Between Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism: Chinese Perspective on Science and Humanism, and Chinese Interaction with UNESCO, 1930s–1940s

Abstract: Set up in the ashes of war, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is well known for its humanisticemancipatory outlook. UNESCO expanded its scope of action to include science, and its humanistic vision was first embodied in the concept of scientific humanism held and promoted by the founding figures Julian Huxley and Joseph Needham. Alongside Western actors, the Chinese were also actively engaged in the debates about science, humanism, and UNESCO, bringing with them perspectives rooted in China's intellectual traditions yet shaped by its modern encounters with the West. This article traces the trajectory by which China sought to reconcile science and humanism, culminating in its contributions to UNESCO's formative discussions during the late wartime and early postwar years. It examines how Chinese actors warmly embraced UNESCO's cosmopolitan ideal and scientific humanism while seeking to bridge these with indigenous humanistic traditions, particularly Confucianism. Drawing on multisite archives, this study elucidates Chinese attitudes and strategies in articulating scientific humanism and engaging with UNESCO, revealing a dual paradox: the fusion of cultural nationalism and cosmopolitanism and of pragmatism and idealism. It argues that these efforts reflected China's intricate internal dynamics and the contested politics of the global arena.