Formalism, as it existed between 1914 and 1930, is regarded as the central driving force behind the establishment of literary research as a literary theory sui generis. This process of theorizing literary studies, which had previously been either hermeneutically inspired, positivistically grounded or essayistically liberated from any systematic approach, essentially proceeded via an approach to literature as a technogenic art form. In other words: to think in terms of literary theory means, in the sense of the formalists, to understand literature technically. Shklovsky's “Technique of Literary Mastery” (Technika literaturnogo masterstva, 1930) gets to the heart of this approach.

This relationship between literature and technology has (at least) five sub-aspects in the writings of the formalists, which by no means unite as a consistent theoretical paradigm of the “formal method”. Rather, they mark a spectrum of partially interrelated, but also competing models. In my paper, I would like to outline these dimensions as (1) the conceptualization of the genesis of the literary work as a crafted artifact, (2) the integration of literary production into the production processes of industrial modernity, (3) the relationship of literature to the technical medium of film, (4) the adaptation of the natural and technical sciences for the purposes of literary theory, and (5) the dissection of the literary text into data sets.

Novelists of the early-modern period were often also members of literary salons and practiced the literary games that served as entertainments in the salon assemblies: improvising a sonnet line by line as a group, painting a portrait with words, or compiling a shared story from an imagined sequence of letters. This talk argues that these games were more than just entertainments. They provided a key technology for the developing genre of the novel in the sense that they enabled novelists to model the creative process of compositing a novel. This argument for games as a technology draws on work in extended and embodied cognition (Hutchins 1998; Noë 2017; Cave 2015; Kukkonen 2019), suggesting that literary practices work as technologies of for the human imagination.

I will take Les jeux d’esprit (1701) by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force as my main example to show how novelists developed games systematically to rethink her practice as a writer, and how smaller literary games lead to an exploration of a final “jeu du roman” (game of the novel), where all these elements are assembled. La Force draws on the gamebooks of the Italian Renaissance, where games as a creative technology draw on early-modern protocols of rhetorics (Bolzoni 2012), but she also deploys the gallant, aesthetic dimension of gameplay with its spontaneity and flow (Viala 2021) – thereby bringing together the contrasting aspects of ludus and paidia (Callois 1958) in the same text.

From Dorrit Cohn to Lisa Zunshine, a great deal of work in narratology has engaged with the representation of characters' mental processes. The focus on formal techniques has been complemented, in recent scholarship, by an interest in how the evocation of fictional minds speaks to recent developments in cognitive science, including the embodied and socially situated nature of mind.

However, this body of work has tended to downplay the question of the technological mediation of mental processes. In cognitive science, work under the rubric of the "extended mind" by Andy Clark and others has shown that the mind is scaffolded and enhanced by a wide range of technological practices. Conversely, technology provides a set of metaphors for understanding mental experience (think about the computational metaphors of first-generation cognitive science). This paper explores how algorithmic technologies, particularly on social media platforms, are inspiring new ways of presenting characters' minds in contemporary fiction. Through their well-known tendency to polarize emotional and moral content, social media represent a cognitive infrastructure that shapes users' psychological propensities. The paper explores how contemporary fiction is developing formal resources to capture the impact of these technologies on the level of characters' "mind style," to use Roger Fowler's terminology.

My examples include Jenny Offill's Weather and Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This, two recent novels by US authors who use typographical and stylistic devices to recreate the forms of thinking that are commonly associated with social media, from meme-like irony to short attention spans. I will argue that these texts function as both an exploration of the psychological impact of computational culture and a critique of the biases it introduces in public discourse.

Historically based primarily on literary models (Booth 1961, Kermode 1967, Pavel 1980), almost all theories of fiction have now become inter- or trans-medial since the rise of intermedia studies (Helbig 1998, Müller 2000, Méchoulan 2003) in the 1990s. None of them can altogether dispense with a reflection on the constraints imposed on fiction by the text as a specific medium, insofar as literature in itself has become a special case, instead of the universal model, of the worldwide use and consumption of fiction, and is increasingly marginalised in this role by the expansion of series via streaming. However, literary theory has always given considerable attention to the constraints and possibilities associated with the specific technologies used by different types of fiction (Schaeffer 1999, Paige 2021), whether in the study of particular literary genres (poetic composition games, commedia dell'arte, mystery novels) or in the study of the different material formats of fictional discourse (oral, written, digital, ludic, interactive, etc.). This paper will focus on the way in which the affordances of these different formats are taken into account by theories of fiction, and the role they play in its definition.

Around the 4th century CE, Buddhism was introduced to the Korean Peninsula. In the second year of King Sosurim’s reign in Goguryeo (corresponding to the second year of Emperor Xiaowu’s reign during the Eastern Jin, Hsien-an period), in the sixth month of summer, the Former Qin ruler Fu Jian sent envoys along with the monk Shundao, delivering Buddhist statues and scriptures. The king dispatched envoys in return to express gratitude and offer tribute. In the spring of the fifth year, the Xiao Men Temple was established to accommodate Shundao. Additionally, the Yifolan Temple was founded to house the monk Adao. These events are considered the earliest recorded evidence of Buddhism’s introduction to Haedong (ancient Korea). Subsequently, activities centered on revering the Buddha and seeking blessings gradually flourished.

The importation of Buddhist scriptures and treatises from Central China to Korea began as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. According to the Samguk Sagi (Historical Records of the Three Kingdoms), Volume 4, Annals of Silla, under King Jinheung’s reign, in the 26th year and ninth month, the Chen dynasty sent the envoy Liu Si and the monk Mingguan to establish diplomatic relations and presented more than 1,700 volumes of Buddhist scriptures and treatises. During the Tang dynasty, the pursuit of Buddhist learning in Tang China became a prevailing trend, accompanied by the large-scale transmission of newly translated Buddhist texts eastward. Alongside these developments, significant transformations occurred in the religious landscape of the Korean Peninsula.

The thesis "A Comparative study of ecological thoughts in children's literature between East and West -- taking China and Germany as examples" mainly explores the heterogeneity and homogeneity of ecological thoughts in children's literature between China and Germany. The thesis is carried out from five aspects: first, it is about the history of Sino-German children's literature exchange and mutual learning; second, it is about the origin, generation and development of Sino-German children's literature ecological thoughts; then, it is about the isomorphism of Sino-German children's literature; and then it is about the heterogeneity and mutual learning elements of Sino-German children's literature ecological thoughts. Finally, it discusses the feasible ways for the future writing of ecological works of Chinese and German children's literature and the cultivation of children's ecological consciousness.

Abstract: The Minnan term cuò (厝), signifying dwelling, home, and homeland, transcends mere physical shelter. This ethnographic study, grounded in fieldwork within Minnan villages, reveals the “cuò” as a vital socio-ritual apparatus for managing the continuum of life and death. Etymologically rooted in Classical Chinese, “cuò” historically encompassed meanings of "placement" and "temporary interment." Villagers conceptualize an ideal “cuò” – termed "hó-sè ê cuò"(好勢的厝, a well-situated/favourable dwelling) – as requiring a specific spatial configuration: a front courtyard (chêⁿ, 埕) for productive activities (farming, animal husbandry) integrated with the residential structure (chhù, 宅), forming a cohesive chhù-chu (厝宅) unit. Within this space, complex thanatological practices unfold. Households enact "chng-pu̍t" (裝佛), enshrining effigies for kin who died unnaturally and thus lack ancestral hall veneration; these deities are affectionately called "a-pu̍t" (阿佛). Rituals for those dying naturally occur in the lineage ancestral hall (chó͘-chhù, 祖厝). Post-mourning, marked by the "ōaⁿ-âng"(換紅, changing to red) ceremony, involves affixing red couplets to the new cuò’s entrance and conducting "sóeⁿ-tûn" (筅塵), a thorough cleansing to expel impurity and welcome renewal. The liminal dead, known as "lâng-kheh"(人客, guest people), are appeased annually during the Pó͘-tō͘ (普渡) festival. Elaborate paper houses ("lâng-kheh-chhù", 人客厝), paper clothing ("lâng-kheh-saⁿ", 人客衫), and feasts are offered to them on the "gō͘-kha-ki"(五腳基), the covered arcade outside the main door. Through these intricate rituals enacted within and around the cuò, villagers negotiate mortality, placate the deceased, and seek blessings for household prosperity and wellbeing. Thus, the cuò emerges as a profoundly "hó-sè" space – a meticulously curated locale for the placement and relational intertwining of life and death.

Dubbed the “Black Venus” of the “Roaring Twenties” and the Jazz Age, American-born black female performer Josephine Baker made her fame as an icon of black cultural production in Paris via the bold presentation of her racialized and sexualized bodily performances such as the banana dance. Although she never gained the equivalent reputation in the United States, Baker’s Parisian career allowed her to subvert Western ideals and stereotypes of Black womanhood by simultaneously embracing, exaggerating, and satirizing the exoticized tropes projected onto her as a Black woman performer. Her self-styled “raced femininity” utilized body, movement, and theatricality to challenge exoticizing narratives, performing the desired “exotic” and “erotic” on the variety stage under the colonial “othering” gaze while showcasing Black female creative autonomy and ingenuity in the context of black transnationalism. Through an analysis of her sensational performances in 1920s and 1930s Paris, this paper explores how Baker deployed her body and stagecraft to challenge racial and gender norms, using her transatlantic celebrity as a platform to critique and redefine conceptions of Black femininity. Positioning Baker’s transnational performances parallel to her peers, vaudeville blueswomen active in 1920s America, where she was denied, this paper contends that Baker’s embodied performance of race and gender in a European setting exemplifies how Black women in the early 20th century used transnational stages to carve out new spaces for agency and self-expression that transcended geographic and social boundaries. Through the strategical use of performance as a means to craft self-determined narratives, Josephine Baker’s transnational performances resonate as dynamic expressions of Black artistic agency, racial identity, and gendered self-fashioning.

