Abstract

This study seeks to complicate our understanding of Orientalism and imperialism by examining the life and work of David Crockett Graham, a Baptist missionary, anthropologist, naturalist and educator who worked in Sichuan province, China between the years of 1911 and 1948. The paper analyzes the unique intellectual culture of the West China Border Research Society, an organization in which Graham was active, and inspects Graham's attitudes and beliefs through his interactions with the local population. Sources include academic writings by Graham and his colleagues; secondary sources on Orientalism, imperialism, missionaries, and modern science; and archival materials such as missionary reports and personal letters. Results suggest that D.C. Graham did not fit the standard conception of an Orientalist scholar, as a variety of cultural and political influences shaped his singular identity.