– Go to http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/chinawh/web/s2/index.html (Links to an external site.)
Read these sections:
- Introduction
- What do we mean by modern?
- In this section read and also watch this video:
- Modern: The Tyranny of the European Model
- Rethinking the IR
- China and Europe: The New Units of Analysis
- China And Europe: 1500-1800
- The Silver Trade: Part 1 and Part 2
- China and Europe: 1780-1937
- China Achieves a Modern State
- Conclusion
When you are finished reading answer all four questions below (study and discussion) based on the reading.
Once you post your answers read and respond to your classmates’ posts. Read and comment on at least two fellow students’ work.
(“Study Guide: China and Europe, 1500-2000” by Bram Hubbell)
Introduction (Links to an external site.)1
Summary
The Introduction includes a brief overview of the new directions in scholarship about world economic history that have emerged over the last twenty years. In a short video clip (“Modern: The Tyranny of the European Model”) Bin Wong describes the traditional Eurocentric interpretation of world history.
Key Terms/Vocabulary
Eurocentric
specialization
Study Questions
- Certain developments within Europe are traditionally seen as preceding European overseas exploration. What are these? How did our understanding of these developments shape our understanding of Europe’s interaction with the rest of the world?
- In general, what has been the traditional contrast drawn between Europe and the rest of the world (Asia, Africa, and the New World)?
- Why have people begun to question the traditional interpretation of world history over the last twenty years?
Discussion Questions
- What are the implications of a Eurocentric interpretation of history for today’s world?