Abstracts accepted for 4th Annual Conference of Taiwanese Young Scholars in Europe

The disruption of identity: A construction of method for the interpretation of Buddhism

WANG Sing-Huan / PhD Candidate in Philosophy Studies, University Saint Denis

Abstract

The following is based on an examination of the Indian and Chinese histories of buddhism. In the Indian buddhism, there is an ancient debate between the theory of vacuity and the theory of existence, held respectivement by the Mahisasaka school and the Yogacara school. On the other hand, we can find in the Chinese buddhism a more recent debate between the substantialism and the thinking of the "nature of the Buddha". If we interpret the Indian debate from the point of vue of the opposition between the theory of conditional Coproduction and the ontology, it will be possible to integrate the Chinese one into it. At the same time, we will be able to question, in appealing to the theory of the conditional Coproduction of the Mahisasaka school, whether all buddhist ontologies go against a principle all buddhist theories share in common: "the vacuity of the phnomena and the absence of self".

The core of the traditional dispute lies in the following question: how could it be possible for the innate seeds located in the original nature, the consciousness and the nature of the Buddha, etc. to coexist with "the vacuity of the phenomena and the absence of self"? Series of works of the Yogacara and the nature of the Buddha reaffirm ceaselessly their position. However, unlike the radical idea proposed by the Mahisasaka school that all phenomena possess nothing like the root, how can the various buddhist ontological systems harmonize with "the vacuity of the phenomena and the absence of self" while preserving their own theoretical characteristics ?

What diverges fundamentally the theory of conditional Coproduction of the Mahisasaka school from ontological systems such as the Yogacara school and the thinking of the nature of Buddah, consists in that the former one proposes an absolute affirmation of the difference, while the latter ones call on the identity of the ultimate truth. In order to annihilate the identity searched by buddhist ontology’s while preserving their own theoretical approaches at the same time, I propose a three-phased inquiry: the functioning of Buddha's teachings, Buddha's intention and the doctrinal classification for practices at different levels. The aim is the construction of an interpretative method: interpretation of the doctrine by way of contemplation, and to consider the language of buddhist works as a guide for contemplation; a guide which has religious purposes and which is designed to be applied and adapted to situations. This method emanates from the functional signification of Mahisasaka school's language. Completed by the intention having led Buddha to the foundation of the religion, and the doctrinal classification, it is an operational interpretative method consisting of three principles: preservation of each theory's own approach, annihilation of the presupposition of the identity, and no controversy.

Keywords: buddhist ontology，buddhist hermeneutics

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Reign and Government: Bridging Political-Theology and Theological Economy

WANG Yueh-Cherng

Abstract

In 1922, public jurist and political theorist Carl Schmitt composed a thesis entitled ‘Political Theology: Four Chapters on the Concept of Sovereignty’ in which he asserts the existence of an affinity between juridical structures and political concepts on one side, and theological ones on the other side. In refuting, theologist Erik Peterson issued an essay ‘The Monotheism as Political Problem’ (1935) rendering all kinds of political-theological theses in negative from the perspective of the dogma of Trinity. Consequently, Schmitt published in 1970 an essay ‘Political Theology II: The Myth of the Closure of Any Political Theology’ as a retort to Peterson. The main stake in this prolonged debate straddling nearly a half century is clearly observable: could the political be viewed as a secularized idea of theology? In response, Giorgio Agamben, a contemporary Italian philosopher, retrieves lately this debate to set forth his unique perspective on the political-theological theory. With the aid of his methodological discourses of “Signature”, Agamben traces the genealogy of the concept of “Oikonomia” (Economy) in past theological and philosophical texts and he discovers, in this idea’s signature, the division of Reign and Government, thus forming a theological-economy paradigm. In fusion with the idea of “Providence”, this paradigm thereby revealed brings forth the Political in its modern from. As traversing through the signatures of these concepts with recourse to the genealogical research of Christian liturgies, Agamben indicates that the governmentality within modern political power is necessarily accomplished with the dimension of “Glory”. Both elements thus form a unified paradigm of Economy. Furthermore, building on Agamben’s insights, the present article seeks to examine the paradigms of political-theology and the theological-economy, with an aim to initiate a dialogue between these paradigms and other cutting-edge theories, say, Biopolitics and/or Govermentalty.

