Yang Zhang Book Recommendations & Book Mentions

Yang Zhang

In The Great Transformation, Polanyi argues while self-regulating market economy would annihilate the society, social protections against market caused the breakdown of European order. Ironically, this book was published in 1944, the same year of Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. https://t.co/lIcdOpR7Tg

Yang Zhang

Ray Huang's 1587: A Year of No Significance has fascinating stories and analysis about Ming Emperor Wanli and his troubled relationships with his Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng and other actors. So does Philip Kuhn's Soulstealers, a study of Qing Emperor Qianlong. 3/ https://t.co/H4WUrtuFDB

Yang Zhang

Will also discuss W. E. B. DuBois's 1915 essay, “The African Roots of the War” and Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. Still relevant; still important.

Yang Zhang

In Time and Power, historian Christopher Clark discusses how German leaders--including Frederick the Great, Bismarck and Hitler--viewed history and embodied time in their politics. Unfortunately, there isn't a chapter on Wilhelm II, whose unique "historical" views shaped history. https://t.co/5ryzTL3VrM

Yang Zhang

@NewlandSara Great thread! For Qing China, I suggest Di Cosmo's “Qing Colonial Administration in Inner Asia.” Keevak's Becoming Yellow: A Short History of Racial Thinking is an interesting read. Fiskejo's “Rescuing the Empire: Chinese Nation-Building in the Twentieth Century” is provocative.

Yang Zhang

@yuenyuenang made a justification for historical analysis, and @ZhangTaisu has a valid point that there is a gap between historical analysis and politicians' historical thinking. Neustadt and May's Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision Makers wants to fill the gap :)

Yang Zhang

Please join @JiYoung_AUKorea @AmitavAcharya and me in welcoming @AyseZarakol to present her book, "Before the West: The Rise and Fall of Eastern World Orders" at @AU_SIS On Monday (1/30) at 12 noon. You can also attend the event virtually via zoom: https://t.co/dDY5ai6ovp https://t.co/W2yQMRsEmQ

Yang Zhang

A friend just recommended Dominic Lieven's new book In the Shadow of the Gods: The Emperor in World History, which looks fascinating. In Empire: The Russian Empire and its Rivals, Lieven explained the meaning of empire and emperor in European history. 14/ https://t.co/Iz2wWhi7p3

Yang Zhang

One interesting parallel between Hofung's book and Susan Shirk's Overreach: the US-China rivalry did not start with either Xi's power consolidation or Trump's presidency but stemmed from 2000s. For them, the turning point was the 2008 financial crisis or even earlier (2006). https://t.co/mcmfKZx97h

Yang Zhang

Sven Beckert is a Harvard historian and the author of Empire of Cotton: A Global History. This book is also highly recommended.