The speaker will talk about his book, "Fateful Ties: A History of America's Preoccupation with China" that studies the long history of US-China relations. He will cover this history from Jamestown to today and give historical context for the current American fixation with China. He suggests that this interest continues centuries of American interest in China, an interest that is peculiar to the United States.
About the speaker
Prof Gordon H. Chang received his MA and PhD in History from Stanford University in 1972 and 1987 respectively. Afterwards, he joined Stanford as a lecturer and moved to University of California at Irvine as an Assistant Professor in 1989. In 1990, he returned to Stanford and is currently the Olive H. Palmer Professor in Humanities and Professor of American History.
Prof Chang’s research focuses in two areas of American life that are often considered separately. The historical connections between race and ethnicity in America, on the one hand, and foreign relations, on the other are in fact profound. His current research project concerns the recovery and interpretation of the experiences of Chinese railroad workers in North America.
Prof Chang was elected a fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, American Council of Learned Societies, the Center for International Security and Cooperation in Stanford and Stanford Humanities Center. He also received the History Maker Award by the Chinese Historical Society in 2014 and the Kahn-Van Slyke Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentoring by Stanford's History Department in 2014.
For attendees’ attention
The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
Light refreshments will be served from 4:30 to 5:00 pm.
