Paola Calanca 柯蘭
Paola Calanca is currently Associated Professor at the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO, Ecole française d’Extrême Orient), and a teaching professor at the Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS). Since October 2022, she is the head of the EFEO Center in Hong Kong. She has carried out studies on Chinese government confronted by lawlessness problems on south-east coastal regions, focusing on Ming-Qing coastal defence, the interactions between civil and military populations in Fujian province, as well as the impact of the south-east coast situation on government maritime policy and action. While retaining these themes, in recent years she has focused her research work on navigational practices and shipbuilding between the 16th and early 19th centuries. This involved the coordination of two international research projects with Chen Kuo-tung (IHP, Academia Sinica): Maritime Knowledge for China Seas (16th-19th centuries), 2014-2019 (French ANR/Taiwanese MOST) and Navigational Practices for Asian Seas (16th-19th centuries), 2021-2024 (CCK Foundation). She is also preparing a book examining the history of Xiamen through urban epigraphic remains (moya shike 摩崖石刻, rock inscriptions). Like elements of a puzzle, these inscriptions give different reading keys from the traditional sources for the history of this harbour and suggest other historical aspects.