U.S. China Planning Visit: Roots of Technological Innovation and Change in Ceramic Traditions of Sichuan Province

University Of Delaware, Newark DE

Investigators

Abstract

This project will catalyze a long-term collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists to investigate mechanisms of technological innovation and change. Focusing on ceramic traditions of Sichuan Province, the specific research objective is to identify the circumstances that encourage and allow for the high level of experimentation that fosters technological change. Sichuan, in southwestern China, is an ideal location for studying long-term change, offering archaeological collections, historical archives, and modern potters who still work in a traditional manner, often in relatively isolated environments. Five main parameters that will be investigated are materials availability, production organization, geographic location, market types, and political stability. Research methods will involve a combination of field observations and interviews, mapping, historical and archival research, and laboratory analysis of representative ethnographic and archaeological ceramics. Developing a more sophisticated understanding of mechanisms underlying technological change is a central research issue in the social sciences, yet theory to explain the origins of technological innovation is sparse. This project aims to help fill that gap. Results from this work will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how and why technological change occurs in a variety of cultural contexts, especially ones that require adapting to challenging environmental and cultural issues. By understanding the factors that contribute to the flourishing of innovation, or to its suppression, it is more likely that our society can develop a supportive structure for technological experimentation, responsiveness to changing natural or cultural environments, and the ability to innovate when necessary for economic health.