On 15 May 2025, the European Commission organized an online meeting with stakeholders, including representatives from different areas of science that are using (or could use) AI in their research projects. Other ERC grantees alsotook part in that event as representatives of their respective scientific domains.

Christian Henriot was selected by the European Commission as one of the researchers/ERC grantee invited to contribute on this reflection. This was a great opportunity to provide direct input to policy makers about what initiatives the Commission could put in place to facilitate the use of AI in science.

The online workshop event was organised by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission and the Directorate General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). The event aimed to gather perspectives on AI and discuss the future European Strategy for AI in Science, with a focus on identifying the challenges and opportunities associated with the integration of AI in scientific research.

Join authors Cécile Armand, Christian Henriot, and Nora Van den Bosch in a lively discussion about their latest edited volume, “Modern China in Flux: Networks, Mobility, and Transformation.”

This recorded book talk highlights innovative approaches using network analysis to explore diverse historical themes such as Sino-US grassroots relations, trans-Pacific alumni networks, the mobility of engineers, women’s networks, Chinese students in Belgium, Taiwan family networks post-1945, and the role of industrial elites.

The book emphasizes flexible methodologies and encourages historians’ creativity, serving as a valuable toolbox rather than a rigid template. “Modern China in Flux” is available open access. Read, share, and explore the dynamic transformations shaping modern Chinese history. Watch the conversation and delve into how networks can unlock new insights into historical transformations.

The book presentation will be followed by a live Q&A session starting at 10:30 a.m. (Paris)

Register here (access is free):

https://modernchinainflux.eventbrite.fr

J’ai le plaisir de vous annoncer la parution en open access de l’ouvrage collectif Modern China in Flux: Networks, Mobility, and Transformation (De Gruyter), que j’ai dirigé. Cet ouvrage explore la société chinoise à travers la notion de réseau—en tant que concept, réalité sociale et méthode—afin d’en révéler toute la complexité et la fluidité, dans une période charnière allant de la fin de la dynastie des Qing au début de la République populaire

Issu d’un workshop international co-organisé par le projet ENP-China et l’Institut d’histoire moderne de l’Academia Sinica, ce volume rassemble des contributions de chercheurs européens et taïwanais. Vous y trouverez, entre autres, des études sur les réseaux d’affaires, les technocrates, les femmes, les élites taïwanaises, ou les réseaux d’alumni sino-américains.

L’ouvrage est disponible en accès libre—n’hésitez pas à le découvrir et le diffuser !

The Hamburg Buddhist Biographies Workshop, held on February 14–15, 2025, brought together scholars of pre-modern and modern Chinese Buddhism alongside experts in Digital Humanities for an intensive and stimulating roundtable discussion. Organized by Leo Maximilian Koenig and Dr. Carsten Krause at Hamburg University, the workshop fostered an environment of collaborative exchange, encouraging both seasoned and early-career researchers to engage deeply with various aspects of Buddhist biographical studies.

Unlike conventional academic conferences, this workshop lived up to its name by facilitating genuine discussions rather than formal presentations. Structured around four keynote talks, followed by three thematic discussion sessions, participants were encouraged to contribute short statements and engage in open exchanges. This format allowed for a dynamic and interdisciplinary dialogue, bridging the gaps between different methodologies and scholarly traditions.

In particular, the intersections between traditional textual scholarship and digital methodologies emerged as a key theme. Participants discussed the relationship between hagiographies, (auto-)biographies, and historiographical sources, as well as how modern tools like social network analysis and geographical mapping can reshape our understanding of Buddhist history.

As a keynote speaker, I had the opportunity to present on “Between Digital Archives and Algorithms: A Historian’s Approach to China’s Biographical Data.” This talk explored how digital tools and computational techniques—such as named entity recognition, topic modeling, and network analysis—can enhance our ability to extract and interpret biographical data. Using the Shenbao corpus and the Modern China Biographical Database as case studies, I highlighted both the opportunities and challenges posed by digital methodologies in historical research.

Other keynote speakers reinforced this digital perspective. Jen-Jou Hung (Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts) introduced the Buddhist Authority Database, emphasizing its role in structuring and integrating Buddhist biographical records. Daniela Campo (University of Strasbourg) examined the evolution of autobiographical expression in the Chan Buddhist tradition, while Carsten Krause, Leo Maximilian Koenig, and Leon Woltermann (Hamburg University) explored how community-based encyclopedias like Chinese Wikipedia and Baidu Baike contribute to biographical research on contemporary Chinese Buddhism.

Throughout the two days, it became clear that Buddhist biographical studies stand at a methodological crossroads. While traditional philological and ethnographic approaches remain essential, digital humanities provide exciting new avenues for research. The workshop highlighted the potential of computational methods for data standardization, visualization, and large-scale analysis, which can complement and expand upon conventional close reading techniques.

Beyond methodologies, the event underscored the value of a collaborative and open academic environment. Participants were eager to share insights, challenge assumptions, and explore new research directions together. As I noted in my closing reflections, “I certainly learned a lot more from all of you and about the extensive and varied field of Buddhist studies. These are rare opportunities, and Carsten and his co-organizers have succeeded in making a true workshop—one filled with genuine conversations and exchanges—happen.”

For those working at the intersection of biography, Buddhism, and digital methodologies, the Hamburg workshop was a unique space to test ideas and forge connections. As scholars increasingly “board the digital train,” our paths are bound to cross again.

Christian Henriot

À l’occasion de l’achèvement de la base de données des dossiers de bagnard.e.s, les Archives nationales d’outre-mer à Aix-en-Provence, sont heureuses de vous inviter aux journées d’études sur les bagnes coloniaux, les mercredi 20 novembre de 9h30 à 17h et le jeudi 21 novembre 2024 de 9h30 à 12h.

Nous vous prions de bien vouloir trouver le programme et les informations pratiques en pièce-jointe.