This two-day, in-person workshop is an interdisciplinary workshop exploring how American Catholic missionaries documented, interpreted, and engaged with China during its Republican era (1912–1949). Drawing on the Passionist China Collection at the Boston College Ricci Institute, the workshop brings together scholars of history, religion, literature, and digital humanities to examine missionary archives as sources of social history, visual culture, and transnational exchange. Through case studies, methodological reflections, and forward-looking discussions, the workshop highlights the enduring scholarly and public value of missionary collections in understanding modern China, US-China relations in history, international history, and global Catholicism.

This event is presented by The Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College & Congregation of the Passion, St. Paul of the Cross Province

Due to limited space, participation, including lunch on Thursday, April 16, is by
 invitation only. To attend, please write by April 10, 2026 to: Dr. Xiaoxin Wu,
Director of Research, Ricci Institute, at: xiaoxin.wu.2@bc.edu