Research workshop, October 19, Nordic Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai

Entangled heritage: Nordic and European relations with Shanghai

Following the first so-called Opium War 1839-42, the leading European powers forced the Chinese empire to open its harbor cities to foreign trade. With the signing of the Nanjing Treaty in 1842, Britain cleared the way for imposing a semi-colonial system based on concession areas. In Shanghai, the international concessions – and from 1849 a particular French concession – came to have a huge role in the development of modern Shanghai. Today the former concession areas have become an important heritage and trademark for Shanghai’s identity as a global metropole. While minor players, Nordic countries were involved in this history of colonization and Europeanization. In this workshop, we invite papers that will discuss European and/or Nordic heritage in Shanghai, images of ‘Norden’ or ‘Europe’ in Shanghai, or perceptions of Shanghai in the Nordic countries and Europe at large.

Convener: Jan Ifversen (Aarhus University)

The participants will cover their own travel expenses but the Nordic Centre at Fudan University will cover two nights in the hotel the Centre normally uses. The organizers will provide more details concerning hotel bookings once the abstracts have been reviewed.

(This program is based on the assumption that international events will be feasible in October of 2020. It will otherwise be hosted as a virtual event.)