Nicola Di Cosmo

Nicola Di Cosmo is the Luce Foundation Professor in East Asian Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Historical Studies, where he has been a faculty member since 2003. Previously, he held academic positions at the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and the University of Canterbury (New Zealand). His research focuses on the complex historical relationships between China and Inner Asia across millennia, with particular expertise in nomadic empires and cross-cultural exchanges.

Education

• Ph.D. from the Department of Uralic and Altaic Studies (now Central Eurasian Studies) at Indiana University (1991)
• B.A. from Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia (1982)

Research Interests

Professor Di Cosmo specializes in the history of relations between China and Inner Asia from prehistory to the modern period, with particular focus on steppe nomadic societies and their interactions with sedentary civilizations. His work bridges traditional historical methodology with innovative approaches from climate science and paleoclimatology to understand the complex dynamics of empire formation, military conflict, and cultural exchange across Eurasia.

His research examines how environmental factors interacted with political, economic, and social forces to shape historical developments, particularly in the context of nomadic empires like the Xiongnu, Mongols, and Manchus. By integrating proxy data from climatology and other paleosciences, he has pioneered new approaches to understanding historical events that were previously explained through purely political or cultural frameworks.

Publication Trends

Di Cosmo's recent publications demonstrate a significant shift toward interdisciplinary research that combines historical analysis with climate science. His work increasingly focuses on using paleoclimatic data to reinterpret key historical events, particularly the rise and fall of nomadic empires in Inner Asia. The recurring themes in his scholarship include the relationship between environmental stress and political collapse, the role of climate in shaping military campaigns, and the complex economic exchanges along the Silk Road that connected disparate civilizations across Eurasia.

Scientific Awards and Honors

• 2001 New Zealand Royal Society, Marsden Fund Grant
• 1995 Harvard University, Milton Fund Grant for Research in the People's Republic of China
• 1992 Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation, Research Fellowship
• 1990 Center for Chinese Studies, Taipei, Research Grant and Residency at Academia Sinica
• 1988 Institute of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Rome, Research Grant to study at the Research Institute of Asian and African Cultures, Tokyo

Academic Contributions

Professor Di Cosmo has established himself as a leading scholar in the field of East Asian and Inner Asian history through his extensive publications, including monographs such as "Ancient China and Its Enemies: The Rise of Nomadic Powers in East Asian History" (2002) and "Manchu-Mongol Relations on the Eve of the Qing Conquest" (2003). He has also edited significant works including "Military Culture in Imperial China" (2009) and "The Cambridge History of Inner Asia" (2009).

His current research explores the application of proxy data from climatology and other paleosciences to historical studies of China and Central Asia, with special reference to early Eurasian nomads, the Mongol empire, and the Qing dynasty. This innovative approach has positioned him at the forefront of interdisciplinary historical research that bridges humanities and sciences.

Collaborative Work

Di Cosmo has been instrumental in facilitating collaborative research among historians, archaeologists, and scientists on projects combining climatic, material, and textual evidence. His work on the Mongol and Turkic empires through relatively limited case studies has yielded significant insights into how environmental factors interacted with political and social forces in historical developments.