The Erasmus Mundus Program Global Studies from a European Perspective presents a public talk by Kent Deng (London School of Economics) on China in a global historical context.

When: May 9,  5.30pm-7.30pm.

Where: Institut für Afrikawissenschaften (Campus AAKH, Spitalgasse 2, Hof 5).

Subject: I will cover three periods in China’s long history with global significance. Firstly, it was the Song Period (960-1279 AD) when China led the world in technology and commerce. We have a good reason to believe that China entered her own own age of capitalism. It was a great pity that such a development was brutally interrupted by the Mongol invasion and conquest. Secondly, it was the long period of peace and renaissance from 1368-1800 when China practised Confucianism in full with benevolence in taxation, private property rights, social welfare, and social mobility and ran the single largest economy in the world of the time. Thirdly, it is 1840-present when China has been going through a roller coaster with violent changes with the combination of internal chaos and external threat until the economy finally stood on its feet again after 1980 as a result of Deng Xiaoping’s reforms.

Short bio: Professor Kent Deng is currently Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics and Political Science and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Meanwhile, he has served as visiting professors of 10 universities in China, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and Germany. He has also served Editor of Economic History Series, Palgrave Macmillan Press. His main research interests and academic speciality include (1) Chinese economic growth and development since 1000 AD till the present day, (2) comparative growth and development towards industrialisation and modernity in East Asia and Southeast Asia, (3) globalisation since circa 1600 till the present day, regarding especially shipping and sea power. So far, he has published eight books and 20 peer-reviewed journal articles.