A Definition and Methodology of the History of Contact Zone

Kee-Hyun Ban

This article proposes the history of contact zone as a resolution to overcome the current historical disputes between nation states about their borders and frontiers. Prof. Mary Louise Pratt has coined the theory of contact zone to describe the cultural interplay and hybridity that would occur in borderlands where different races, nations, and believers live together. Applying her theory to the methodology of historical research opens a new possibility to focus on the history of contact zone itself rather than of a border or frontier of a territorial state. The history of contact zone covers these three broad categories: 1) the contact zone of various races and nations embracing their cultures inside a state; 2) the contact zone between states; 3) a state that is situated in the contact zone between superpowers. As a sound example, I introduce the study of Roman limes of which European scholars from different countries are undertaking together in sharing the concept that the limes was neither a border nor frontier of the empire, but a borderland where the Roman culture was blended equally and evenly with indigenous cultures. Thus, using the term Romanisation to explain the cultural change in the borderlands has become a controversial topic among the scholars, especially the archaeologists of Roman Britain, who prefer acculturation, creolisation, discrepant identity, or globalisation to Romanisation. The history of the Roman empire is indeed the histories of those European countries. I also suggest that the kingdom of Armenia between Rome and Persia as another good example of the history of contact zone that falls into the third category. Given the current international relations strained by the closed nationalism of Russia, China, Japan, and the States, I expect the history of contact zone could reconcile their different and biased views stemmed from their historical background of imperialism.

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* 2022년 이후 발행 논문의 참고문헌은 현재 구축 중입니다.

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