Colonialism, Post-Colonialism, and Transnationalism

[kdavid]

Could anyone suggest some books which examine these topics in relation to modern Chinese history from the time of the Opium Wars through the Republican era? English or Chinese is fine.

I'm interested in learning more about the theory behind these concepts, and how they relate to history.

In addition, I'm also interested in learning about the treaty ports (1842-1943), so any books which examine those cities and/or foreign/Chinese life would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks! 

[pudewen]

A few potential suggestions, as I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for:

James Hevia, English Lessons

Lydia Liu, Clash of Empires (I hate this book and don't really want to recommend it, but it sounds from your post that you may be better able to handle books written in post-modern theory-ese than I am and it does really fit with the topics you care about)

Ruth Rogaski, Hygienic Modernity

Prasenjit Duara, Rescuing History from the Nation (probably least directly tied to your interests of the books I'm mentioning, but extremely important and in the same general intellectual realm)

Philip Kuhn, Chinese Among Others (this is transnational in the sense of being about Chinese elsewhere, not people from other places in China, but perhaps you will still find that interesting)

James Carter, Making a Chinese Harbin

Erik Mueggler, Paper Roads

Joan Judge, The Precious Raft of History

Jing Tsu, Failure, Nationalism, and Literature

There are tons of books on Shanghai that are all thus about "treaty ports," but you can probably find those yourself. If you're interested in treaty ports, you probably also should read some of John Fairbank's work, which though obviously somewhat dated was once some of the most important work in the field and was directly focused on the topics you seem interested in.

 

The list I gave you is sort of haphazard (and sorry for no Chinese language stuff - like most Western scholars of China, I really only know the Chinese-language scholarship in my own fields of research). But with a couple exceptions, they all deal pretty directly with Westerners in the creation of Chinese modernity, many with theoretical frames tied to those you're interested in.

[Riotbeard]

Edward Said, Orientalism.  If you haven't read it, it is essential.  I will say I think transnationalism is bankrupt but whatever...

[getitlow]

Staging the World: Chinese nationalism at the turn of the 20th century by Rebecca Karl from NYU. Very interesting take on Chinese nationalism in the context of globalism/transnationalism.

 

I know one interesting book on the Treaty Port. I have yet to read it (I'm planning to). You can check out: No Dogs and Not Many Chinese: Treaty Port Life in China 1843-1943 by Frances Wood.