Challenging National Narratives: On the Origins of Sweet Potato in China as Global Commodity During the Early Modern Period

The introduction of American cereal crops is probably one of the most important events in China¿s agricultural history, having a great effect on the agriculture production, national life, the transformation of consumer behaviour and, to some extent, the nationalization of consumption. The sweet potato (Ipomoea Batatas L.), in Chinese g¿nsh¿ ¿¿, is a staple food crop for ancient Chinese society. Today it still plays an important role in Chinese daily life, as well as guaranteeing national food security.GECEM Project, Global Encounters between China and Europe: Trade Networks, Consumption and Cultural Exchanges in Macau and Marseille (1680-1840), ERC (European Research Council)- Starting Grant, programa Horizon 2020, número de ref. 679371, www.gecem.eu.Versión del edito

The Anthropocene in Antarctica. Considering "fixed" and "more fluid" perspectives of analysis

Starting in 1995, our research project seeks to learn more about human presence in Antarctica; in particular, though not exclusively, about sealers´ encounters with the South Shetland Islands in the nineteenth century. In this chapter we discuss the material dimension of the Anthropocene in Antarctica from an archaeological point of view. First, we describe our initial approaches to the subject, when we were still constrained by an orthodox understanding of the material world. Second, we critically reflect on our previous work and explore new possibilities for analysis, considering a challenging definition of the material world, bodily experience, and the interconnectedness of the webs of life.Fil: Zarankin, Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentina. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Departamento de Sociología y Antropología; BrasilFil: Salerno, Melisa Anabella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentin