The Global Turn in the History of Science

Abstract

This essay discusses the recent rise of interest in the global history of science. It first explains the central characteristics of this new scholarly development and distinguishes it from the earlier projects of studying science in a world-historical context pursued by George Sarton and Joseph Needham. It then identifies and critiques two images or models that have been widely adopted by scholars to discuss science in a global context, namely, circulation and trade. Finally, the essay considers the relationship between the global and the regional and suggests that it is time for East Asian STS to take a global turn.