Draft:Xin Zhang, Professor of History

Xin Zhang, Professor of History
Born	1956 (age 68–69)
Nationality	U.S. Citizen
Occupation(s)	Historian, Professor
Employer	Indiana University Indianapolis

Xin Zhang (born 1956, Shanghai, China) is a historian of Chinese and global history, currently a professor at Indiana University Indianapolis. His research focuses on China's historical transformations within a global context, integrating both global and local perspectives.

== Early Life and Education == Born in Shanghai in 1956, Zhang was among the first students to take the reinstated national university entrance examination in 1977, leading to his admission to Huadong Normal University in Shanghai, where he studied Chinese and world history. During his studies, Zhang established an English learning group known as the “English Corner” in Shanghai. His proficiency in English led to work as an interpreter for the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles (SFLAC) and as a simultaneous translator for the Old Vic Theatre Company’s performance in Shanghai. He also assisted at the International Conference on Shakespeare alongside Lu Gusun of Fudan University. His involvement in these activities was noted in China Daily.

In 1984, Zhang was invited to teach Chinese language and culture at the University of New Mexico. He later pursued a Ph.D. in history at the University of Chicago as a Century Fellow, focusing on Western historiographical theories and methodologies.

== Academic Career == Zhang began his academic career at Loyola Marymount University before joining Indiana University Indianapolis in 1993. He became a tenured professor within five years and was later promoted to full professor.

Zhang has been active in scholarly organizations such as the Chinese Historians in the U.S., the Association for Asian Studies, and the American Historical Association. His work has received recognition, including the Academic Excellence Book Award from the Chinese Historians in the U.S.

Publications

Books

•   The Global in the Local: A Century of War, Commerce, and Technology in China (Harvard University Press, 2023)

•   Social Transformation in Modern China: The State and Local Elites in Henan, 1900-1937 (Cambridge University Press, 2000)

•   二十世纪中国社会之演变 (Social Transformation in Modern China) (Zhonghua Shuju, 2004)

•   全球变迁与镇江：近代中国的战争，商业，与技术 (Global Changes and Zhenjiang: Modern China’s War, Commerce, and Technology) (Taiwan University Press, 2024)

•   磨合：全球视野下的中国地方社会 (Negations: Local Societies in China from a Global Perspective) (Zhonghua Shuju, forthcoming)

Selected Articles

•   What is the Global? Chinese Historical Review (Routledge), 29:2, 71-94.

•   Changing Concepts of the Opium War as History and Experience. Frontiers of History in China 13, no. 1 (2018): 28-46.

•   Discovering Chinese Science and Technology: A Critical Review. Asian Review of World Histories (Brill), 37-61.

•   Chinese Shipbuilding: An Overview. Asian Review of World Histories (Brill), 130-152.

== Academic Contributions and Scholarly Influence == Zhang’s book Social Transformation in Modern China: The State and Local Elites in Henan, 1900-1937 (Cambridge University Press, 2000) has been cited in scholarly discussions on China’s modernization. Its Chinese translation has been adopted as required reading at over 130 universities in China.

The book argues that China’s 20th-century social transformation was influenced by both state actions and local elites. It has been referenced by scholars such as Frederic Wakeman and James Lee.

Critical Reception

•   Kenneth Pomeranz: “This carefully researched, theoretically sophisticated, and highly original book raises questions of enormous importance.”

•   R. Keith Schoppa: “This book is at the vanguard of work on twentieth-century China and raises new questions central to intellectual discourse.”

Zhang’s more recent book, The Global in the Local: A Century of War, Commerce, and Technology in China (Harvard University Press, 2023), examines Zhenjiang as a case study for understanding globalization. The book applies the concept of “negotiation,” proposing that global influences are shaped by local actors.

Critical Reception

•   Kenneth Pomeranz: “Crucial, agenda-setting history... illuminating an intermediate link between treaty ports and village China.”

•   Prasenjit Duara: “An exemplary book that significantly contributes to our understanding of China’s transition.”

Zhang has also translated this work into Chinese to broaden its reach.

Currently, Zhang leads a network of scholars focused on integrating global and local perspectives in historical research. He continues to contribute to the field through academic collaborations and digital platforms.