To make their stories more accessible for new readers, superheroes have their origins and defining moments updated regularly. However, due to the eternally repeating nature of comics, any innovations or changes are soon reversed, and the narratives return to their original status quo. The much-hyped 1992 Death of Superman multi-crossover storyline is a prominent example, when after the eventual return of the Man of Steel even his hairstyle would soon revert to the original.

One of the writers who had a more lasting impact on the characters they tried to redefine is Frank Miller with his two runs on Daredevil. In his first run (#168-#191, 1981-1983) he transformed Bullseye and the Kingpin into major adversaries of Daredevil and introduced his love interest/ninja-assassin Elektra. In his second run Miller, with artist David Mazzucchelli, wrote his ultimate Daredevil storyline: Born Again (1986). In this 7-issue (#227-#233) series Miller had Daredevil meticulously destroyed by the Kingpin, so he had to be reborn to defeat his archenemy. All the characters mentioned above, and the story patterns established by Miller are still major elements of the Daredevil storyverse, even in the current series, restarting with #1 in 2023. This paper aims to analyze Miller’s lasting impact on Daredevil and comics.

In my presentation, I explore how "The Wicked + The Divine" by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reimagines superhero narratives by queering archetypes and blending Western traditions with global mythological reinterpretations. Set in a world where reincarnated gods drawn from various myths and religions enjoy fame and power only to die within two years, this series uses superpowers as extensions of (queer) embodiment, rejecting the expectation of superheroes to conform to normative heroics. Thus, members of the Pantheon embody superhero archetypes in ways that disrupt traditional good-versus-evil binaries as their superpowers (and their use) are fluid, plural, morally ambiguous, and culturally transformative.

Drawing on queer theory and comics studies (most notably research on the intersections between mythology and superhero genre), I explore how the series queers the ethics of superpowers by linking it to broadly understood queerness and intersectional identity. To start with, Lucifer queers the archetype of a rebellious superhero by rejecting rebellion as duty, using flames as an act of personal and performative defiance. Moreover, Inanna subverts the super-heroic healer archetype by blending care and intimacy as well as defying expectations of altruistic sacrifice. Baal’s leadership reveals the compromises of systemic power, queering the archetype of a leader by exposing the burdens tied to fame and ethnic and racial identity. Finally, I bring together all the elements of the presentation and highlight how by engaging with diverse mythological traditions (including South Asian, Japanese, and Mesopotamian) and subverting the superhero archetypes, the series critiques the universality of Western ethics of heroism.

A comic book cover becomes a threshold across which multiple meanings and contrasting ideas manifest themselves. Divorced from the sequential order of the comic, the encounter with the cover more closely resembles the encounter with a painting than a comics page. Functioning as a singular work of art, a comic cover captures a snapshot, a fleeting moment, the pulse of the story, a dominant affect, a dynamism that one must brace for, or a bold style.

The comic book cover incorporates the reader in an active meaning-making process. The unnerving depictions of monstrous figures presented on Metal Hurlant absorb the beholder into the face of the monster. I argue that the gaze, as theorized by John Berger and Laura Mulvey collapses the tenuous divide between heroes and villains, self and other. The monstrous other performs a pivotal deconstructive function in its “subversive relationship to established epistemic binaries” (Sewel, Tom. Spirit in the Gutters, 2023. 158). The monstrous body, as a source of this epistemic instability, is not only the object of our gaze but also a gazing subject. Compelled by the doomed urge to classify or categorize the monster, the reader’s gaze becomes the first interpretive act of the comic reading experience. In their unstable significations, comic covers evade such easy interpretation.

Through the dual processes of projection and objectification, I argue that visual depictions of otherness lend themselves to a complication of the hero villain dichotomy, and the starting point for this complication is cover art. I analyze a selection of Metal Hurlant covers published between 1975 to 1980, as well as classic superhero covers as the earliest visual representations of heroism in Superman (the 1938 cover of Action Comics #1) and Batman (1939 cover of Detective Comics #27), interrogating whether heroism is signified in these graphic depictions or imposed retroactively. I analyze the necessity of sequentiality in Sergio Toppi’s comic Sharaz-De: Tales from the Arabian Nights. Gaze theory, as an active interpretive tool, deconstructs comic covers, explaining how such visual depictions of otherness demand theorization before text can unpack every possible interpretation.

I show how cover art raises interesting questions regarding otherness and its representations. Metal Hurlant covers encapsulate thematic concerns through amalgamation instead of simplification, rejecting neat archetypes in favor of strange bodies trembling with potentialities.

Over the last 70 years, the superhero has grown from one genre among many in mainstream US/UK comics into the most prominent genre of graphic narrative in both the US and UK. From the brightly-coloured moral certainties of the Golden and Silver Ages to the fraught and trammeled, ethically ambiguous figures of millennial comics, the figure of the superhero has often been used as a weathervane to understand the tensions and anxieties of its contemporary era.

This paper argues that this seeming flexibility of the superhero figure is misleading, and that in actuality, the figure of the superhero has always been, and is always already, an avatar of fascist politics of one kind or another. While such figures may be deployed to diverse political ends, in the forms of satire or parody, I argue that the idea (still held by many progressively-minded comics writers and scholars) that the superhero can be rehabilitated or recovered from its inherently fascist origins is an illusion.

I analyze some of the works of the British Invasion writers, including Moore, Morrison, and Ellis, to develop a critique of the fascism of the superhero through close attention to the precise configuration of the figure of the superhero in their works (Watchmen, The Invisibles, Planetary). I look at representations of the most prominent superheroes of bygone eras, and read their political valences through Fredric Wertham, Walter J. Ong, and Umberto Eco. I look at key moments in comics history, from Captain America punching Hitler, to Judge Dredd delivering summary justice to perpetrators, to think about how the figure of the hero (and especially the superhero) in comics conditions the reader to desire “the blandishments of strong men who will solve all their social problems for them – by force” (Wertham 34).

I use the theory of Rey Chow to think about how the idealization of the individual is the central aesthetic principle of fascism, and turn that apparatus towards superheroes to show how even where the figure of the superhero is deployed as satire it cannot avoid running foul of the tendency to idealize, idolize and ideologize.

Digital adaptation has transformed classic literary texts, reshaping their themes, aesthetics, and cultural significance. This paper examines how Pride and Prejudice (1813) and its digital adaptation, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016), reimagine key themes such as gender, class, and social mobility through technological mediation. While Austen’s original novel critiques 19th-century marriage norms and class structures within the refined spaces of drawing rooms and country estates, the adaptation merges romance with action-horror, turning the marriage market into a battlefield. This transformation not only subverts traditional gender roles but also reinterprets social hierarchies in a post-apocalyptic setting, where survival is as critical as social status. Elizabeth Bennet, once constrained by the expectations of her time, becomes an empowered warrior, demonstrating physical strength alongside her intellectual independence. Mr. Darcy, too, is reimagined as a brooding fighter, reinforcing yet complicating his aristocratic privilege. Through this genre hybridity, the adaptation challenges the boundaries between high and popular culture, recontextualizing Austen’s social critique for a contemporary audience. By analyzing how digital media affect narrative structure, thematic development, and audience reception, this study explores how technology reshapes the cultural legacy of Austen’s novel. Ultimately, this paper argues that digital adaptation extends the critical discourse of Pride and Prejudice, not only preserving but also reinterpreting its core themes, highlighting the fluidity of literary tradition in the digital age.

This paper delves into the harsh realities of European imperialism in Africa, with a particular focus on the atrocities committed in the Congo. Through the perspective of Marlow, the narrator who journeys to Africa to command a steamboat for a Belgian company, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness offers insight into the destructive consequences of colonialism. The novel not only reflects the historical events of the 19th century but also critically examines the concept of “civilization” as a colonial construct used to justify exploitation. The study explores how the notion of civilization was manipulated to oppress African populations, serving as a myth to veil the brutal nature of imperial conquest. It also highlights the multifaceted destruction brought by colonialism, ranging from the violent subjugation of native peoples to the environmental degradation caused by the relentless extraction of natural resources. Furthermore, the character of Kurtz symbolizes the psychological and moral collapse of the colonizer, illustrating how the imperial mission corrodes the very individuals who pursue it. Ultimately, the novel portrays civilization not as a force for progress but as a deceptive ideology masking greed, domination, and human suffering.

Carol Churchill, a British considerable dramatist in the late twentieth century, first came to prominence as a major playwright in the 1980s. The primary theme that Churchill addresses in her novel is that of gender politics, which are imposed on individuals by a patriarchal society. Churchill demonstrates how women throughout the ages cannot escape from patriarchal systems and why some of them accept dominant patriarchal ideologies and exposes questions about women’s roles in Top Girls. By describing different types of female characters and how they succeed as women, Churchill criticizes the established social and economic norms and how they affect women. We can see that in the Nijo and Griselda characters and how such social standards affect their identities. Despite being from different eras and cultures, Nijo (a 13th-14th century Japanese courtesan) and Griselda an obedient wife in Western literature in Caryl Churchill's play Top Girls share a number of important similarities and endurance through their life experiences and roles in the play.From the moment of his birth, Nijo is selected for the role of concubine to the Emperor, a position that entails the fulfillment of sexual duties. Griselda is a character based on the figure of the obedient wife in Chaucer's "The Clerk's Tale" from "The Canterbury Tales. The present article explores the question of whether obedience is valued in society or whether fighting against it brings success to women.

