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China-West Studies
The cultures of China and the West, especially Anglophone cultures, have exerted influence over each other for centuries. More productively, they have offered interpretations of each other’s culture in ways that contribute to an understanding of their self-identities. An example is Sinology, a Western discipline that has its roots in traditional Chinese scholarship but is now having an impact on how China regards its old "feudal" culture.
The interactions between China and the West typically have in recent years been examined from political or economics perspectives, but there is great scope for looking at this relationship from a cultural perspective.
"Both China and the West have been studied in many ways and venues," said Professor K.H. Louie of the Faculty of Arts and convenor of the China-West Studies research theme. "Here, we want to look at what happens in the cultural realm when these two major civilisations come into contact."
HKU is pre-eminently suited to be a global leader in this field. Many of our scholars have an academic interest in this cultural perspective and its implications for society. The Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Law are developing new cross-disciplinary research in China-West studies and two examples are described below.
The Chinese diaspora
It used to be that the Chinese diaspora consisted of Chinese who had scattered to other countries overseas. Increasingly, though, there is a new factor in the mix. Greater numbers of overseas Chinese are returning to Hong Kong and mainland China, and emigrants who went abroad are returning, bringing new perspectives on identity.
A body of literature has been produced by these returnees and HKU scholars are studying them for insights into their sense of self and place and other issues of identity.
"There’s a lot of interesting work in this area, in terms of looking at people moving around and the cultural products that result," Professor Louie said. "Hong Kong is a particularly fascinating place because it is at a crossroads between China and the West and people come and go all the time. It’s a perfect place to study the diaspora issue."
Our researchers are also bringing together experts from around the world to share views and knowledge about different diasporas. Several conferences are in the works and will result in books and other publications.
Culture-led development
Creative industries in Hong Kong have long been left to fend on their own. However, the government increasingly recognises the need to have a cultural policy and offer support to these industries so they can flourish and develop. The question is, where and how do you begin?
HKU researchers have been offering ideas, bolstered by their extensive connections in the creative industries and their cross-disciplinary insights from Social Sciences and the Arts. For example, quantitative research into the film industry is being analysed from a creativity perspective and scholars are trying to identify the best ways forward through qualitative methods.
The use of space for cultural and social enterprises is also being studied. The government is making more such space available, but how to put it to the best use is a subject of debate. A pilot project is being planned by our researchers to be implemented with a non-government organisation.
"The government is starting to develop a cultural policy and we are providing input for them through our research," said Dr M.M. Szeto of the School of Humanities. "We need to reassure business and the government that these programmes can work."
The outcome will not only contribute to Hong Kong’s cultural policy, but also provide insights on its practical implementation. Researchers also plan to examine cultural policy and the use of space in mainland Chinese cities.
