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Roundtable: Asia in the Global Economy, 1500-1900
Organizer and Chair: Prasannan Parthasarathi, Boston College
Discussants: Patrick O'Brien, London School of Economics,, Kaoru Sugihara, Kyoto University, Harriet Zurndorfer, Leiden University, Dennis O. Flynn, University of the Pacific
Since September 2003, the Global Economic History Network—comprised of nearly forty specialists on different regions of the world, drawn from several disciplines and from universities in North America, Europe and Asia—has met regularly and explored a number of themes in global economic history from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries. These conferences have examined a broad set of global and comparative topics, including markets, science and technology, matters of culture, imperialism, and cotton textiles as a global commodity. The purpose of this roundtable is for members of the network to reflect upon how these global encounters have reshaped their understanding of both their own regions as well as of global economic processes. Three of the six roundtable participants are specialists on Asia, representing Japan, China and the Indian subcontinent. The fourth participant, Patrick O’Brien, an eminent economic historian of Europe, will explore the ways in which the economic history of Asian regions is forcing a rethinking of central issues in European economic history. Dennis Flynn, an economist who has written extensively on bullion flows, will bring a global perspective to the proceedings as he will discuss the place of Asia in the flow of silver and gold. Finally, Stephen Topik, a historian of Latin America, will offer remarks on Asia’s place in the global system from the perspective of the Americas. The roundtable will be an excellent opportunity for members of the Global Economic History network to share the very significant work of the network with the Asianist community.