This paper examines L’abécédaire de la littérature: K comme Kafka as a case study to explore how the broader literary project of the L’abécédaire de la littérature字母會 series engenders a singular moment wherein “Taiwan Literature as Kafkaesque.” Through the interventions of eight contemporary Taiwanese authors – Yang Kailin楊凱麟, Yen Chung-Hsien顏忠賢, Hu Shu-wen胡淑雯, Chen Xue陳雪, Tong Wei-ger童偉格, Luo Yi-chin駱以軍, Huang Chong-Kai黃崇凱, and Pan Yi-Fan潘怡帆 – the L’abécédaire de la littérature does not merely pay homage to the literary experience marked by the name Kafka, but necessarily betrays it. Such a betrayal, this paper argues, opens up a distinctive writing/juridical space specific to the contemporary spatio-temporal coordinates of Taiwan. This space may further render thinkable a radical reconfiguration of the “afterlife” of Taiwan literature. This paper seeks to offer a philosophical intercession by first posing the speculative premise “What if Kafka had been to Taiwan?”. Thus, outlining the possible and impossible conditions of encounter between Kafka and Taiwan literature. Finally, it proceeds to analyze the intensities of six selected works within the volume and concludes by articulating how these plural literary practices refigure the actualité – the contemporaneity and realizability – of Taiwan literature.

The contemporary Irish playwright Conor McPherson believes that Irish people are naturally attracted by "the beyond". McPherson’s use of the supernatural, particularly his concept of “the beyond” as a means of engaging with the quest for Irish identity in the twenty-first century. In plays such as The Weir, The Seafarer, The Night Alive, and Girl from the North Country, McPherson explores the liminal space between the living and the dead, the known and the unknown, through ghosts, mysteries, and unexplained phenomena. “The beyond” represents a realm that transcends experience, inviting his characters to confront forces beyond their understanding, often linked to historical trauma, personal reckoning, and societal transformation. This paper argues that the supernatural in McPherson’s works is not only a narrative device but a profound reflection on contemporary Irish identity. McPherson’s plays offer a unique perspective on how contemporary Irish identity grapples with its past while searching for meaning in an increasingly uncertain world.

With the arrival of internet forums, fan groups of different literary and narrative universes reimagined their favorite characters in various situations without breaking them out of the world they were built in and originating what is now known as fanfiction. Soon, these plots became not only variations of the main story, but also re-tellings of classic literature, like Pride and Prejudice or The Beauty and the Beast. This allowed readers to expand the fantasy world of their choice and enabled an informal writing academy that offered already well-built fantasy worlds and well-known and loved characters to play with as well as immediate feedback from their readers.

These platforms soon evolved into offering both fanfictions and original works and now, twenty years later, they have become the editorial world and the reading habit fosterers’ savior. Still a writing academy, the audiences find books that meet their tastes through topic tags like “romance”, “agegap”, and “family”. Writers can know how many people read their chapters and how high their works are in the ranking of each category within the community. As happened with social media, if said works are popular enough, the writers might even be rewarded monetarily through the platform.

The success of this formula resides in how fast writers can write and adapt to the readers’ demands and trends and, while linguistic and literary skill is appreciated, an addictive plot with the right ingredients are the only requirements. This contribution will explore these requirements and if a human hand is even needed to produce what these platform readers look for with the aid of an AI content generator.

Just like we once swapped homecooked meals for fast-food chains, are our young readers imposing a taste for fast-books?

What can literature tell us about bureaucracy that philosophy or political science cannot? This presentation introduces the concept of bureaucratic fiction—a narrative mode that explores the aesthetics, ethics, and affective dimensions of administrative life. From Kafka to contemporary television series like Severance, fictional works have long portrayed bureaucracies not merely as backdrops but as dynamic, often grotesque systems of power and meaning-making.

Bridging literary analysis with political theory, I trace the historical evolution and global diffusion of bureaucratic fiction across genres and media. These narratives uncover how institutions are constituted and contested through language, paperwork, and ritualized procedure. Drawing on thinkers like Castoriadis, Foucault, and Weber, I argue that such fictions dramatize the shared suspension of disbelief at the heart of both literature and political authority. Whether comic or dystopian, analog or digital, bureaucratic fiction offers vital insights into how administrative systems shape—and are shaped by—human experience.

As high-tech modernism replaces paper trails with algorithmic decision-making, bureaucratic fiction remains a crucial site for political reflection, where the absurd and the everyday converge. By turning our attention to clerks, forms, and filing systems, these works help us grapple with the paradoxes of governance, legibility, and control in the 21st century.

Futurism is usually considered to be a series of explorations and practices across genres and media centered in Italy and Russia in the first half of the 20th century. But with the hindsight of the 21st century, Futurism has a greater temporal and spatial depth. If we experimentally define Futurism as a long-term trend of thought that focuses on the future, explores and imagines the changes caused by technological development, especially changes in production relations, social structure and world order, then we will start from the first wave of Futurism centered on the European continent, go through the second wave of Futurism (Futurology) centered on the United Kingdom and the United States, and arrive at the third wave of Futurism that emerged after the Cold War, that is, the Global South Futurism as the theme of the panel.

Starting with Afrofuturism proposed by Mark Dery in 1993, the non-Western futurism movement, which mainly emerged in the Global South, has become a grand spectacle today, including but not limited to Arab/Gulf Futurism, Latinx Futurism, Chicana Futurism, Sinofuturism, and Indigenous Futurism. Writers and artists in the Global South use a variety of forms such as science fiction, folk music, documentaries, digital images, and installation art to express the true feelings of ethnic groups and individuals who are caught up in the deepening globalization, reject ideological imagination of the future, and develop a local and world vision that reflects the cultural self-awareness of the Global South. The significance of this imagination is to strive for the right to define the future (as part of cultural hegemony), that is, the power/right to portray, write and predict the future world picture, life pattern and invention.

Our panel is dedicated to the discussion of Global South Futurism of various regions and forms. We especially welcome the following topics: How does Global South Futurism understand the past, present and future? How to view the relationship between locality (particularity) and globality (universality)? How to transcend the Western/North-centered imagination of the future? What role does Afrofuturism (African Futurism) play in the rise of Global South Futurism? How does Global South Futurism move from literary and artistic creation to social practice? How do the imaginations of the future of the South and the North communicate?

A global narrative refers to the overarching stories and interpretations that connect diverse historical events, cultures, and societies on a transnational scale. It provides a cohesive lens through which global interrelations, exchanges, and continuities are examined, shaping collective understandings of world history and culture. While works such as Cloud Atlas and Sense 8 are frequently discussed as exemplars of global narratives, they predominantly emerge from Northern perspectives. This paper examines how two Argentine science fiction works, Héctor Germán Oesterheld's seminal comic El Eternauta (1957-1959) and Samantha Schweblin's novel Kentukis (2018), contribute to global narratives by offering alternative perspectives on technological advancement, crisis management, and cultural identity from the South. Drawing on Raewyn Connell's Southern Theory, which advocates for decolonizing knowledge and amplifying the voices of the Global South, this paper argues that these works challenge the Nothern-centric narratives of the future while reflecting on the local struggles, aspirations, and cultural realities. Oesterheld’s El Eternauta grapples with an external crisis: a post-apocalyptic world where a small group of survivors must navigate both alien and political forces, utilizing technology as a means of survival and resistance. In contrast, Schweblin's Kentukis delves into an internal crisis, interrogating the commodification of intimacy and the ethical implications of surveillance technologies in a near-future setting where personal autonomy is increasingly mediated by invasive digital systems. Through these texts, the paper posits that Global South Futurism is not merely a critique of Western technological hegemony and political dominance, but also an assertion of the right to define the future, advocating for a more inclusive global humanity. By emphasizing cultural identity and local agency, both works offer alternative visions of the future that resist the ideological framework of the Northern imagination.

From the perspective of Nigerian-American writer Nnedi Okorafor, "Afrofuturism" has diverged from African experiences, aesthetics, and value systems, relegating Africa to the margins once again by prioritizing the concerns of African Americans. Consequently, she has introduced the concepts of "Africanfuturism" and "Africanjujuism," which place greater emphasis on African localization. Among these, "Africanjujuism," with its focus on “animism”, serves as an indispensable lens for understanding the unique characteristics of African science fiction. the influence of “animism” on modern life counteracts the notion of modernity as a linear movement towards progress.However, within the theoretical framework of Western literary criticism, animism is often defined as a pre-modern, tribal belief system or as a tool employed by African intellectuals to resist Western modernity discourse. This, in turn, obscures the complexity of indigenous African knowledge production. Africanjujuism, on the other hand, does not situate African knowledge in relation to European discourse. Instead, it conceptualizes animism as a polysemic space, emphasizing the materialism and unconscious dimensions of this traditional belief system. Although artistic practices rooted in Africanjujuism possess a mystical quality, they are capable of embedding themselves within economic, cultural, and social spheres through their unique cognitive frameworks. They propagate within the normative networks of society, influencing the cultures and subjects within these networks and becoming a driving force for collective subjectivity. Africanjujuism not only highlights the infinite interplay between the real world, the spiritual world, and the future world in African science fiction but also vividly demonstrates the complex dialectical relationship between tradition and modernity.

Mou Zongsan (1909–1995) was the focal point of academic attention in the 1990s, but discussions about his thought have gradually diminished in the 21st century. This decline can largely be attributed to the general academic consensus that there are misinterpretations and fabrications in Mou's thoughts. However, these discussions often approach his ideas either from a Western philosophical perspective, a Confucian traditional standpoint, or a focus on isolated concepts, with little attention given to Mou’s overall philosophical system. This paper attempts to address this gap by using political practice as the primary framework, weaving together Mou Zongsan’s key concepts of "inner sage," "outer king," and "judgment of teachings," in order to present these ideas within his own philosophical system.

Firstly, Mou Zongsan’s concept of "inner sage" is centered around what he calls a "moral metaphysics," which affirms the human capacity for "intuitive wisdom" — an innate ability to directly perceive the ontological reality. This allows the subject’s actions to be immediately connected with the moral essence. His metaphysical construction is aiming to reconcile the relationship between mind and matter at an ontological level, thus paving the way for his new conception of the "outer king." Therefore, critiques of Mou’s ontology should not be equated with Kant’s concept of the "thing-in-itself."

