ECOMIG SIGNED

Project "ECOMIG" data sheet

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 Partnership

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 Project objective

'ECOMIG aims to uncover the environmental history of the German colony of Qingdao located at China's Yellow Sea (1898-1914). Adopting a multi-species ethnography, I will research the production of a colonial 'other' by foreign forces. So called 'Western' countries intended to open a market that had won the reputation of a capitalist/traders' Eldorado. Themselves being perceived as invaders by the locals, they introduced a variety of international animals and plants. Some of these were adopted by the Chinese as well, others became 'invasive species' in the modern word sense. While the military and socio-economic aspects of this brief Imperialist take over have already been explored, its ecological impact remains unknown. German economic ambitions in China included an army of plants intended to redesign the local environment that needed aesthetic improvement and should become a source of renewable resources. The effects of this economically motivated forced migration allow insights on historical narratives at the conjunction of environmental, colonial and economic history, emphasizing the intimate connection between human and environmental questions. ECOMIG addresses these questions exploring the semantic relationship between 'eco-nomy' (household management) and 'eco-logy' (household systematics) that signify an important crossroad for the realms of the infamous nature and culture divide.'