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3 - Becoming the “World”

World Historians in the Early People’s Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2021

Xin Fan
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Fredonia
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Summary

In the early People’s Republic, the socialist state sought total control of history as a field of knowledge production. The state introduced Soviet concepts of Marxist historiography, established a standard curriculum, and put a new academic infrastructure in place that was characterized by a teaching and research unit (jiaoyanshi) system. This development placed the world-historical discipline in a difficult position and shaped the key dynamic for the later rise of nationalism among Chinese historians. This chapter analyzes the paradox facing world historians Lin Zhichun and Tong Shuye as they tried to negotiate this emerging and complex academic, political environment. On the one hand, as up-and-coming professionals eager to develop their careers, they were inclined to collaborate with the state; on the other hand, as academics, they still cherished the ideal of intellectual autonomy. Their experiences with the regime formed a sharp contrast to those who were less willing to be coerced by the regime, such as Lei Haizong and Wu Mi. The latter found themselves constantly facing the distrust, surveillance, and oppression of the totalizing state.

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Chapter
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World History and National Identity in China
The Twentieth Century
, pp. 86 - 127
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Becoming the “World”
  • Xin Fan
  • Book: World History and National Identity in China
  • Online publication: 19 February 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108903653.004
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  • Becoming the “World”
  • Xin Fan
  • Book: World History and National Identity in China
  • Online publication: 19 February 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108903653.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Becoming the “World”
  • Xin Fan
  • Book: World History and National Identity in China
  • Online publication: 19 February 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108903653.004
Available formats
×