Secondly, Mou Zongsan introduces the concept of "the fall of moral consciousness" to enable Confucian spirit to guide modern democracy and science. According to Mou, through the self-restraint of the moral subject, space is made for the epistemic subject. Since Mou’s moral metaphysics already encompasses the immediacy of action, even when moral consciousness "falls," it continues to maintain its dominant role in practice. Hence, moral consciousness does not merely "open" the path to the "outer king," but leads it practically — it is not a theoretical abstraction.

Finally, Mou Zongsan made a critical judgment on the Confucianism of the Song and Ming dynasties. He regarded Hu Hong's (五峰) and Liu Zongzhou's (蕺山) theory as the perfect teachings of Confucianism. This is because they emphasized the objective spirit and the subjective mental substance, and were better able to resonate with the spirit of the times. It is clear that Mou’s ultimate aim is to reconcile Western epistemology, rather than diminish the historical position of Cheng-Zhu（程朱） .

Through examining the concept of "inner sage — outer king," it is evident that Mou Zongsan’s use of these concepts is a creative interpretation. Without this contextual understanding, one might obscure the true nature of his thought.

Afrofuturism has emerged as a critical paradigm for theorizing African and diasporic futures, employing speculative fiction, visual art, and digital media to destabilize colonial epistemologies and propose radical alternatives for Black existence. This paper examines the Afrofuturist construction of migration, decolonization, and planetary survival through multimodal speculative storytelling, analyzing how these narratives articulate postcolonial resistance, ecological reconfiguration, and technological agency within global imaginaries.

Focusing on Cristina de Middel’s photobook The Afronauts (2012), Anthony Joseph’s hybrid novel The African Origins of UFOs (2006), and Mussunda Nzombo and Manuela Grotz’s AI-generated visual exhibition O Futuro na Lista de Espera (2023), this study interrogates how African and diasporic artists engage in speculative remappings of human and post-human life in response to ecological degradation, forced displacement, and neocolonial expansion. Grounded in Malcolm Ferdinand’s concept of "colonial inhabitation" (2022) and Ytasha Womack’s theorization of Afrofuturist aesthetics (2013), this paper argues that these works reconfigure Africa as both a site of departure and return, subverting linear temporalities and positioning Black bodies as central to the technological, environmental, and metaphysical transformations of planetary modernity.

By employing an intersemiotic and transmedial approach, this study moves beyond traditional textual analysis to examine how Afrofuturist narratives function as counter-hegemonic discourses within the futurist paradigm. Through a comparative, multimodal framework, it explores how Afrofuturist imaginaries engage with space exploration, ecological collapse, and speculative mobility, producing alternative cartographies that challenge Eurocentric teleologies of progress. These works dismantle extractivist and exclusionary futurisms, repositioning Africa not as a peripheral recipient of technological modernity, but as an active agent in shaping the trajectory of planetary futures. By foregrounding Afrofuturism as a methodological tool for rethinking migration, agency, and transnational blackness, this also paper contributes to ongoing scholarly debates in comparative literature, postcolonial studies, and speculative aesthetics, demonstrating how speculative cultural production operates as a political praxis of survival and resistance.

The success of LLMs require us to decide upon the question of what language is with a new and historically specific set of categories: vectors, contextual word embeddings, dependency parsing, number, data sets and resource richness, and so on. This paper discusses the related topics of language ontologies and language difference in light of these categories. It builds on pre-AI accounts of language and meaning that nonetheless use strikingly similar terms and ideas (I. A. Richards on vectors and contextual embedding; Alain Badiou on transitivity), in order to develop an understanding of language difference which in turn sharpens our idea of what poetic language is and what happens when it is translated. Language difference, in this account, makes possible a correlation of recent advances in decolonial linguistics with a provisional theory of poetic language and translation. It also brings into focus what is at stake (ethically and analytically) in comparison's 'transactions between contexts'.

One of the promised benefits of the internet and AI tools is the democratization of information: they seem to make the world’s knowledge available to anyone with a web browser and suggest that anyone can become a translator by relying on the extensive resources they offer. But as the limitations and dangers of LLMs have become more apparent, it is increasingly clear that users, especially college students, need careful guidance in using these tools in ethical and effective ways. As Wharton professors Ethan and Lilach Mollick have argued, teachers can help students use LLMs to learn evaluative skills and become more attentive readers and writers. José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson repeatedly emphasize in their book Teaching with AI that AI tools are most effective when coupled with thoughtful reflection and expert mentoring. This is as true for translation as for other skills, especially given the ways that LLM-assisted translations can either challenge or perpetuate biases and existing power dynamics. This paper outlines specific methods for helping college students learn how to create, evaluate, revise, and reflect on AI-supported translations that balance fidelity to language and meaning with awareness of the ethical concerns that such translations can and should raise. I will share the experiences of my students (at a socioeconomically diverse, large public American university in a conservative Western state) with LLM-assisted translation as they moved through a sequence of assignments that builds from comparing existing translations of a text, then engaging with the original source (using AI translation as necessary), evaluating LLM-assisted translation results, revising prompts for AI-based translations, evaluating new results, and reflecting on the process throughout. Mentoring students through this sequence can help them become not only more effective translators but also more ethical and self-aware technology consumers inside and outside of the academic setting.

Arabic and Chinese are two large languages. Each plays an important role in the development of digital humanities, translation studies, and AI. Is there a direct line between these two large languages in the make-up of translation generating AI? Is translation to and from these two languages mediated through English? Are AI translation tools educated in culture, ethos and visualising capacity that are inherent in language? This contribution reflects on these issues from the prism of Arabic and Chinese wine poems. Arabic and Chinese have in common a culture and tradition of wine drinking and poetry, but each tradition is grounded in a unique ethos. Would it be possible to 'teach' AI translation tools to be sensitive to difference in culture and ethos?

The emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) has dramatically transformed the landscape of translation, particularly in the realm of literary and poetic works.This paper explores the potential of Chat-GPT and Claude as a conversational collaborative tools in the translation of the work by Argentinian performative poet Marico Carmona. This research investigates how a conversational approach to prompting can enhance translation processes and focuses on the dynamic interaction between human translator and AI, highlighting how iterative dialogue and targeted prompting can reveal nuanced linguistic, literary and cultural interpretations. Key elements in this research are the AI's capacity to consider performative elements in the translation output, its ability to generate multiple translation alternatives and its potential to effectively serve the needs of alternative voices and ways of expression.

“Nonhuman narrative” can mean several things: stories with a physical setting devoid of humans; stories about artificial intelligence, robots, animals with humanlike qualities, and so on; it can also encompass otherwise lifeless, non-sentient beings with such qualities. This presentation, which examines the work of the Mexican poet and essayist Octavio Paz (1914-1998), is about the last category. Despite being best known for his poetry and essays, my focus in this presentation is on one of Paz’s few short stories, “Mi vida con una ola,” or “My Life with a Wave,” from his 1951 collection Aguila o sol. The story’s narrator and protagonist, an average male not unlike any other one might find in a large Latin American city during the middle of the previous century, travels to the coast. There he takes a bucket of sea water from a crashing wave and proceeds to fall in love with it. This is only natural. After all, the “wave” has all the qualities he ever wanted in a lover. This anthropomorphized wave, then, amounts to the story’s antagonist, and she and the narrator journey – improbably – through the major cycles of a failed relationship. With Paz, this story about a wave is also about other matters, which I will analize in this presentation.

Of particular interest is his understanding and use of the concept of solitude: a concept that in many respects has become emblematic of the Latin American condition and to some extent of the Latin American region as a whole. Solitude, for Paz, was not a static term: it evolved over the course of his career; similarly, his usage of the term takes on different meanings when refracted through his own changing biography and with changes in his cultural and historical milieu. This short presentation can at most allude to the various layers associated with Paz's deployment of "solitude," let alone the ways in which other Latin American intellectuals have engaged with the concept. That stated, part of my purpose here is to argue that in “My Life with a Wave” Paz probes the limits (human and beyond) of solitude.

As global ecological crises continue to escalate, the concept of scale has emerged as a pivotal focus in literary and cultural studies. James F. English and Ted Underwood assert that the intellectual history of literary studies is essentially a history of competing scales. Since 2010, ecological criticism has undergone a “scale turn,” which highlights the necessity of reimaging humanity through disparate and often incompatible scales, including human and geological dimensions (Dipesh Chakrabarty). In this context, integrating nonhuman narrators into ecological narratology becomes increasingly significant, particularly in examining their role in the expansion and transformation of scale within literary texts. Previous discussions of nonhuman narrators have primarily focused on categorizing their types and functions (Shang Biwu) or exploring their narrative roles in extending human experiences and projecting nonhuman perspectives (Lars Bernaerts et al.). This paper argues that nonhuman narrators not only create new spatiotemporal domains, thereby providing alternative possibilities for worldmaking, but also establish an array of distinct scales that diverges from the anthropocentric framework. Consequently, I propose the concept of “scale narrators” to differentiate them from anthropomorphized narrators. While both human and nonhuman narrators articulate actions involving humans and objects within human cognition, “scale narrators” serve as narrative agents that critically question, transform, and reconstruct vital quantitative aspects of the anthropocene scale. This includes dimensions of time and space in a physical sense, the historical trajectories of life, and the intricate relationships between humans and nonhumans. By foregrounding the role of “scale narrators,” this study seeks to enhance our understanding of ecological relationships and the positioning of humanity within these complex dynamics.

This study examines Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island (2019) through the lenses of nonhuman agency and nonhuman narratives, exploring the intersections between climate change, ecological crises, and the agency of nonhuman entities. Drawing from Ghosh’s theoretical works The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable and The Uncanny and Improbable Events, this paper positions Gun Island as a transnational narrative reflecting human-induced environmental degradation, ecological refugees, and critiques of colonialism and global capitalism. Unlike the traditional Cli-Fi, Gun Island focuses on the present moment through a series of improbable encounters and events. As a work of climate realism, it employs decolonial and ecocritical frameworks to critique neoliberal global capitalism, emphasizing its role in exacerbating ecological and social injustices. The novel vividly portrays nonhuman entities—especially animals, omens, and uncanny phenomena—urging readers to engage with these improbable events. The paper further scrutinizes how Ghosh introduces new aesthetic and epistemological modes in Gun Island, highlighting the agency of nonhuman entities and their relevance to addressing climate change and other global issues. By challenging anthropocentrism in the context of climate change and colonialism, Gun Island exemplifies how nonhuman narratives provide modes of perception and experience that transcend the human realm, prompting readers to connect with real-world challenges.

