Elizabeth O’Brien Ingleson is Assistant Professor of International History at the London School of Economics. She earned her doctorate at the University of Sydney, and held fellowships at Yale University, the University of Virginia, and Southern Methodist University. She currently serves on the editorial board of the journal Cold War History.
A compelling work about a period of US–China relations that is receiving increasing attention. From the lifting of the US trade embargo to the first tentative import partnerships to burgeoning manufacturing, Ingleson traces how American business’s view of China transformed from a land of ‘400 million customers’ to one of ‘800 million workers,’ a series of gradual perception shifts that added up to a sea change. -- Joyce Mao, author of <i>Asia First: China and the Making of Modern American Conservatism</i> In this original, well-researched book, Ingleson sheds new light on the emergence of US–China trade relations in the 1970s. With sharp analysis and effective storytelling, she shows how labor unions, textile workers, bankers, self-styled ‘China hands,’ and entrepreneurs of various stripes saw China as both an opportunity and a threat. In the process, she expands our understanding of the diverse voices and interests that shaped this pivotal trade relationship. -- Jason M. Kelly, author of <i>Market Maoists: The Communist Origins of China’s Capitalist Ascent</i>