The Hidden Integration of Eurasia: East–West Relations in the History of Technology
The Hidden Integration of Eurasia: East–West Relations in the History of Technology

Summary/Abstract: “East” and “West” have long been prominent categories in the history of technology. The historical literature that claims to deal with comparisons or connections between East and West from a technological point of view is rich and fascinating. Yet, so far there has been no attempt to succinctly summarize or synthesize the main findings. This article takes afirst step towards such a synthesis. It does so by addressing technological interaction between three broadly defined geographical regions: (1) Western Europe and North America; (2) Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia; and(3) the non-Russian Far East. The article suggests that East–West studies in the history of technology can be divided into three sets, which would benefit from greater interaction with each other: studies of East–West and West–East technology transfer; studies comparing the evolution of Eastern and Western technological levels and technological “styles”; and studies of large technical systems that materially interconnect East and West.

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