In the 21st century, humanity faces crises like political conflict, climate change, environmental degradation, gender inequality, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Science fiction addresses these challenges through speculative scenarios that critique existing conditions and propose solutions. Chen Qiufan’s Waste Tide exemplifies this, using Silicon Isle, a fictional hub for electronic waste recycling, to explore labor exploitation, environmental justice, and human-machine relationships.

Silicon Isle is portrayed as a dystopian space dominated by global capitalism, where hazardous e-waste is processed by marginalized "waste people." These workers endure poverty, health risks, and social exclusion while clashing with the island's native inhabitants, who exploit them while retaining socio-economic power. This tension mirrors global disparities between industrialized and developing regions burdened with environmental harm.

The novel’s central figure, Mimi, a "waste girl," embodies the fusion of human and nonhuman (machine) elements. Her transformation through advanced technology symbolizes new forms of communication and connection between humans and machines. Through Mimi, Waste Tide highlights the potential for technology to bridge human and nonhuman divides, challenging anthropocentric views that isolate humanity from its technological counterparts.

However, Waste Tide also reveals ambivalence in its portrayal of nonhuman entities. While advocating for human-nonhuman co-evolution, it often frames machines as external threats requiring control. Uniquely human traits like love and morality are contrasted with the alien nature of machines, reinforcing their separation. This duality complicates the novel’s stance, oscillating between integration and exclusion of nonhuman entities.

Through the lens of nonhuman theory, this study analyzes Waste Tide’s depiction of human-machine relationships and their broader implications. It examines how the novel critiques contemporary issues like labor exploitation and environmental destruction while envisioning alternative futures of collaboration and coexistence between humans and nonhumans.

The rise of children’s fantasy novels resonates with the intellectual shift to challenging conventional assumptions of consciousness, being, and reality. Margery Williams’s famous piece The Velveteen Rabbit (1922) stands out as a compelling exploration of reality through the lens of a toy’s transformation into a real rabbit. Through a character focalization, the narrative interrogates the life experience of an agential stuff rabbit, addressing deeper ontological and epistemological concerns with regards to a becoming reality in the entanglement between materiality and affection. Also, the inconsistency between the toy and human storyworlds manifests the tension between toys’ agency and immobility – a generic textual tension in toy narratives. Furthermore, the immobility suggests not only the incapacity of toys in a human world, but also the failure and blindness of human knowledge. The narrative thus points to a nonhuman ethics that advocates for interspecies respect and caring. In this way, Williams’ novel offers a beneficial consideration on the evolving nature of reality, relationship and love, encouraging readers to embrace the inevitable bruise of life as essential to becoming “Real.”

This paper explores the intersections between Orlando (1928) by Virginia Woolf and The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) by Ursula K. Le Guin, focusing on the non-human narrative dimensions and the treatment of androgyny as a challenge to anthropocentric paradigms and binary gender structures. Drawing on Donna Haraway's theoretical concepts, such as the "cyborg" and "situated knowledges," the study highlights how these texts destabilize traditional boundaries — human/non-human, masculine/feminine, self/other, language/speech — and create speculative spaces for rethinking relationality and agency in a more-than-human world.

In Orlando, Woolf presents a narrative that transcends time and gender, featuring a protagonist who defies fixed identities. Similarly, Le Guin imagines a society where gender is fluid and contextual, shaped by the ecology and biology of the planet Gethen. At the same time, both works reveal the limitations of human imagination, as their narratives remain partly constrained by the linguistic and cultural frameworks they seek to transcend. These narratives align with Haraway’s critique of anthropocentrism by proposing hybrid existences that embrace complexity and interconnectedness.

By situating these works within the broader context of the "non-human turn" in literature, this paper argues that both authors invite readers to reimagine the boundaries of experience and agency, using fiction as a critical tool. Thus, Woolf and Le Guin expand the scope of non-human narratives, positioning speculative and modernist literature as essential instruments for addressing ethical and ecological challenges in a more-than-human context.

Marking language as the human-nonhuman boundary negates language’s material complexity and situatedness. Derived from Latin lingua, “tongue,” language is embedded in a sustained living body: breath breaking against teeth, hands scrambling across sheets of paper, symbols morphing through ages, and myriads of things (around but other than me) I want to refer to. Beyond a boundary, a reference, can language attune us to the “significant otherness” of species, things, and existences that do not speak our tongue (Haraway)? Can it reveal a shared world of co-constituted subjects?

Inspired by ecological thinkers like Anna Tsing, Donna Haraway, Marilyn Strathern, and Vinciane Despret, this paper explores the literary possibilities of writing co-constitution across species, relations, and assemblages. Writing during and after the existential crises of the World Wars, French authors sought new “forms” to make sense of a world in flux – internally and externally – interrogating language’s place in the collapse of (hu)man-centric ontology. Francis Ponge and Nathalie Sarraute, among others, pioneered literary interventions leading up to a distinct French ecocriticism in the 1980s and beyond. Ponge reconceives language in the shape of vegetal morphology and calcified seashells, imagining human subjects as “vibrating cords” that harmonize with nonlinguistic beings. Sarraute, dismantling conventional character-speech relations, takes apart “subject” into a constellation of “tropisms” – subtle, undercurrent movements in everyday exchanges – making these transient experiences into a legible, visible, and inhabitable body of co-constituted subjectivities.

Their approaches resonate with our current grappling with Large Language Models (LLMs) and questions of agency in human-machine interaction. In Sarraute’s Les Fruits d’or, the eponymous book in the story remains unknown to us; we only hear about Les Fruits d’or through a cacophony of reactions from its readers, mirroring the iterative, relational dynamics between machine-generated discourse and its users/co-programmers. Similarly, Ponge’s Le Parti pris des choses perceives daily life among things as a feedback loop, an interplay of human and nonhuman that resists linear causality and embraces transformation.

Al challenges our understanding of writing and real-time conversation, by also laying bare its rhizomatic existence: reference universes, iterative learning, palimpsestic algorithm overwriting, and the herculean effort in maintaining its material presence such as cooling systems, cables, data centers, and rare earth metals. Likewise, Ponge and Sarraute implicate and complicate multispecies relations, weaving our multimodal temporalities and realities into powerful narratives. As linguistic animals, we can tell stories that move beyond the self-endangering human “subject” and imagine instead “ecosophical subjectivities” (Guattari). Language means more than a prompt or a timely response to us, it is living itself (pun intended).

In the conceptual system of ethical literary criticism, the existence of all literatures relies on what is called a text; it includes oral literature, a term that largely refers to literature disseminated orally. Before its dissemination, however, the text of oral literature, which can be properly termed as “brain text,” is stored in the human brain. By brain text, what is referred to is the textual form used for storytelling before writing symbols were created and used to record information; it has continued to exist even after the creation of such symbols. Other types of texts exist apart from brain text, such as written and electronic text; but brain text, in particular, consists of brain concepts, which, depending on its different sources, can be divided into picture concepts and abstract concepts. Brain concepts are tools for thinking that derive from understanding and applying brain concepts; in this sense, brain text is the carrier of thought. Once brain concepts stop being made, it means thinking has been completed. Thinking produces thoughts that can be stored in the brain in the form of brain text, which determines thinking and behavioral patterns that not only communicate and disseminate information but also guide a person’s ideas, thoughts, judgments, choices, actions, and emotions. To some degree, brain text affects a person’s lifestyle and ethical behaviors. In fact, brain text can control people’s thoughts and actions and most importantly, determine who they are.

The art of irony and the philosophy of happiness are seamlessly intertwined in Emma, constituting a profound response to Enlightenment modernity. Within the framework of the “fugue of happiness,” Jane Austen engages in a philosophical inquiry into the nature, meaning, forms, and pathways to happiness through literary narrative, revealing the rupture between cognitive and ethical dimensions of happiness under the symptoms of modernity. Addressing this rupture, Austen transforms irony into a poetic device to deconstruct instrumental rationality, vividly illustrating the inherent connection between responsibility and happiness, thereby achieving an aesthetic revision of Enlightenment value systems through narrative tension. Emma constructs a dialogic field with its high-frequency use of “happiness” lexemes and employs dual irony to dismantle the instrumental rationality-dominated notion of “earthly happiness.” The novel can be interpreted as a “reversed Cinderella story,” in which the ironic tone culminates in the moral imperative: humility is essential to attaining true happiness. In Austen’s era, the criteria for judging happiness lost their self-evident authority, and Emma reflects precisely this crisis of judgment.

In response to increasing scholarly interest in the transnational dimensions of the Harlem Renaissance, this paper examines Nella Larsen’s Quicksand (1928) as a probing critique of the limitations embedded within the pursuit of a transnational identity. By focusing on the protagonist Helga Crane’s experiences navigating both American and European spaces, I argue that Larsen interrogates the seductive yet ultimately unfulfilling ideal of fluid identity across borders. Helga’s journey, culminating in her return to the American South as the wife of a rural minister and mother of multiple children, poignantly encapsulates the restrictions of transnationalism, challenging the notion that racial and cultural hybridity can seamlessly transcend national boundaries.

