Five hundred years ago, the Chinese population was concentrated in core areas of China proper. Beginning in the 16th century, significant numbers of Chinese people moved to the frontiers of an expanding China and across its borders: to Japan and Southeast Asia, to the Americas and Australia, and to Africa and Europe. Although Chinese migration certainly existed beforehand, the period from the 16th century to the present day is marked by the emergence of sustained movement of non-state actors and the development of institutions -- ranging from native-place associations to tourist agents' websites -- that supported this vast circulation of people. Likewise, in many emigrant communities and host societies, Chinese diasporic families adapted to migration as a way of life. This course traces this worldwide circulation of Chinese people over these five centuries.
Course Attributes: EN H; BU Hum; BU IS; AS HUM; AS LCD
