另类视角的技术史研究——《技术与性别:晚期帝制中国的权力经纬》述评

20世纪70年代以来,女性主义理论与方法对科学技术史研究的影响日趋明显。白馥兰作为研究中国科学技术史的美国学者,积极将“社会性别”的视角运用到对中国技术史的研究中。她的《技术与性别:晚期帝制中国的权力经纬》一书通过对中国古代建筑技术、纺织技术与生育技术的性别解读和历史梳理,揭示了中国古代性别观念与技术相互影响、相互建构的动态关系,展现了新视角应用于技术史研究的可能性与独特魅力。这一工作为中国技术史开拓了广阔的研究空间,同时还表达了对传统技术观的挑战与对传统编史观念的反思。

An Alternative Approach to History of Technology: A Review of Francesca Bray's Technology and Gender: Fabrics of Power in Late Imperial China

Since 1970s, feminist theory and methodology have greatly influenced the studies on the history of science and technology. As a famous American scholar studying the Chinese history of science and technology, Francesca Bray actively adopted the perspective of gender in her Chinese case studies. In her book entitled Technology and Gender: Fabrics of Power in Late Imperial China, she first looked at the material shell of Chinese family life, then examined the meanings of the productive work that took place there, and finally focused on the women's quarters and the marital chamber. It is suggested in the book that new perspective can broaden the scope of Chinese history of technology and make one retrospect the traditional view of technology and the studies of history of technology.