This course examines the U.S.–China encounters from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century through the experiences of Colby College alumni who lived and worked in China during the period. Drawing on Colby’s Special Collections, other archives, and supplementary readings, students will explore the lives of missionaries, educators, physicians, journalists, and Chinese students whose careers intersected with major moments in modern Chinese history—from the late Qing and Republican era to revolution and war.
Using alumni diaries, correspondence, photographs, publications, and institutional records, the course investigates themes such as American missionary influence, women’s education, nationalism and anti-imperialism, and U.S. involvement in the Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War. Students will develop foundational archival research skills and gain hands-on experience with primary sources and digital humanities tools while critically assessing how a liberal arts education shaped global engagement.
