” about colonial medicine? How to study medicine and empire during the global turn? We will examine a variety of subjects, including epidemic disease outbreaks, science and medicine as “civilizing missions,” ideas of race and racism in science and medicine, and the historical roots of the modern global health movement. We will also examine colonial medicine as a vibrant field of historical research and analysis, exploring the various methodologies and source materials that historians use to dissect the complex relationship between medicine, empire, and global expansion. Cross-list: MDHM 307.

This course explores the intertwining history of medicine and empire-building from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. With a focus on experiences in Asia, we will delve into questions such as: How has medicine played a role in colonial expansion and imperial politics? What is “colonial” about colonial medicine? How to study medicine and empire during the global turn? We will examine a variety of subjects, including epidemic disease outbreaks, science and medicine as “civilizing missions,” ideas of race and racism in science and medicine, and the historical roots of the modern global health movement. We will also examine colonial medicine as a vibrant field of historical research and analysis, exploring the various methodologies and source materials that historians use to dissect the complex relationship between medicine, empire, and global expansion. Cross-list: ASIA 307.