Department News
Course Enrolments
Term 2, 2023-24 commences today. Students who wish to change their course enrolment for Term 2 are reminded to do so via the CUSIS during the following specified add/drop periods:
Undergraduate programme: Between 8:30pm on 15 January 2024 and 8:30pm on 21 January 2024
Postgraduate programmes: Between 10am on 8 January 2024 and 5:30pm on 22 January 2024
Academic Activities
Recapping the World History Seminar “Trebizond, a Forgotten Byzantium” Conducted by Dr. Annika ASP on 22 November 2023
Dr. Annika ASP, who is an independent scholar, was invited by the Centre for Comparative and Public History to deliver a lecture entitled “Trebizond, a Forgotten Byzantium” on 22 November 2023. The speaker commenced her talk by elucidating the demographic, religious, and cultural diversity of the Trebizond region in the context of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. She adopted a retrospective approach, tracing the rise of this small medieval state as key Eastern Black Sea outlet for the Silk Roads extending through Tabriz to Central Asia. Specifically, she highlighted that maritime transport flourished during the Middle Ages, largely due to its connections to Constantinople and the Black Sea. Further enriching her talk, she offered a critical review of previous scholarship on Trebizond. She then zoomed in on some concepts to study this place, including “Byzantine Empire” and “marriage alliances between regional rulers.” Overall, her study of Trebizond presented it as a unique case study for late medieval history in Anatolia and the Caucasus, shedding light on the intricate political relationship between Trebizond and Constantinople.
Recapping the “Workshop on Research Ethics” Conducted by Prof. Noah SHUSTERMAN on 24 November 2023
Prof. Noah SHUSTERMAN held the “Workshop on Research Ethics” entitled “Ethical Citizen, Ethical Historian” with postgraduate students from the Department of History on 24 November 2023. Prof. SHUSTERMAN began the workshop with a question asking the reason for holding the research ethics workshop. By sharing his experiences as a graduate student at the University of Chicago and UC Berkley, he conveyed his belief that the ethics of conducting history research is to be a good and honest person, and concluded by re-emphasizing the importance of honesty in academic research.
The workshop was centered on research ethics of history, unfolding with Prof. SHUSTERMAN’s sharing of personal experience, which was vivid and provided new perspectives for the graduate students to understand the research ethics of history.
Recapping the World History Seminar “Reanimating Renaissance Vision” Conducted by Prof. Morgan NG on 29 November 2023
Prof. Morgan NG from the Department of the History of Art, Yale University, was invited by the Centre for Comparative and Public History to deliver a lecture entitled “Reanimating Renaissance Vision” on 29 November 2023. From the outset, the speaker underscored the importance of art history in decoding patterns through the analysis of visual materials. To deepen our grasp, he showcased the variations in using shadows in portraits of historical figures from both Eastern and Western cultures as an example of “the period eye.” He then moved onto discuss the creative spaces of Renaissance Italy, examining how architectural practices mirrored the principles of “projective vision.” This was illustrated through a comparison of palace floorplan drawings by Francesco di Giorgio and Baidassare Peruzzi. Additionally, the examination extended to how ceiling mosaics reflected political implications. An intriguing highlight was the Medici family’s influence in Renaissance Florence, particularly focusing on Cosimo di Medici’s tomb as a fashion statement, departing from earlier minimalist tomb styles exemplified by the Brunelleschian boxes. This departure marked a significant shift in artistic expression, leading the speaker to argue that Renaissance buildings embodied architectural statements of novelty and innovation.
Recapping the New Book Talk ““The Discovery of “Shehui”: Study on the Concept of “Shehui” in Late Qing and Early Republican Era”” on 4 December 2023
The New Book Talk ““The Discovery of “Shehui”: Study on the Concept of “Shehui” in Late Qing and Early Republican Era”” was held on 4 December 2023.
Prof. CHENG Honglei of Central China Normal University discussed the contention and alternation of various ideas in late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China by reviewing how the word “society” was developed in China from the perspective of vocabulary and conceptual history to nearly 50 participants.
Upcoming Events
Academic Seminar
| Date: | 15 January 2024 (Monday) |
| Time: | 4:30pm-6:00pm |
| Venue: | Room 101, Fung King Hey Building, CUHK |
| Topic: | Racial Segregation and Colonial Self-Government: South Africa and British India, 1900–’35 |
| Speaker: | Mr. Aniket DE Department of History, Harvard University |
| Language: | English |
Organisers: Centre for Comparative and Public History, Department of History, CUHK
Enquiry: 3943 7448
For teachers and students who have information to share with the Department, please email your articles in both Chinese and English to chanfiona@cuhk.edu.hk by 4:00pm every Monday.
