ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

The Establishment of a Developmental Research System: Chinese Ocean Science (1956-1980)

• In Event: Science, Authority, and Circulation

English Abstract

This article explores the evolution of marine science in China from 1956 to 1980. Distinct from "curiosity-driven" or "market-driven" models, a marine science research system serving national development was established in China. Drawing upon diverse marine survey records, scientific archives, and oral history interviews, this study argues that—marked by the formulation of the "Twelve-Year Science and Technology Plan" in 1956 and the establishment of the State Oceanic Administration in 1964—China established a research paradigm that deeply integrated developmental mandates, administrative authority, and technical expertise.Under this paradigm, marine science was strongly production-oriented and focused on solving localized problems; the establishment of sub-disciplines often took shape reactively during the execution of various national missions. Despite extreme resource scarcity and geopolitical blockades, unique innovative achievements were realized in fields such as ocean wave theory and storm surge research. These successes were driven by mechanisms including "mission-led discipline formation," "military-civil fusion," the "integration of indigenous and modern methods," and "mass mobilization." This study reveals how a latecomer nation constructed a unique knowledge production system by reshaping the organizational logic of science, providing an empirical case for understanding diverse pathways to scientific modernization.

Author

• Zheng Jian, Fudan University