Universität Wien

070245 SE Seminar (2025W)

Mapping Slave Trading, Slaving, and Trafficking in Early-Modern China and Beyond

8.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 7 - Geschichte
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
We 03.12. 15:05-17:30 Seminarraum 9, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

This seminar will be taught by a guest professor from the Eurasian Transformations Excellence Cluster. It is organized in block format and will take place between November 2025 and January 2026.

THE LESSONS' SUMMARIES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS have been made available on Moodle as of Oct. 27.

  • Wednesday 12.11. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 9, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Wednesday 19.11. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 18 Kolingasse 14-16, OG02
  • Wednesday 26.11. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 19, Kolingasse 14-16, OG02
  • Wednesday 10.12. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 9, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Wednesday 17.12. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 9, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Wednesday 14.01. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 18 Kolingasse 14-16, OG02
  • Wednesday 21.01. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 2, Währinger Straße 29 1.UG
  • Wednesday 28.01. 15:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum 19, Kolingasse 14-16, OG02

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

While scholarship on early modern Asian slavery has grown significantly in the past decade, it remains predominantly Eurocentric, focusing primarily on European actors and networks. This seminar adopts an alternative approach by centering Asian perspectives and examining slavery through emic conceptual frameworks to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze "slave Trading", "slaving" and "trafficking" in early modern China.
Course Objectives: Students will engage with cutting-edge research in Asian slavery studies while developing critical methodological skills including: analyzing cognitive biases in cross-cultural historical research; applying data modeling and computational methods to historical sources; interpreting power dynamics in archival materials; and comparing documentary practices across different cultural contexts. The course will also examine Chinese worldviews of the period and China's role in global patterns of coerced mobility.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this seminar, students will be able to critically evaluate Eurocentric assumptions in global history, apply interdisciplinary methods to historical research, and analyze primary sources with attention to cultural specificity and power relations.
Prerequisites and Requirements:
- No specific language knowledge required
- Genuine interest in global, labor, or Asian history; and digital approaches to history
Course taught in English
Moodle platform will be available from late October with detailed syllabus, readings, and expectations

Assessment and permitted materials

This seminar will be assessed based on attendance and participation, as well as on paper presentations and contribution to the seminar project. Detailed assessment criteria and requirements will be provided on the Moodle platform in October.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Presence; active participation; paper presentation and final seminar project

Examination topics

For this seminar, the assessment will be based on the production of a final seminar paper. This might be subject to slight changes according to the university's assessment requirements.

Reading list

THE LESSONS' SUMMARIES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS have been made available on Moodle as of Oct. 27.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 27.10.2025 15:06