Xin Zhang's The Global in the Local examines familiar themes in Chinese and global history—war, commerce, and technology—from the perspective of Zhenjiang, a prefectural seat and commercial entrepôt in Jiangsu Province, located at the juncture of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal. In focusing on a city that is much less well known than places like Shanghai and Beijing, Zhang's goal is not only to produce a narrative that gives due attention to Zhenjiang's local history but also to contribute to conceptual discussions of the relationship between local and global processes. The book substantiates both Zhang's claim that Zhenjiang and places like it are viable and interesting focuses for research and his overarching argument that the agency of local actors was ultimately constitutive of global forces. A mix of weaknesses in the conceptual framework, narrative, and source base of the book do affect its quality, but sympathetic readers will...
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