Through Helga’s attempts to reconcile her African and Danish heritage, Larsen exposes the barriers to true belonging in both black and white communities, questioning the prevailing transnational aspirations of her time. The narrative reveals that racial and cultural affiliation often overrides any possibility of achieving an integrated transnational identity. Moreover, Quicksand subtly critiques the Harlem Renaissance’s optimistic embrace of transnational exchange, suggesting instead that such ideals may obscure the material and social realities that inhibit individuals from inhabiting multiple cultural spaces without compromise or conflict. Ultimately, this paper contends that Quicksand offers a prescient commentary on the promises and challenges of identity formation through transnationalism, underscoring how the pursuit of self-determination is constrained by racial, social, and geographic forces that fragment rather than integrate identity.

This paper examines the function of Oriental objects in Nella Larsen’s Quicksand as instruments of identity negotiation within a racially stratified world. Through the lens of Robin Kelley’s polyculturalism, it argues that Helga Crane’s aesthetic embrace of Chinese and other Asian artifacts constitutes a futile attempt to transcend the essentialized racial binaries that confine her. By curating an environment of exotic elegance, she seeks to refashion herself beyond the restrictive tropes of Black womanhood—desiring instead an identity imbued with the refinement, mystique, and historical depth often ascribed to the Orient in Western imagination. Yet, this aesthetic strategy, rather than liberating her, merely reinforces her status as an object of othering, exposing the limits of cultural appropriation as a means of self-definition.

Larsen’s novel simultaneously critiques the paradox of Western engagements with the Orient: while white characters collect and display Asian objects as markers of erudition and cosmopolitan taste, their underlying racial prejudices remain unshaken. Helga, too, unwittingly participates in this dynamic, instrumentalizing Oriental objects in her search for an alternative self, only to find that the structures of racial exclusion remain impermeable. Her tragedy thus reveals the hollowness of aesthetic hybridity within a system that fetishizes the exotic yet refuses to dismantle racial hierarchies. By interrogating Quicksand through a polycultural framework, this study underscores the novel’s prescient critique of ornamental diversity and its insistence on a more profound reckoning with cultural hybridity, racial identity, and the inescapable weight of historical legacies.

Dubbed the “Black Venus” of the “Roaring Twenties” and the Jazz Age, American-born black female performer Josephine Baker made her fame as an icon of black cultural production in Paris via the bold presentation of her racialized and sexualized bodily performances such as the banana dance. Although she never gained the equivalent reputation in the United States, Baker’s Parisian career allowed her to subvert Western ideals and stereotypes of Black womanhood by simultaneously embracing, exaggerating, and satirizing the exoticized tropes projected onto her as a Black woman performer. Her self-styled “raced femininity” utilized body, movement, and theatricality to challenge exoticizing narratives, performing the desired “exotic” and “erotic” on the variety stage under the colonial “othering” gaze while showcasing Black female creative autonomy and ingenuity in the context of black transnationalism. Through an analysis of her sensational performances in 1920s and 1930s Paris, this paper explores how Baker deployed her body and stagecraft to challenge racial and gender norms, using her transatlantic celebrity as a platform to critique and redefine conceptions of Black femininity. Positioning Baker’s transnational performances parallel to her peers, vaudeville blueswomen active in 1920s America, where she was denied, this paper contends that Baker’s embodied performance of race and gender in a European setting exemplifies how Black women in the early 20th century used transnational stages to carve out new spaces for agency and self-expression that transcended geographic and social boundaries. Through the strategical use of performance as a means to craft self-determined narratives, Josephine Baker’s transnational performances resonate as dynamic expressions of Black artistic agency, racial identity, and gendered self-fashioning.

The White-Snake Lady and Lamia are two highly responsive mythical and legendary images of metamorphosis and romantic love, but they display signifi- cant differences in their physical transformation and subjectivity construction. Both serpent bodies suffer the same physical and metaphorical dilemma of being de- famed as seductive and obscene. However, due to the White-Snake Lady’s physical transformation, she has achieved not only a human body, but also a human ethical consciousness and female subjectivity. By contrast, Lamia, with similar storylines and dramatic conflicts, fails in the pursuit of human identity with her never-sub- siding serpent obscenity. While the White-Snake Lady remains the protagonist of her legend, Lamia in her myth is at most a foil for the male figures representing rational power and temperance. The two legends of love, with highly similar plots, represent a fundamental difference in Eastern and Western perspectives toward love themes, with the Eastern myth focusing on doomed marriage and feudal ethical codes, and the Western version centering on such dualities as sensibility and ratio- nality, desire and restraint.

Science fiction vividly presents the rich imagination of the near-future world and lifeforms, with "Cyberpunk" novels being the most influential subgenre. Originating in the 1980s, Cyberpunk absorbed many features of the science fiction "New Wave" since the 1960s, such as critical analysis of socio-cultural issues and focus on the inner world of individuals, while also incorporating the 1980s' imagination of new technologies, particularly information technology. It blends hacker culture, punk (music), youth culture, and crime literature, presenting an enlightening vision of the future. However, with the pace of contemporary technology, another phenomenon depicted in Cyberpunk novels has started to gain prominence–the development of sensory immersive digital cyberspace and the generation and existence of various new lifeforms within it. In the future, the so-called "digital existence" may no longer be limited to the external aspects like "using smart digital devices," but evolve towards "digital world," "digital life," and largely change the traditional definitions of "birth", "death," etc.

Science fiction has also greatly expanded and updated humanity's understanding, imagination, and construction of public space from a technical perspective. The digital world as a cyberspace embodies the ideal of creating a new world, possesses significant totality and publicity, updates the understanding of public space in human society from the technical dimension, and provides an activity space for digital life.

The three possible forms of digital life mainly include: simulated images of humans in the digital world, referred to as "digital twins"; the highly immersive "Human+" form combining organisms and inorganic matter; and purely digital life forms that live independently in the digital world. The first, digital twins, are mainly simulated images formed by people in the digital world through external devices, mapping and realizing their actions and operations. The second is the digitized "Human+" form, which fully immerses in the digital world but can freely move between the physical reality and the digital world. The third are independent digital life forms, or people who live entirely in the digital world. These digital lifeforms have become dissimilar and lack resonance with carbon-based lifeforms.

Digital life represents the generation of a subjective form, the "cycle of life", breaking the "life chauvinism" based on natural organisms. With the definition change of birth and death, the imagined digital life in science fiction has also formed two possible "revivals": the digitized mind of the deceased in the digital world and the digital simulation of the deceased already emerging in our reality. The significance of the digital world and digital life is not to provide an illusion of immortality but mainly to prospectively renew human understanding of the meaning of life itself and to construct an integrated world framework with new life and norms.

Literature and science, as two paths for human cognition of the world, have always been in a dynamic development. From the initial homology in early history, to the estrangement after the subdivision of disciplines in Renaissance period, and then to the re - integration under the trend of interdisciplinary research in modern times, the process reflects the construction and expansion of the human knowledge system. The changes in social demands at different historical stages are the external motives for the adjustment of the relationship between the two, while the development laws of academia itself and change of thinking are the internal driving forces. Studying the relationship between the two can deepen the understanding of the essence of disciplines and provide theoretical support for the development of interdisciplinary research.

This paper explores the material underpinnings of digital resurrection in Greg Egan’s Permutation City (1994), situating its speculative framework within contemporary debates on posthumanism, digital subjectivity, and computational metaphysics. N. Katherine Hayles, while skeptical of disembodied digital consciousness as proposed by Hans Moravec’s Mind Children (1988), nonetheless finds herself captivated by Egan’s exploration of post-biological existence. Unlike Moravec’s teleology of disembodiment, which assumes an uninterrupted continuity of human subjectivity through computational processes, Egan’s vision interrogates the unstable foundations of digital existence by embedding his “copies” within a world constrained by material infrastructures, algorithmic determinism, and emergent randomness.

Building on Hayles’ critique of the computational universe, this paper examines how Permutation City challenges the epistemological and ontological assumptions underlying digital resurrection. Through the novel’s depiction of self-aware digital beings, I introduce the concept of digital changelings—entities that, unlike avatars, are not merely extensions of human agency but autonomous subjects formed through the economization of surplus data. These changelings problematize the boundaries between embodiment and simulation, as their existence is predicated not on corporeal continuity but on patterns, iterations, and stochastic emergence. By foregrounding the tension between structure and randomness in Egan’s “Dust Theory,” I argue that Permutation City advances a radically posthumanist vision—one that reconfigures agency not as a property of an isolated subject but as an entangled process of algorithmic and material becoming.

Furthermore, this study engages with Karen Barad’s agential realism to explore how Egan’s nested simulations do not merely simulate physical reality but enact an ontological shift, wherein digital beings generate their own material conditions through computational entanglements. This marks a departure from traditional AI narratives that frame digital consciousness as either a tool of human intent or an existential threat. Instead, Egan’s computational universe suggests that digital subjectivity, rather than being a mere extension of human consciousness, emerges as an autonomous force, co-constituted with the infrastructures that sustain it.

Ultimately, this paper argues that Permutation City does not merely speculate on digital immortality but reveals the inescapable material entanglements of digital existence. In doing so, it offers a framework for rethinking agency, materiality, and the ontological status of digital life in the age of algorithmic governance and computational capitalism.

Kazuo Ishiguro imagines a small story about the post-human survival situation in "Klara and the Sun": Josie, a victim of life-threatening gene-editing technology, is saved by her AF (Artificial Friend) Klara's faith in the SUN. This is clearly a MIRACLE with mythological narrative characteristics set against the backdrop of the future society depicted in the book. Combining Mircea Eliade's philosophical anthropology theories, this paper attempts to explore the philosophical thoughts on the existence of life that Ishiguro implies beneath the surface of the story through a close reading of the text: the extreme rationality of technology has intensified the existential anxiety of Modern People in the Terror of History; the estrangement between humans and nature (the sacred) makes the Hierophanies possible only through artificial intelligence as Primitive; the ambiguity of the novel's ending further reveals the significance of this post-human fantasy for the contemporary era, that is, LOVE is always the Fixed Point that helps human subjectivity from being submerged by the flood of digital intelligence, and the coexistence of The Dialectic of The Sacred life experiences is one of the scales we must adhere to.

