Ian Matthew Miller

Ian Matthew Miller is an Assistant Professor of East Asian history at St. John’s University in New York. His research explores the intersection of social and environmental change, with a focus on property rights and forestry in early modern China. He is actively engaged in bridging local case studies and macroscopic trends through digital humanities methodologies.

• PhD in History from Harvard University (2015)

Research Interests: Dr. Miller’s work centers on environmental history, land-use practices, and computational approaches to historical analysis. He investigates how ecological systems and human societies interact over long timescales, particularly in premodern China. His current book project examines the evolution of forestry governance and property rights during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Projects:

• Tax Data in Song, Yuan, and Ming Gazetteers: Analyzing fiscal records to understand environmental and social dynamics in premodern China.
• Wood Rights and Forestry in Ming and Qing China: A study of legal frameworks and ecological practices in forest management.