About This Course: The course focuses on the cross-currents of China’s encounters with the world before and after the Opium War of 1839-1842. It proceeds from the assumption that impacts and influences flow in multiple directions, into, through, and out of China. Through a combination of lecture, discussion, and student research projects we will explore these interactions chronologically and thematically, covering such broad topics as religion and philosophy; diplomacy; law; trade; war; gender; revolution; and cultural exchange. This class is more about the impact on China of its encounters with the world than about the impact on the rest of the world of its encounters with China. If you want to know more, please go to https://minicourse.shanghai.nyu.edu/.