Venereal diseases and colonial modernity : governance, medical discourses, and moral identities in Hong Kong and Shanghai

Abstract

This dissertation examines the governance of venereal diseases particularly syphilis in colonial Hong Kong and semi-colonial Shanghai from the late-nineteenth to the midtwentieth century. Disease control during this period functioned not only as a public health initiative but as a way of enforcing colonial authority and moral discipline. Through a comparative analysis of legal regulations, medical institutions, and media discourses, the study reveals how prostitutes were subjected to intensive surveillance and control, while males remained largely unregulated. It also explores the coexistence and interaction of Chinese and Western medical paradigms, especially as reflected in newspaper advertisements and public health narratives. These hybrid representations mirrored the shifting concepts of hygiene and disease, yet simultaneously reinforced the moral stigmatization of prostitutes as the primary vectors. In both cities, venereal diseases governance was closely intertwined with broader structures of gender, race, and class, shaping patterns of inclusion, exclusion, and blame. Ultimately, this study argues that venereal diseases control was not merely a biomedical effort, but a core component of colonial modernity. It contributes to a deeper understanding of colonial medicine, gender politics, and the cultural history of public health in modern China.