Crossculturality: English Studies and World Literature in China

A collaboration between the Institute of World Literature, the Centre for Cross-Cultural Studies, Peking University, China, and The Ferguson Centre for African and Asian Studies, Open University, UK.

Venue:
Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China

Dates:
24-25 April 2008

The emphasis of this workshop is on the academic pursuit of the disciplines of English Studies (with an emphasis on English Literature) and World Literature (incorporating Comparative Literature) at an advanced level in China. The organisers invite presentations in the following areas:

A. English Studies:
(a) University and tertiary sector teaching: curriculum content at different levels and programmes and underlying assumptions/ideologies; the relationship between language and literature/culture studies in the curriculum; the delivery and assessment of the English Studies curriculum in the Chinese context (strategies, experiences, surveys etc.); English Studies in relation to other languages and literatures (Chinese, French, German etc.)

(b) Advanced level research: popular areas of research related to English Studies in China and developments therein; outlets for research (facilities of textbook, journal or monograph publication) and policies attached to that; research resources that are available and effects thereof on the conduct of scholarly activities.

(c) Professional and institutional environment: the role that is played by professional bodies relevant to English Studies active in China; the role of conferences and events; the role of institutional exchanges with institutions abroad; the relationship of English Studies to higher education policy and existing social conditions.

(d) Any of the above areas from an historical perspective: the history of the development of English Studies in China, and that history in comparison to the development of the discipline in other contexts.

B. World Literature:
(e) University and tertiary sector teaching: World or Comparative Literature curricula at different levels and programmes and underlying assumptions/ideologies; the negotiations between concepts of ‘World’ and ‘Comparative’ with regard to literature in the curriculum; the negotiation of translation and contexts in teaching and assessment of curricula; teaching of World Literature and Comparative Literature in relation to teaching of literature within a specific linguistic or national tradition.
(f) Advanced level research: popular areas of research related to World Literature and Comparative Literature in China and developments therein; outlets for research (facilities of textbook, journal or monograph publication) and policies attached to that; research resources that are available and effects thereof on the conduct of scholarly activities.
(g) Professional and institutional environment: the role that is played by professional bodies relevant to World Literature and Comparative Literature that are active in China; the role of conferences and events; the role of institutional exchanges with institutions abroad; the relationship of World Literature to higher education policy and existing social conditions.
(h) Any of the above areas from an historical perspective: the history of the development of Comparative and World Literature in China, and that history in comparison to the development of the discipline in other contexts.
C. English Studies and World Literature in relation to each other:
(i) How far have the development of the two academic areas in question, and their pursuit in the current context, in China overlapped or informed each other; the degrees to which disciplinary practice in the two areas at the levels of pedagogy, research and institutional mores comparable or contrastable. Presentations following a range of different methodologies are expected to figure in this workshop: based on specific institutional contexts or comparison of different institutional contexts or at a generalised national level; based on higher education experience (of teaching, research, administration) or based on surveys and documentation; analysing empirical data or providing an informed theoretical commentary. The organisers would prefer it if presentations weren’t predominantly prescriptive, and were largely devoted to analysing the history and current condition of the disciplines before speculating on the future or making recommendations for their prospects. All presentations will be opened to discussion and questions, and if time permits a closing session may be devoted to taking account of key observations made in the course of the workshop and examining prospects for these disciplines. Presentations will be of 30 minutes with 20 min. discussion after each.

Those wishing to make presentations should send an abstract and brief biographical note to Professor Zhao Baisheng and Professor Suman Gupta by 10 March 2008.

Organisers:
Zhao Baisheng
Professor of Comparative and World Literature
Director, Institute of World Literature
School of Foreign Languages
Peking University
Beijing, China, 100871
Email: bszhao@pku.edu.cn
Tel: 86-10-6275 4160(0)
Fax: 86-10-6276 5009

Suman Gupta
Professor of Literature and Cultural History, Literature Department
Joint Director, Ferguson Centre for African and Asian Studies
Faculty of Arts
The Open University
Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, U.K.
http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/Literature
http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/ferguson-centre
E-mail: S.Gupta@open.ac.uk
Tel: 0044 (0)1908 655244
Fax: 0044 (0)1908 653973