石黑一雄在《克拉拉与太阳》中设想了有关“后人类”生存境遇的小故事：生命垂危的基因编辑技术受害者乔西因其AF（人工智能朋友）克拉拉的“太阳”信仰得到拯救。这在全书设定的未来社会背景下显然是一个具有神话叙述性质的“奇迹”。结合米尔恰·伊利亚德哲学人类学相关理论，本文试图在文本细读基础上对石黑一雄内蕴于故事表层下的生命存在性哲思进行探究：技术理性极端化加剧了“现代人”身处“历史的恐怖”中的生存焦虑；人与自然（神圣）的隔阂使“圣显”必须籍由作为“前现代人”的人工智能方能实现；小说结局的模糊性则进一步显示了这则“后人类”幻想对当时代的意义，即“爱”始终是帮助人类主体性不被数智洪流淹没的“定位”，“圣俗并存”的生命经验则是我们必须坚守的尺度之一。

The popularity of virtual reality makes us wonder in what sense "abandoning the body and enjoying the wandering of consciousness in fictional mechanisms" satisfies human needs. Does this indicate that some basic assumptions about human subjectivity have unconsciously entered the "post-human" era? I will discuss this issue through the robots or artificial intelligence imagination in science fiction.In the first part of the paper, I will trace the evolution of robot imagination in science fiction narratives to clarify the development logic of the construction of modern subjectivity discourse, and explain the blurring, disappearance, and even outward expansion of the subject boundary in contemporary AI literary narratives do not directly indicate the emergence of a new type of human beings. Instead, it forces us to return to the clue of the construction of modern subjectivity through the mind-body dualism to re-understand the underlying logic of human subject construction and discover its coherent thread. In particular, from the contemporary robot science fiction literature narratives, we do not see a transcendent imagination, but can read the reflections and worries about the old subjectivity problems from authors.In the second part of the paper, I will mainly analyze Spike Jonze's science fiction film "Her" (2013) and Kazuo Ishiguro's novel "Klara and the Sun" (2017) as the main texts to explain the fictional characteristics and cultural logic of subjectivity in contemporary AI science fictions. In these texts, neither "body" nor "mind" can define the boundary of "being ". The texts jointly present a new model of the subject: in the subject-to-subject interaction, human beings made up and imagine “alter-ego” reflected on others, with the fictional purpose of making the world completely satisfy the self's needs and narcissism. This subject model can explain the social communication predicament in our contemporary life and also indirectly indicates that the questioning of the essence of existence has never withdrawn.In the last part of the paper, I will place the science fiction texts in the specific technological background of the information age to study how the production logic of virtual culture sustains the mechanism of human subject production. The "being" that survives in an autonomous and self-regulating social system is also the "alter-ego" of the social production logic and always maintains a "heterogeneous isomorphism" balance with social changes. Cybernetics and systems science can reveal the phenomenon that human subjectivity is "alienated" in the social system and exploited by consumerism. However, humans themselves have agency. Under the inspiration of new science fiction narratives, we need to break through the old logic of subjectivity production, remain vigilant against the expansionary subject model promoted by consumerism, and then explore the generation logic of a new ontology.

La pensée humaniste caractérise les productions les plus intéressantes de l’Europe du XVIème siècle. S’opposant à l’invariable scolastique, l’humanisme met en valeur la variabilité humaine et semble tout prêt à repenser la notion de centre. Si l’on retient de cette époque principalement le regain d’intérêt pour les textes antiques et l’attention aux langues vernaculaires, on passe trop souvent sous silence les penseurs les plus radicaux de ce temps qui tentent d’étudier l’humanité dans toutes ses variations, de langues, de religions et de genres. Cet « humanisme total », bien antérieur aux travaux d’Etiemble, est un comparatisme décentré qui peut aujourd’hui encore, nourrir nos recherches sur le sujet. La communication propose de faire dialoguer, en diachronie, ces deux façons différentes d’envisager le décentrement afin de mieux comprendre sur quels présupposés l’une et l’autre reposent.

René Étiemble est un des comparatistes connus en Chine pour ses pensées sur la littérature comparée et son intérêt à la littérature et la culture chinoise. Il reprend l’idée de weltliteratur de Goethe et souligne le rôle important des littératures non-occidentales dans le monde littéraire. Sa perspective transculturelle et ses études sur la littérature chinoise et la relation de celle-ci avec la littérature occidentale sont souvent citées par les comparatistes chinois, dans leurs articles et des manuels de littérature comparée.

Le terme « invariant » proposé par Étiemble suscite des discussions sur l’uniformité et la singularité. Marino le prend comme « la contribution la plus importante apportée par Étiemble à la théorie de la littérature comparée ». Mais d’autres expriment des réserves sur ce terme. Certains comparatistes chinois s’intéressent aussi au « invariant » et ne le rejettent pas complètement. Ils connaissent sa contribution à la méthodologie de la discipline et à la poétique comparée, qui intéresse le plus les comparatistes chinois d’aujourd’hui.

Les études comparatistes en Chine se caractérisent souvent par « transculturel ». Cette orientation se développe avec les discussions perpétuelles sur la notion de weltliteratur et de nouvelles relations entre les littératures et les poétiques nationales, surtout entre la littérature chinoise et d’autres littératures. Elle met en relief la diversité culturelle et la communication internationale. Les études et les pensées d’Étiemble, qui apportent souvent une perspective universelle, méritent encore de l’attention des comparatistes chinois.

A partir d’une recherche dans les archives de René Etiemble déposées à la Bibliothèque nationale de France, nous présenterons le contexte dans lequel le livre de 1974 Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale a paru et la place qu’il tient dans l’œuvre de son auteur. Ce livre est une collection d’articles initialement écrits pour l’Encyclopédie de la Pléiade et pour l’Encyclopaedia universalis. Leur réédition en 1974 les rassemble sous ce titre de « littérature (vraiment) générale », qui ne signifie ni « littérature universelle », ni « comparatisme planétaire » (autres titres d’Etiemble), ni Weltliteratur ni world literature. L’enseignement, les activités éditoriales, les directions de travaux de recherche d’Etiemble permettent d’éclairer cet ouvrage composite au ton polémique et d’en évaluer l’ambition démesurée.

After having explored the archives of René Etiemble deposited at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, I will present the context in which the 1974 book Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale was published, and the place it holds in the work of its author. The book is a collection of articles originally written for the Encyclopédie de la Pléiade and the Encyclopaedia universalis. Their reissue in 1974 brought them together under the title “littérature (vraiment) générale”, which means neither “littérature universelle” nor “comparatisme planétaire” (Etiemble's other titles), nor Weltliteratur nor world literature. Etiemble's teaching, publishing activities and research supervising shed light on this polemical composite work, and enable us to assess its excessive ambition.

This article examines how Han Kang’s The Vegetarian illustrates what Dorothy Hale describes as the new ethics of literature—an ethics of otherness. It argues that in both content and form, the novel brings forth an encounter with the other characterized by an irresolvable tension between characterological alterity and social positionality. My analysis starts with an investigation into how the intractable Yeong-hye, a social other for her sudden, “unjustified” conversion to vegetarianism, is read by her husband, brother-in-law, and sister, and how these readings speak of the better or worse ways of approximating Yeong-hye’s alterity. Mr. Cheong, who is self-centered and shows absolutely no interest in understanding his wife’s change, is an unethical reader in his refusal of self-subordination, which is a prerequisite for the apprehension of alterity. In particular, his hasty diagnosis of Yeong-hye as suffering hysteria and delusion showcases how patriarchal values annex and rule out her autonomy. While the relationship between Yeong-hye and the brother-in-law is less abusive, it is still limited by misunderstanding, as the latter romanticizes and instrumentalizes the former for artistic and sexual desires. The artist’s insistence on her blankness and the belief that she can be marked physically and mentally demonstrate an exploitative, self-oriented reading stance. Among the three, In-hye is the only ethical one who tries to comprehend Yeong-hye as she is, acknowledging the epistemological limits in explaining her inscrutability and accepting the psychological upset it causes. By actively imagining what it feels like to live as Yeong-hye, In-hye finds a limited sharedness between the siblings; in this process, she also gains a better knowledge of herself.

I then discuss how the narrative form of The Vegetarian embodies an ethical representation of otherness. Mainly presenting Yeong-hye from external points of view, Han rejects a full realization of fictional personhood, pointing to the social positionality involved in any artistic renderings of the other. As the narrative indicates, one solution to this struggle between art and its ideological instrumentality is adopting a bodily approach, namely, an embodied act of imagination that puts one’s own knowable experience in the service of understanding an other. Yeong-hye’s sporadic first-person account of dream sequences, which are driven not by reason but by intuitive bodily sensations, invites readers to suspend judgment and establish bases of likeness by feeling the pain and struggle that Yeong-hye cannot put into intelligible words. In a word, The Vegetarian exemplifies how to honor otherness through and as narrative representation. The study positions the work in the literary tradition of new ethics that sees the value of literature in the felt encounter with alterity it brings to its readers.

Bora Chung’s collection of short stories named Cursed Bunny (2017) offers a broad depiction of real and social life starting from personal crises to patriarchal issues to capitalistic issues in Korean society. The collection offers multiple stories from which this paper focuses on “The Head”, “Embodiment”, “The Cursed Bunny”, etc. Dealing with these three stories, the paper attempts to render critical interpretations of those and the cultural aspects in of the society. For example, “The Head” represents a young woman’s fear of her old age or the desire to return to youth and offers a depiction of how females suffer from age-related issues that make them obscure when they don’t fit into the beauty standard. Also, the reality is presented in a normal scenario that emits horrific notions as the woman finds the head which transforms into herself or her desire for youth materializing through a toilet flush and categorizes her personal fear of displacement as something deadly for the readers as well. This concept is prominent in women across the world and thus, makes it a cosmopolitan issue.

