Frank Dikötter

Frank Dikötter. He is a Dutch historian and author, best known for his influential and often controversial scholarship on modern China, particularly the Maoist era. A professor of humanities at the University of Hong Kong and chair of humanities at the University of London's SOAS, Dikötter has authored a trilogy of books examining the catastrophic human costs of Chinese Communist Party rule under Mao Zedong. His work, which draws heavily on previously inaccessible archival materials, has received major literary awards but has also faced significant criticism from some academic peers and Chinese officials.

Early life and education

Born in The Hague, Dikötter spent part of his youth in Switzerland before pursuing higher education. He completed his first degree in Sinology at the University of Geneva, immersing himself in the study of Chinese language and history. He then moved to the United Kingdom for doctoral studies, earning his DPhil in history from the University of Oxford under the supervision of the prominent scholar of China, John K. Fairbank. His doctoral research focused on the history of race and eugenics in modern China, a theme that would inform his early academic publications.

Academic career

After completing his doctorate, Dikötter held a research fellowship at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He subsequently joined the faculty of the University of Hong Kong, where he has served as a professor in the Faculty of Humanities. In addition to his role in Hong Kong, he holds the prestigious chair of humanities at the University of London's SOAS, dividing his time between the two institutions. His academic appointments have provided a base for extensive research trips to archives across Asia and Europe, and he has been a visiting professor at several universities, including Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Research and major works

Dikötter's research is defined by his use of archival sources to challenge official narratives of modern Chinese history. His early work, such as The Discourse of Race in Modern China, examined the intersection of Western scientific ideas and Chinese nationalism. He gained international prominence with his "People's Trilogy," which critically reassesses the Mao era. The first volume, Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958–1962, won the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2011. It was followed by The Tragedy of Liberation: A History of the Chinese Revolution 1945-1957 and The Cultural Revolution: A People's History, 1962–1976. These works argue that famine and state violence under the Chinese Communist Party resulted in tens of millions of deaths. His other notable publications include The Age of Openness: China Before Mao and How to Be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century, which analyzes figures like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Kim Il Sung.

Reception and criticism

Dikötter's work has polarized academic and public opinion. He has been lauded by many historians and journalists for bringing to light suppressed histories, with his books receiving positive reviews in publications like The Guardian and The Economist. His awards, including the Ryszard Kapuściński Award for Literary Reportage for Mao's Great Famine, underscore this recognition. However, his methodology and conclusions have been criticized by some China studies scholars, such as Joseph W. Esherick and Paul Pickowicz, who have questioned his statistical extrapolations and what they see as an overly deterministic portrayal of the Chinese Communist Party. Officials in the People's Republic of China have condemned his books, which are banned on the mainland. Critics also argue his later works sometimes lack the nuanced contextualization found in his earlier studies.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career, Dikötter has received several prestigious international awards for his historical writing. His most notable honor is the 2011 Samuel Johnson Prize (now the Baillie Gifford Prize) for non-fiction, awarded to Mao's Great Famine. The same book also won the Ryszard Kapuściński Award for Literary Reportage in Poland. He has been shortlisted for other major literary prizes, including the Orwell Prize. His research has been supported by fellowships from institutions like the British Academy and the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, cementing his status as a prominent, if contentious, voice in the field of modern Chinese history.

Category:Dutch historians Category:Historians of China Category:University of Hong Kong faculty Category:Samuel Johnson Prize winners