“Reading the Global” Through Area Studies: A Comparative Perspective on the Field in British, American, and Chinese Universities

Building on Cowen’s idea of “reading the global”, this article analyzes the emergences of Area Studies (AS) in British, American, and Chinese universities during different historical periods of significant change in the world order. Drawing on relevant literature, I first demonstrate the metamorphosis of this field over time from classical to contemporary forms and currently toward more critical perspectives. Subsequently through an analysis of key policies and institutions, I argue that AS has emerged from competitions among great powers, reflecting a realist “reading of the global”.