Tong Lam (PhD, University of Chicago) is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto Mississauga. His research employs critical infrastructure studies, media studies, and STS to explore the politics and poetics of mobilization in China’s special zones in the socialist and postsocialist eras. He also creates research-based visual art to reveal hidden evidence of state- and capital-driven violence, fostering dialogue between his research and creative work. His fellowship research project is titled Secrecy as Spectacle: Dust, Sand, and Cloud in China’s Atomic Age. Tong is one of our 2024-25 JHI Faculty Research Fellows.
What are your main research interests and what excites you most about them?
At the moment, my main research interests are situated at the intersection of infrastructure studies, science and technology studies, media studies, Cold War studies, and modern and contemporary Chinese history. I am particularly interested in rethinking the global Cold War through the history of national sacrifice zones in various contexts. Developed in parallel by self-centric, contending geopolitical rivalries, these often restricted and secretive exceptional zones were designated for resource extraction, heavy industries, and weapons testing.
What project(s) are you working on at the JHI and why did you choose it (them)?
At the JHI, I am working on two interconnected projects. The first is a book monograph, Secrecy as Spectacle: Sand, Dust, and Cloud in China’s Atomic Age, which examines China’s entrance into the global nuclear arms race through the stories associated with the country’s former special zones built for that purpose. Additionally, a related project involves visual essays and a photobook on global secret cities and restricted zones developed for Cold War mobilizations. Not all of these were nuclear-related, but they are all remnants of the global Cold War in various contexts. In China, for instance, many of these places have been designated as industrial and military heritage sites for tourism today. Yet, they also contain the environmental and social consequences of early industrial and military mobilization.
I always work on many (perhaps too many) projects at the same time. But for now, I want to fast-track these, in part because of the world we are in. In addition to climate change and other pressing environmental issues, the return of the nuclear arms race, the tech war, and the resurgence of new geopolitical rivalries all make these issues too important and urgent. While this may sound intellectually exciting to some, it is also depressing to see that the world is in such a dismal state.
How has your JHI Fellowship experience been so far?
Our fellows, including students, all have incredibly interesting research projects. I have enjoyed my intellectual encounters so far, as conversations with other fellows often spark new ideas and directions. Overall, JHI has really offered a very conducive and supportive environment for research, writing, creating, and conversation. I feel very privileged to be part of the community.
Why do you believe the humanities are important?
We are now in the age of AI, and there has been much talk about disruptive technologies, automation, and the relevance of the humanities. So far, we have seen that AI has been quite effective in assisting with computer coding, medical diagnoses, legal services, and technical learning. However, as a tool, AI is heavily shaped by human culture, creativity, and knowledge—elements that are foundational to the humanities. Therefore, while it is important to move beyond the human-centric approach to understand the world, I believe that the humanities are more important than ever in our times. In fact, datasets that train AI systems rely at least partially on humanistic knowledge in a broad sense, even as institutions, corporations, and governments increasingly prioritize STEM subjects over the humanities. Recently, there has been discussion about how AI may help manage nuclear crises, including nuclear conflicts. This is precisely why humanistic interventions—such as ethics, empathy, and critical thinking—are crucial in guiding decision-making.
Can you share something you read/watched/listened to recently that you enjoyed/were inspired by?
I recently watched Perfect Days (2023), directed by Wim Wenders. The film explores social connections and the simplicity in everyday life through the story of a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. I enjoyed the film, especially since Wim Wenders is one of my favourite directors. Perfect Days reminded me of some of my favourite road movies of his, including Paris, Texas (1984) and Alice in the Cities (1974). It is fascinating to reflect on the evolution and consistency of the themes, aesthetics, and music in these films, despite their changing contexts. I particularly appreciate Paris, Texas, as it resonates with my earlier photographic work in the American Southwest, and Perfect Days reminds me of that earlier, epic film, despite their very different settings.
What is a fun fact about you?
I am an election data junkie. I like to call a race before the major networks do. These days, between this and my current research on the history of nuclear arms race, I guess I’m already living in a dystopia!