James A. Millward

James A. Millward is a Professor of Inter-societal History at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of History. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Stanford University (1993), an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London, 1985), and a BA in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard (1983). Millward specializes in Qing imperial history, the Silk Road, Xinjiang studies, and cross-cultural musical exchanges across Eurasia.

• Research Interests: His work critically examines Sinicization narratives, the Qing tribute system, and the impact of colonial historiography on contemporary China's ethnic policies. He also explores musical instrument diffusion along the Silk Road, comparing lutes like the pipa and oud.
• Publications: Notable works include Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang (2007, 2021), The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction (2013), and chapters in edited volumes analyzing Qing multiculturalism and cultural assimilation frameworks.
• Academic Leadership: As former president of the Central Eurasian Studies Society (2010) and contributor to the International Studies Association award-winning Culture and Order in World Politics (2019), Millward bridges historical analysis with modern political discourse.
• Media Engagement: A frequent contributor to The New York Times, Washington Post, and international media, he provides expert commentary on Xinjiang, Uyghur issues, and China-West relations.

His current projects include a study of lute cultural exchange and the book Decolonizing History in China, challenging exceptionalist narratives in mainland historiography.