Transpacific Studies

Abstract

Abstract The Pacific has long been a space of conquest, exploration, fantasy, and resistance. Pacific Islanders had established civilizations and cultures of travel well before European explorers arrived, initiating centuries of upheaval and transformation. The twentieth century, with wars fought in and over the Pacific, is only the most recent era to witness military strife and economic competition. Recognizing the increasing importance of the transpacific as a word and concept, this anthology proposes a framework for transpacific studies that examines the flows of culture, capital, ideas, and labor across the Pacific, from Asia to the Americas, and the Pacific Islands. The introduction considers the advantages and limitations of models found in Asian studies, American studies, and Asian American studies for dealing with these flows. The editors argue that Transpacific Studies can draw from all three in order to provide a critical model for considering the geopolitical struggle over the Pacific, with possibilities for inequality and exploitation. Transpacific Studies sheds light on the cultural and political movements, artistic works, and ideas that have arisen to contest state, corporate, and military ambitions. The Transpacific as a concept illuminates how flows across the Pacific can be harnessed for purposes of both domination and resistance.

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