Keywords: political theology, Oikonomia, theological economy, Governmentality, Glory, Trinity, Signature, Giorgio Agamben, Carl Schmitt, Erik Peterson

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Political Entity and the Change of Constitutional Order - A different Approach to Carl Schmitt

YANG Shang-Ju

Abstract

The current Taiwanese political intellectuals often emphasize the concepts, “Identity”(Identität) and the homogeneous “political entity”(politische Einheit) as the hint to understand the constitutional doctrine of the German lawyer, Carl Schmitt. Therefore, this article attempts to deal with Schmitt’s concept of “Representation”(Repräsentation) and the “kommissarische Diktatur”(commissarial dictatorship) as a different aspect which was less attracted in Taiwan.

Despite the fact that Schmitt has a worldwide dramatic influence, he is known in Taiwan only for the last decade because of the controversy arising from the movement of the nation-building and constitutional change. Moreover, Schmitt’s thought is used to be compared with Hannah Arendt’s, and described him as a theoretical opponent of Arendt. His theory itself is omitted, due to those comparisons are most likely focus on Schmitt’s concept of the “political” - namely the decision on the “friend-enemy distinction” specifies the nature of politics. Therefore, it limits the argument concerning Schmitt’s theory that the state presupposes the political entity and the positivist Constitution presupposes the political will of it. Consequently, it leads toward the conclusion that the constitutional order is easily influenced by the people’s will at that time so that it can change frequent.

Besides the Arendt-Republican interpretation of Schmitt, the other face of Schmitt’s thought should not be ignorant, that is, for Schmitt: practically, the political will of all people must be represented. The President of Weimar Republic should be beyond conflicts between private interests in Parliament, and preserve the Constitution and the Weimar Republic. In case of emergency, the President could even suspend the constitutional law and restore public order through the “kommissarische Diktatur” as a mean. From this viewpoint, Schmitt’s thought does not so necessarily hang together with the change of the constitutional order, but also with its stabilization. This approach for stable order should provide a different way of thinking for the Schmitt-Research in Taiwan.

Keywords: Schmitt, Arendt, political entity, political will, constitutional order, representation, commissarial dictatorship

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Towards Multiple Modernities: A Case Study of Edward Yang’s Yi Yi

Wan-Jui Wang / PhD Candidate in Film Studies, University of Exeter, UK

Abstract

Since the last decade, images of urban space in transnational Chinese cinemas have dramatically shifted from divergence to convergence. In terms of cultural and economic flows of globalisation, this paper aims to develop an understanding of constructed colonial modernity by examining how urban spaces has been represented in transnational Chinese cinemas, in particular the case of Japan-Taiwan co-production. It also proposes the question how image of urban space is a dynamic contestation in the representation of border crossing, providing the formation of multiple modernities in East Asian context.

The paper looks at Edward Yang’s the last film, Yi Yi (2000) that has explored a transnational urban space in-between two capital cities, Taipei and Tokyo. Through the examination of his distinguished film language namely framing, long shot and mise-en-scène, we might take as an object of study the relation of authorship to the transnational imagination. The film not only poses a challenge to the model of national cinema through self-writing in the wake of and since the lifting of the martial law, but also portrays Japan as another Taiwanese ‘imagined homeland’. In constructing urban landscape, film showed images such as railway, train station and level crossing in which the Taiwanese constructed their collective memories. My conclusion will addresses to what extent and in what way various urban space can be associated with nostalgia, displacement and transnational identities.

