Kenneth Pomeranz

Kenneth Pomeranz is the University Professor of Modern Chinese History at the University of Chicago in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC). Previously taught at the University of California, Irvine, his research spans late Imperial and twentieth-century China, comparative world history, and global economic systems.

• Research Focus: Reciprocal influences between state, society, and economy; origins of the world economy through mutual regional influences; comparative studies of labor, family organization, and economic history.
• Current Projects: A history of Chinese political economy from the seventeenth century to the present; a book titled Why Is China So Big? exploring China's political unity despite its vast size.

Scientific Awards and Fellowships:

• John K. Fairbank Prize (twice)
• World History Association Book Prize (shared)
• Guggenheim Fellowship
• American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow

Publications: Key works include The Great Divergence, The Making of a Hinterland, and The World that Trade Created. His articles address topics such as labor-intensive industrialization, global environmental history, and Qing state-building.