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The High Road to the Near North: Origins and Development of Sinology in Australia.

Authors :
Sima, William
Source :
Journal of Chinese History. Jul2023, Vol. 7 Issue 2, p631-656. 26p.
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

The development of Sinology in Australia was contingent upon, and serves as a lens through which to view, a number of transformations to Australian society in the middle decades of the twentieth century, as the country sought independence from the "Mother Country," Great Britain, and reoriented itself towards Asia. These include Australia's first forays into independent international diplomacy and the introduction of the Ph.D. degree and postgraduate research in the university system—culminating in the first Australian postgraduate work on China in the 1950s. While government support has always been crucial to the enterprise, from the early years until today scholars have defended the Chinese humanities against the utilitarian "national interest" proclivities of governments. Adopting a broad definition of Sinology, one which encompasses post-war trends in "Chinese Studies," this article surveys the universities that have been important to Sinology, the scholars who worked in them and the ongoing challenges to the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20591632
Volume :
7
Issue :
2
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Journal of Chinese History
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
171345381
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1017/jch.2022.21