Stevan Harrell and William Lavely
Lecture, reception, book signing, and exhibit viewing
Rural China on the Eve of Revolution: Sichuan Fieldnotes, 1949-1950
Thursday, June 1, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.
University of Washington
Allen Library, Petersen Room
Seattle, WA

A key part of G. William Skinner's (1925-2008) legacy as one of the most distinguished American anthropologists of China arose from his graduate fieldwork in Sichuan, contained in his classic monograph Marketing and Social Structure in Rural China. Although the People's Liberation Army confiscated Skinner's research materials in 1950, some were discovered among the files donated to the University of Washington Libraries after his death. Skinner's notes and photos bring to life this rare glimpse of rural China on the brink of momentous change. Professor of anthropology and environmental and forest sciences Stevan Harrell and professor of international studies and sociology William Lavely explore the fascinating story of Skinner's field research and how they came to publish his notes and photographs in the book, Rural China on the Eve of Revolution. Please join us to celebrate the book launch and accompanying exhibit of photographs and other original materials from Skinner's archive.

The exhibit is on view in Allen Library through mid-July.