U.S. China Planning Visit: Roots of Technological Innovation and Change in Ceramic Traditions of Sichuan Province

该项目将促进美国和中国科学家之间的长期合作，以研究技术创新和变革的机制。以四川省的陶瓷传统为重点，具体的研究目标是确定鼓励和允许促进技术变革的高水平实验的环境。四川位于中国西南部，是研究长期变化的理想地点，提供考古收藏品，历史档案和现代陶艺家，他们仍然以传统的方式工作，通常在相对孤立的环境中。将调查的五个主要参数是材料可用性，生产组织，地理位置，市场类型和政治稳定性。研究方法将涉及实地观察和采访，绘图，历史和档案研究，并代表人种学和考古陶瓷实验室分析相结合。发展一个更复杂的理解机制的技术变革是一个中心的研究问题，在社会科学，但理论来解释技术创新的起源是稀疏的。该项目旨在帮助填补这一空白。这项工作的结果将有助于更全面地了解技术变革如何以及为什么在各种文化背景下发生，特别是那些需要适应具有挑战性的环境和文化问题的文化背景下。通过了解促进创新繁荣或抑制创新的因素，我们的社会更有可能发展出一种支持技术实验的结构，对不断变化的自然或文化环境做出反应，并在必要时为经济健康而创新。

This project will catalyze a long-term collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists to investigate mechanisms of technological innovation and change. Focusing on ceramic traditions of Sichuan Province, the specific research objective is to identify the circumstances that encourage and allow for the high level of experimentation that fosters technological change. Sichuan, in southwestern China, is an ideal location for studying long-term change, offering archaeological collections, historical archives, and modern potters who still work in a traditional manner, often in relatively isolated environments. Five main parameters that will be investigated are materials availability, production organization, geographic location, market types, and political stability. Research methods will involve a combination of field observations and interviews, mapping, historical and archival research, and laboratory analysis of representative ethnographic and archaeological ceramics. Developing a more sophisticated understanding of mechanisms underlying technological change is a central research issue in the social sciences, yet theory to explain the origins of technological innovation is sparse. This project aims to help fill that gap. Results from this work will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how and why technological change occurs in a variety of cultural contexts, especially ones that require adapting to challenging environmental and cultural issues. By understanding the factors that contribute to the flourishing of innovation, or to its suppression, it is more likely that our society can develop a supportive structure for technological experimentation, responsiveness to changing natural or cultural environments, and the ability to innovate when necessary for economic health.