David G. Atwill

My most recent research and writing has been for my just completed manuscript tentatively entitled The Chinese Mandarin: The Life of Lin Zexu, 1785-1850 (Oxford University Press, forthcoming). Despite Lin Zexu’s pivotal role in the Opium War, a comprehensive, book-length study of his life in English has remained surprisingly absent. This biography traces Lin’s journey from his early years in Fuzhou through his rise to prominence during the Opium War, concluding with his exile in Xinjiang, his service as Governor-General in northwest and southwest China, and his eventual retirement. Written specifically for undergraduates, this account utilizes Lin’s life as a lens through which to examine the global challenges facing the Qing dynasty in a rapidly transforming world.

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My early research focused on the 19th-century Panthay Rebellion, culminating in my first book, The Chinese Sultanate (Stanford, 2005), which was recently re-issued as The Panthay Rebellion by Verso Books in 2023 with a new preface by Tariq Ali. Following this project, I transitioned to a study of Tibet’s Muslim communities. Supported by a Mellon Foundation grant, this research enabled me to study the Tibetan language, conduct archival work in India, and travel to Lhasa, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Kathmandu for extensive oral history interviews. The culmination of this work resulted in the publication of Islamic Shangri-La (University of California, 2018 - available open access via Luminos). 

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Collaborating with several Chinese colleagues, I am also co-authoring a book tentatively entitled The Yunnan Chronicles: A Field Guide to Yunnan’s Past meant to serve as a public-facing introduction to Yunnan. Adopting a method pioneered by MacGregor's History of the World in 100 Objects, this book highlights specific moments, individuals, and material objects in time in order to introduce Yunnan’s history in new and challenging ways.​