“Chinese slavery: The double-edged sword of state power”

This presentation concerns the paradox of slavery in relation to state power in China. Historically, Chinese emperors prohibited –on pain of the most severe and draconian penalties– the enslavement of regular subjects; yet on the other hand reserved enslavement and slave labor as punishments that could be handed out against enemies of the state. I am particularly interested in the way frontier people who found themselves in the way of Chinese imperial conquests have faced this “double edge sword”, as well as also in how the historical experience of such Chinese barbarians compares with other comparable imperial state projects such as Rome, and also in how the legacy of this history continues in today’s China. This talk is part of the GLC Brown Bag Lunch Series. Bring your lunch and we’ll provide the drinks & dessert.