Keywords: Multiple Modernities, Transnational Cinemas, Urban Space, Edward Yang , Yi Yi

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A Study of Cultural Identity Issues in J. M. Coetzee’s Youth

Huang, Yen-Chi / MA Student in Literary Studies, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Faculty of Arts

Abstract

The paper aims to analyze identity politics and cultural imagination in J. M. Coetzee’s Youth by the framework of Postcolonial writing. While the trend of colonized people return to the metropolitan center brings new changes to mobilize the existing social, cultural and political structure of the metropolitan center, these new arrivers also have to confront their relationships with their homelands and host countries. This paper analyzes the intriguing phenomenon of cultural identity through the reading of J. M. Coetzee’s Youth. The shifts of location and positiongenerate new recognition of home and homeland. Under such circumstances, issues need further investigation are: how does this postcolonial feature destabilize the fixed notion of cultural identity? As a result, the notions of identity politics need to be reexamined in their specific historical moments of being. It opens up new paths to examine the postcolonial situations and draws theoretical attentions to imperative issues of the colonial subject’s location and displacement after the colonial period as well as the construction of cultural identities.

Keywords: Cultural Identity, Identity Politics, Postcolonial Writing

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Staging Taiwanese History: Performance Analysis of Diasporic Identity and Hybrid Strategy in Wang Chi-Mei’s Mundane Orphan

Hu Tzu-Yun / Phd in Drama, University of Exeter, UK

Abstract

The play, Mundane Orphan, which was produced by Wang Chi-mei in the end of 1980s, the premiere was in 1987 and this play was commissioned by the National Theatre for a revival in 1992. This modern piece, which combined Taiwanese history, native Taiwanese music, many languages and folk theatre forms, was an endeavor to break out from the concept of singular national and cultural identity under the 38 years of purely Chinese culture, history and mandarin education of the KMT government. In this play, Wang made an effort to portray the diversity of ethnic culture and languages in Taiwan to shape an art form which can represent the ‘Taiwanese’ culture.

In this essay, I will first discuss the concept of hybrid in the postcolonial discourse. Then, I will analyze Wang Chi-mei’s theatrical productions, the premiere Mundane Orphan and the revival1992 Mundane Orphan II, in two respects: how the dramaturgy was employed and how the symbolic meaning of hybrid culture was embodied in her plays. Based on the discussion of hybridity of Mundane Orphan, I will further analyze how Hakka culture was utilized under this hybrid strategy. The contribution of this essay is to offer an alternative version to observe and explore contemporary performances to enrich discourse related to performance analysis inTaiwan.

Keywords: Hybridity, Diaspora, Mundane Orphan, Taiwanese history

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The Atheistic Opinions and Cultural Imagination of the literature-art group in 1930s Shanghai

Chen Shuo-win / Post Doctorate in Center of Chinese Study, National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations, France

Abstract

Scholars have been interested in the literature-art groups of 1930s in Shanghai modern cultural circle; it is often referred to as “modern literature-art group” to emphasize its modern characteristics which are different from the tradition, and quite affiliated with the French art. However, what kind of French aesthetic trends they embraced? What’s their interpretations of “modern art” that happened in the Shanghai context? How the interactions between literature and art concepts happened at that time? How they responded peoples’ enthusiasm about the discussion of building new nation? With this paper, I will illustrate my answers to these questions by examining some representative literature art combined magazines of 1930s in Shanghai, such as Three Opinions of Art(《藝術三家言》,1927), Apollo(《亞波羅》,1928-1936),L’Art(《藝術旬刊》,1931) ,which edited by the artists who have studied in France, such as Fu lei, Pang xunqin, Lin wenzheng…etc. By comparing and examining these texts, this paper attempts to present the features, conflicts and meanings of Shanghai modern literature-art groups’ literary productions of 1930s.

Under this framework, this article introduces the urban cultural field in 1930s Shanghai for mapping out the context for the emergence of these groups. Beyond, it will highlight the analysis of the contents of their literary and art opinions and cultural imaginations. I’ll take this paper as a point of departure to explore the different interpretation and complicated situation of “modernity” in modern China of 1930s.

