Award Date
12-1-2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Anthropology
First Committee Member
Barbara Roth
Second Committee Member
Daniel Benyshek
Third Committee Member
Alyssa Crittenden
Fourth Committee Member
William Bauer
Number of Pages
195
Abstract
This dissertation presents the first major investigation of the Asian Diaspora or Asian-American communities in the field of bioarchaeology, focusing on the contributions of Chinese immigrants during the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States between 1865 and 1869. Through archaeological and bioarchaeological analyses, this study sheds light on the experiences of these laborers, with a specific case-study of migrant labor exploitation during a time of xenophobia and ethnic cleansing. The research begins with a review of earlier studies of human remains from 13 Chinese men recovered from a cemetery in Carlin, Nevada. Building on this work, this dissertation seeks to provide a more contextualized view of exploited workers through use of recidivism data, collaboration that may improve future studies of structural violence and presents a comparative analysis of 131 skeletons of previously unconsidered Overseas Chinese situated against prior data on African and Euro-American workers across the 19th-century U.S.
The findings reveal the arduous toll endured by the Chinese railroad workers, evident in observed trauma, relatively low life expectancy and healed and fatal fractures, and oral and skeletal health reconstructions reflecting their relentless toil. The study introduces injury recidivism rates as a novel form of data and finds that the skeletal evidence is comparable to modern-day disadvantaged populations despite the workers' short-term work ended by Exclusion and ethnic cleansing efforts after 1882. Three collaborative studies, facilitated by the Chinese Railroad Workers of North America Project at Stanford University, incorporate skeletal data with the examination of medical artifacts, faunal remains, and preserved plant materials, providing insights into the health-related strategies employed by laborers. Through dietary practices, medicinal knowledge, and social ties the workers exhibited resilient agency despite exclusion and ethnic cleansing efforts.
This pioneering dissertation not only uncovers the exploitative violence endured by the Overseas Chinese laborers but also recognizes their enduring contributions to the industrialization and modernization of the American West. Despite the small sample size and ongoing nature of this work, a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of this historically significant population results affirming their vulnerability and resilience in the face of adversity. By employing a critical social bioarchaeological approach that considers bodily harms and wellness strategies this study sheds light on the challenges and experiences faced by the Chinese immigrant community. It represents a first step towards developing a bioarchaeological exploration of Asian Diasporas and Asian-American communities.
Keywords
Bioarchaeology; Ethnohistory; Historical Archaeology; Osteology; Paleopathology
Disciplines
Anthropology | History | Social and Cultural Anthropology
File Format
File Size
3090 KB
Degree Grantor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language
English
Repository Citation
Crandall, John Joseph, "Resilience on the Iron Road: A Collaborative Bioarchaeology of Overseas Chinese Laborer Exploitation and Exclusion (1850-1920)" (2023). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 4940.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/4940
Rights
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