8月人文社科联合书单｜“视而不见”：近代中国视觉文化

Group 1 - The book "Modern Chinese Visual Culture" examines specific issues within modern visual culture, focusing on various media such as illustrated magazines, advertisements, and films, addressing core questions about who sees, how they see, and what can be seen [2] - "1848: The Year of European Revolutions" discusses the widespread impact of the 1848 revolutions across Europe, despite their short duration and ultimate failure, highlighting their lasting influence on public life and political thought [4] - "Tea Houses: Public Life and Microcosm in Chengdu (1950-2000)" explores the rise and fall of public culture through the lens of tea houses in Chengdu, reflecting on significant societal changes in China over half a century [6] Group 2 - "The Business of Empire: The Birth of the British East India Company" reveals how the East India Company established a unique position in British commercial and political ambitions, influencing the origins of the early modern British state and its imperial expansion [8] - "The Possibilities of Development: Agricultural Modernization in the US and Mexico Before and After WWII" discusses the similarities between the agricultural sectors of the American South and Mexico, emphasizing their mutual influence during the 1930s and 1940s [10] - "The Art of War: Mongolian Warfare" challenges common perceptions of the Mongolian army, illustrating their success through strategic planning and execution rather than sheer force [12] Group 3 - "The Twin Melons: The Emperor and Subjects in the Ming Dynasty" provides a micro-level interpretation of the power dynamics between the emperor, court officials, and local authorities through the lens of a seemingly trivial event involving a pair of twin melons [14] - "The Light of the Netherlands: The Huygens Family and the Formation of European Science" focuses on the contributions of Christian Huygens in various scientific fields during the Dutch Golden Age, highlighting his interactions with other prominent scientists [16] - "The Spring and Autumn of Silverware" explores the aesthetic trends and societal influences on silverware during the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, supported by over 800 images [18] Group 4 - "The History of Hurricanes in North America" chronicles the impact of hurricanes on North American land and society over five centuries, utilizing extensive meteorological data [20] - "Continental Divide: Heidegger and Cassirer in Davos" analyzes the philosophical confrontation between Cassirer and Heidegger, emphasizing its significance in 20th-century European thought [22] - "Europe in Crisis: Churchill, Orwell, and the Fight for Freedom" presents a dual biography of Churchill and Orwell, focusing on their struggles against fascism and their contributions to the understanding of their era [23]