Keywords：Modernity, 1930s Shanghai, urban literature and art, cultural imagination

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Great distance: Differences between Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants in Spain

(Gran distancia: Las diferencias entre inmigrantes chinos y taiwaneses en España)

Huang Chien-Lung / University Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, Toledo Campus, School of Humanities

Abstract

Immigrant lifestyle, history and cultural exactly concrete behave cross-cultural practice. Therefore, from different immigration who can see from the different countries of origin in different cultural phenomenon?

There are 15,754 in 1997, a Chinese legal residence in Spain. The end of September 2009, Spain's legal residence of the Chinese immigrants who have been 150,353, an increase of ten times, accounting for 3.19% of the immigrant population of Spain (sixth). However, Taiwanese immigrants in Spain has been maintained at about five hundred (some will be transferred to Spanish nationality), no significant change. Since China's economic reforms and globalization, the large number of Chinese people into the international migration system, a large proportion entering the EU. After 2000, China's economic rise along with the global economic crisis, the global market to move closer to the third world, China became the world an important role in political and economic. However, Taiwanese immigrants in Spain, the situation is entirely different. Most of Taiwan's immigration history is followed by Taiwan's domestic political and economic situation and decided to emigrate. In Spain, Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants contrast between the different cultural capital, and social capital is different. Similarly, Face Spain's social culture behave out de step culture phenomenon, concrete field reflect come out two countries people de great difference.

10,000 many kilometer, not just Spain and Beijing's come up to is Taipei's far away distance, much more Taiwan and Chinese culture's distance. Chinese people bring the imagination of nationalism into the European community. The people of Taiwan to Spain with a maritime character, spirit of adventure, or to seek a stable life (1949 after the failure of the Chinese civil war Chiang Kai-shek regime fled to Taiwan, some of the soldiers immediately try to emigrate to Spain during the reign of Franco.) They entered the Spanish community, to meet the social environment, both (Chinese and Taiwanese) produce different changes, and manifested in the life and community activities. What are the specific cultural differences and the phenomenon? What two countries immigrants have culture shock? How do they maintain their own social context? View this thesis in depth interviews with immigrants from Taiwan and China, to understand how they construct their social relations relative, the cultural phenomenon. Parallel two country's cultures far away distance.

Keywords: migration, culture shock, cultural capital, social capital

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The French Translations of Tchao-meï-hiang in the Nineteenth Century

LO Shih-Lung / PhD Candidate in Theatre Studies, University Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris III

Abstract

The Chinese tragedy Tchao-Chi-Cou-Eulh (“The Orphan of the Zhao Family) has been introduced to French readers in 1735, but the translation of Chinese comedy is rather late. Only when Bazin’s Théâtre chinois appears in 1838 can we find the comedy Tchao-meï-hiang(“Witty Meixiang”), which is literally translated from Zheng Guangzu’s play.

The plot of Tchao-meï-hiang is similar to Wang Shifu’s Si-Siang-Ki (“The Story of the Western Wing”), but the latter (translated by Stanislas Julien) will not be published until the late 1870s. In 1900, an abbreviated Tchao-meï-hiang is found in L’Universelle magazine. Several scenes are even played in the World’s Fair – the “Exposition universelle” – held in Paris in the same year. This event demonstrates the popularity of Tchao-meï-hiang, since most translated Chinese plays have never been performed in public.

Due to the reputation of Si-Siang-Ki, Tchao-meï-hiang is often considered by the Chinese intellectuals as a “plagiarism.” The writing style is furthermore despised because of its “overdone rhetoric” and “artificial style.” These drawbacks suggest the difficulties in translatingTchao-meï-hiang. Bazin’s translation, which focuses on the Chinese literary references and metaphors, results in verbose dialogues and probably a tedious comedy on the stage.L’Universelle, however, displays a relatively liberal translation in terms of paraphrasing and eliminating the Chinese/Bazin’s text. The “Alexandrine” poetic meter makes it more accessible to French audience. Besides, the cutoff text seems better to present a marivauxdage-style Chinese comedy. The translation of Tchao-meï-hiang in the nineteenth century is, therefore, not only an interpretation of a foreign drama, but also an artistic (re)creation of a sense of humor between two cultures.

