British Recognition of Affairs in East Asia and the Administration of Weihaiwei

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Koizumi Tatsuya 金沢大学, 国際学系, 教授 (90724831)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 威海衛 / イギリス帝国史 / 中国近現代史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between British administration of Weihaiwei and Britain’s foreign policy toward China. By focusing on Britain’s recognition of affairs in East Asia, this study tried to exemplify the process through which the domestic policy in the territory, which was inexorably intertwined with the home governments’ relations with China, was put through.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic researches in foreign countries had been severely restricted for three years from 2020. However, using resources collected before several academic works were published, and another project developed from this study was adopted as Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research C from 2023.

Free Research Field

中国近現代史・イギリス帝国史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義や社会的意義は以下の3点に集約される。第一に、イギリスに所蔵されていた同国の公文書を丹念に読み解き、イギリスによる威海衛の租借から還付へ至る経緯を浮き彫りにした。第二に、イギリスの東アジア情勢をめぐる認識と、威海衛における統治政策の実態を俎上に上げることで、国際関係史と地域研究という二つの分野を架橋させた。第三に、20世紀末まで続いた東アジアにおける「脱植民地化」をめぐり、一連のプロセスで例外的な位置を占める威海衛にあえて着目することで、その過程を客体化する視座を提供した。