Although trained as a historian of East Asia and World history, Heselton’s work maintains a global multi-disciplinary perspective in all of his work, enhancing his understanding and teaching of history and global studies at UNL. His research ranges from contemporary East Asian pop culture and media, US-China political tensions, and contextualizing East Asian history and its interactions with the rest of the world. In particular, Heselton is interested in the ways in which globalization has shaped and redefined society and culture in East Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as the way East Asia has impacted globalization throughout history. Heselton sees his mission as acting as a cultural and academic interlocutor, striving to build engagement and connections between East Asia and U.S.
His doctoral dissertation, Saving the People from Fire and Water: Post-war Reconstruction after the Taiping Civil War, 1864-1894, focused on issues of post-war institutions, trauma, war memory and commemoration, refugees and veterans following one of the largest conflicts in human history.
Prior to UNL, Chris lived in Beijing, China for seven years and travelled through much of East Asia. Heselton speaks Chinese, Classical Chinese, Spanish, and Korean.
Courses
- GLST 201: Introduction to Global Studies
- ANTH 351: Exploring Cross Cultural Diversity: Peoples and Cultures of East Asia
- ANTH 214: Food and Culture
- GLST 280: Colonization, Decolonization, and Globalization