Charles Sanft

Charles Sanft is a Professor of History of Premodern China in the Department of History at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on early imperial China (Qin and Han dynasties), legal history, ritual practices, and comparative manuscript cultures, with significant contributions to understanding ancient Chinese governance and social structures.

Education:

• July 2011: Habilitation, Chinese Studies, University of Muenster
• August 2005: PhD, summa cum laude, Chinese Studies, University of Muenster
• June 2000: MA, Chinese, University of Minnesota
• March 1996: BA, History and East Asian Studies, University of Minnesota

Professor Sanft specializes in the social and legal history of early imperial China, examining how manuscript cultures, ritual practices, and legal frameworks shaped societal organization. His work bridges textual analysis with archaeological evidence, particularly from excavated materials like the Liye and Dunhuang manuscripts. He investigates communication systems, state control mechanisms, and the ideological underpinnings of Qin and Han governance, revealing nuanced interactions between written law and practical administration. His research demonstrates how ritual and legal traditions co-evolved to maintain imperial authority while accommodating local practices.

His publications from 2022-2011 reveal consistent thematic focus on legal reasoning, manuscript transmission, and ritual-state relationships in early China. These works appear in premier venues like the Journal of the American Oriental Society and Early China, spanning monographs, journal articles, and handbook chapters. The research demonstrates methodological rigor in combining transmitted texts with newly excavated materials, establishing Sanft as a leading scholar in reconstructing premodern Chinese bureaucratic and cultural systems through interdisciplinary approaches.

Scientific Awards:

• James Henry Breasted Prize for best book on history prior to 1000 CE (American Historical Association)
• Joseph Levenson Prize Honorable Mention (Association for Asian Studies)
• Fellow, American Council of Learned Societies
• Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
• Member, Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton)

As an active faculty member, Professor Sanft mentors graduate students in Chinese history and contributes to departmental leadership. His fellowship appointments at major research centers demonstrate sustained scholarly impact. While specific grant details aren't provided, his prestigious fellowships indicate substantial research support for projects involving manuscript analysis and historical reconstruction. His work continues to shape methodologies in early Chinese historical studies through rigorous engagement with both textual and material evidence.