Keywords: Tchao-meï-hiang, Bazin, Marivaudage, Translation, Yuan Theatre

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Orz: Between Medium and Education

WANG Po-Wei / PhD Candidate in Education Studies, Humboldt University, Germany

Abstract

This paper discusses the relationship between medium and education from the textspeak phenomenon. Textspeak originates from Taiwanese internet subculture, and then proliferates to the entire Chinese world. In other words, this phenomenon spills over the virtual world and affects our daily life. Chinese educators in Taiwan have serious concerns about this problem. The Association of Saving Chinese Education argues that insufficient training of ancient Chinese causes the problem of textspeak. The association suggests extending training hours of ancient Chinese to tackle this problem. Based on the medium theory, this paper argues that textspeak results from communication medium change and social structure transformation rather than insufficient training of ancient Chinese. We might misjudge the new medium phenomenon within an old social structure if we do not consider the foundation of language education from the perspective of medium. Such misjudge may turn well-intentioned policies into catastrophic outcomes. This paper concludes that we should construct a form that amalgamates contemporary images and words rather than extend training hours of ancient Chinese.

Keywords: Textspeak, Media, Image, Cognition, Social Systems

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The historical construction of civic consciousness and a comparative study of community practices in Taiwan

Chang, Yu-Hung / PhD student in Sociology, University of Birmingham, UK

Abstract

This research interrogates the historical development of Taiwanese Community University by deploying the comparative approach to analyze the construction of civic consciousness atWenshan and Yonghe Community Universities in Taipei. The central contentions are to examine why Community Universities develop in Taiwan, and then how civic consciousness is formed and is practiced in local communities.

This research, at an analytical level, is encompassed by historical analysis, the new institutionalism and urban community theory. More specifically, it is, first of all, to explore thehistory and the developing context of Community Universities. Secondly, it applies conceptssuch as institution, organization, material profit and resource to understand the construction relationship between structure and agency. Thirdly, it observes the National Association for thePromotion of Community Universities (NAPCU) in order to uncover the processes of legal institutionalization and organizational network. Fourthly, it uses the comparative approach to make sense of Community Universities in local practices.

Through historical analysis, this research can generalize three social facets to explain howCommunity Universities can be constructed in Taiwan including: (i) transformations of social movement and political democratization; (ii) the trend of community collective construction and local practice; (iii) Taiwanese educational reforms and the promotion of life-long learningsociety.

In terms of Taiwanese educational reforms and social practices, Community University, first of all, emphasizes the experiential knowledge of adult education in order to foster participators’subjective understandings. Secondly, it improves critical thinking and team spirits of participators via the academic discussion, activities of associations, and life and artistic courses. Thirdly, it promotes the liberation of knowledge and encourages the public to study withoutrequiring academic backgrounds. Fourthly, it raises community consciousness and focuses on grass-roots democracy. Fifthly, it cooperates with a variety of NPOs to improve democratic functions in local communities. Sixthly, it cultivates civic consciousness and enhances the development of civil society in Taiwan.

By comparison, both Wenshan and Yonghe Community Universities follow the principles of ‘the liberation of knowledge’ and ‘the enhancement of civil society’. However, the structure of regions and the composition of participators result in different strategies for Community Universities to construct civic identities in local communities. In particular, WenshanCommunity University has more financial supports from the local government and highlights the development of community collective construction. It also enthusiastically integrates local elites, NPOs and community residents to cooperate together. By contrast, Yonghe CommunityUniversity focuses on transformations of educational idea and the subjectivity of participators. It encourages participators to develop critical thinking and to build up their own social networks actively to organize diverse associations for joining in public affairs.

Keywords: Civil society, (New) social movement, Public sphere, Democratization study