Exploring the concepts of affect theory and deconstruction, the stories reshape human behavior and psychology into the horror that resides within the daily life, and culture of society. For example, the story of “Cursed Bunny” represents the fetish that represents Korean culture of black magic or voodoo and the use of bunnies to satiate the horror within the innocence, and in “Embodiment”, the patriarchal notion of finding a father prevails when it comes to raising a child. The paper also attempts to deconstruct the idea of innocence that society admires when it abides by the regular concepts and the unsuccessful cognition between the idea and reality evokes a fear of the known aspects.

Based on the theories mentioned and the idea of “The Spectacle of the Others”, this paper demonstrates two ideas: Firstly, if and how human lives always consist of horrible scenarios and how they’re normalized or habituated through regular observation, thus creating a cosmopolitan bubble for horror and normal. Secondly, how the stories deconstruct real-life phenomena into details to perceive the emotions of human lives and how when cognition fails, they transit from real to surreal and depict its universality or cosmopolitanism in every culture.

When the first Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded in 1901, the leading Swedish daily newspaper wrote that it would be difficult to find laureates that lived up to the universal, transnational ideal of Nobel’s will, as literature, the op ed stated, was deeply embedded in nationalist expression and therefore, one supposes, did not travel well. The op ed was typical: From the start, universalism and particularism were regarded as irreconcilable opposites in the reception of the Nobel. One trait that distinguishes the Nobel prize from most other literary awards is its planetary claim: The prize is not awarded to works from a certain geographical territory or to works written in certain languages. Therefore, this paper addresses the recurrent clashes between the universalist ideal of the prize and the particularity of the prize’s reception, and the discourse concerning universality surrounding the prize over time.

The focus of interest will lie in the reception of Han Kang’s award in 2024, in Swedish as well as in international Western media. In Sweden there was a heated debate over the prize, with some critics calling Han’s writing “kitsch” and others regarding the prize as very well deserved. The question of (un)translatability was also addressed. Internationally, the reception was kinder.

For specific comparison, the study will look to the discussion surrounding the prize awarded to other prizes awarded to laureates that have been received as Eastern in Swedish and Western media, but it will also make a comparison with Toni Morrison’s award in 1993, as there are certain similarities in how Han’s and Morrison’s prizes were received in the media.

My main question will be: How are the question of universality and particularity raised in the reception of these awards? What arguments are used when discussing quality, how is the oeuvre read and understood and how is the laureate herself presented?

The questions are important as media reception plays a big part in the ecology of the Nobel Prize, and wittingly or unwittingly, journalists contribute to the aura of the prize and the possible canonization of the laureates’ work. It is the thesis of the paper that the suspicion of transnational literary travel and the possibility of universalism expressed in 1901 is still alive and well, although, after post-colonialism, it has found other forms of expression.

My expectations are that the prizes awarded to non-Western, non-European laureates will be discussed as particular, while European prizes will be received as universal. I also expect gender to be an issue in the media reception of the awards.

In this talk, I use Georges Perec’s Life: A User’s Manual (1978) and Dung Kai-Cheung’s Atlas: An Archaeology of an Imaginary City (1997) as examples to discuss how literature participates in debates about the nature of urban archives and archiving as a dynamic process of selection, preservation and retrieval while also highlighting their instability. While Life: A User’s Manual chronicles the lives of various residents at a fictional apartment block located on 11 rue Simon-Crubellier in Paris, Atlas explores how archaeologists from the future unearthing artefacts, maps and documents and use them to piece together their own version of the histories of Hong Kong. Although being produced across time and space, both novels engage with questions of erasures, absences, voids, and the urge to capture the traces and fragments amidst various forms of urban redevelopment and modernization projects from the past to the present. Through putting these two different novels into productive dialogue, I also aim to show how comparative literary practices can help us think across the rich diversity of social experiences and urban conditions across cultures and geographies.

This study offers a comparative analysis of enlightenment and nationalism in the poems of Shin, Chae-ho （申采浩), a Korean nationalist thinker, and Lu Xun （魯迅）, a foundational figure in modern Chinese literature. It aims to explore and compare the enlightenment and nationalist ideas of these intellectuals through the unique art form of poetry, a genre that—though not dominant in their work—holds significant ideological and literary value. This research examines how themes of enlightenment and nationalism emerge in their poetry, identifying both differences and commonalities in their perspectives. Additionally, it analyzes formal elements, such as rhyme, structure, imagery, and symbolism, to provide a holistic view of their poetic expressions. Through this comparative study, the research seeks to deepen understanding of the intellectual landscapes of Korea and China and offer new insights into modern Korea-China relations.

AI-generated literature encapsulates a profound interplay of human history, culture, and emotion, while simultaneously revealing the distinct logic inherent to machine “thinking.” This hybrid characteristic of human and technological interaction presents significant challenges to traditional literary criticism, necessitating the formulation of a new paradigm for evaluating AI literature. This paper examines the AI-authored novel The Death of an Author (2023) as a case study, focusing on its unique representations of authorship, narrative structure, and ethical dilemmas through targeted critical practices. The classic issues within traditional literary criticism gain new meanings and complexities as a result of the integration of artificial intelligence. By engaging with this case study, the paper aims to offer fresh perspectives and methodologies for the critique of AI literature, thereby promoting innovative transformations in literary criticism paradigms in the technological era.

In his book, The Translator’s Invisibility, Lawrence Venuti discusses how the emphasis on fluency in the Anglo-American literary market has relegated translators to the state of invisibility. Often, such an emphasis (whose aim is to make readers feel that they are not reading the text in translation but in the original) conceals the fact of the text’s translation and the conditions and context in which the translation was undertaken.

Focus of this essay will be to explore the problems caused by the Anglo-American dominance of the domestication as a translation strategy and work towards an alternative that will retain the otherness of the translation, using a theory of Levinas.

The finding of the children is a significant literary theme in contemporary Chinese literature as well as a significant means by which intellectuals in the Republic of China strive to construct a contemporary sense of national identity. The academic community in the fields of modern Chinese literature and cultural history has progressively begun to pay more attention to images of children and women, but the topic of how children and women were discovered and built by modern literature, with “girls” as the key thread, has not yet been completely explored. In order to better understand the survival and mental state of girls during the Republican era as demonstrated by the observation, reproduction, and creation of the girls’ image by writers during that era, this research will examine how girls are portrayed in novels written. By using close reading, literary theorist Susan Sniader Lanser’s female narrative perspective, historical context from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, and literary theory, this study will examine how the girl image in literature reflects the social and cultural background of the Republic of China and how intellectuals can create a new nation by writing the girl image. The image-building of girls in the Republic of China is a crucial clue for reexamining the literature and social culture of that country. This study also will offer some valuable insights for future research on social change and escalating ideological trends.

This paper delves into the distinct yet interconnected themes of adventure and spirituality in travel narratives. It examines and explores how cultural, historical, and religious contexts influence the portrayal of travel experiences from the west and the east by examining Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard and Karna Shakya's Dolpo. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the narrative styles, thematic elements, and cultural reflections in the west and the east. The methodology involves a qualitative analysis of the selected texts, focusing on recurring themes, narrative techniques, and cultural references. The study employs a comparative approach to draw meaningful conclusions about the similarities and differences between these two travel narratives. For this, I utilize Joseph Campbell's concept of the hero's journey to examine the protagonists' quests for self-discovery and transformation; Mircea Eliade's theory of the sacred and the profane to explore the spiritual dimensions of the journeys; and Edward Said's concept of Orientalism to analyze the portrayal and perception of Western and Eastern perspectives on travel and spirituality for the textual analysis and interpretation. Both narratives, however, share a common thread of self-discovery and personal growth through travel. This comparative analysis offers unique insights into their respective cultures and worldviews. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how travel writing can serve as a bridge between different cultures, fostering greater appreciation and empathy among readers.

There were two major climaxes in the reception of T. S. Eliot in China, the first was from 1930s to 1940s, and the second was in the 1980s. The first climax, or what we call the early reception of Eliot in China, directly arose from educational activities of a group of British and American scholar coming to China during 1930s to 1940s, the most influential ones among whom were I. A. Richards and William Empson. They made three main contributions in introducing and promoting Eliot in China: 1. initial introductions in courses and lectures, arousing Chinese scholars and students’ interests in Eliot; 2. collaboration with Chinese scholars to translate and introduce Eliot in newspapers and magazines; 3. enhancing the face-to-face communication between Eliot and Chinese scholars. Richards and Empson both had their own academic inclinations, and thus inevitably carried personal scholarly imprints and preferences when promoting Eliot. This led to two major tendencies in the early reception of Eliot in China.

The first distinctive feature was that Eliot’s literary theory was widely regarded as a kind of “practical criticism”. Another important tendency was an emphasis of “intellectuality” in Eliot’s poetry, which contributed to the formation of “The Intellectual Poetry” Movement in China. Apart from the influences from the early promoters, Chinese academy’s overall preferences and the demands of Chinese modernist literature were all factors contributing to how Eliot’s poetry and poetics had been translated, interpreted and reshaped in 1930s and 1940’s China.

Ezra Pound was a key figure in the East-to-West transmission of Chinese culture in the first half of the 20th century. His deep engagement with Chinese cultural elements played a pivotal role in exchanges and mutual learning between East and West civilizations. This paper, using an imagological approach within comparative literature, presents a systematic study of Pound’s depiction of Confucius and its underlying ideology, drawing on primary literature and close textual analysis. In works like The Cantos, Pound juxtaposes Confucius with Western heroic figures—Odysseus, Malatesta, Augustine, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson—framing Confucius as a hero who uses wisdom to guide Western civilization out of crisis and aid in the restoration of social order after two world wars. The “heroic Confucius” conception within Pound’s vision as a framework for reconstructing Western civilization, grounded in Confucian philosophy. This model advocates for a shift from unchecked “freedom” toward elite governance as a means of societal order. In addition, Pound’s engagement with core Confucian concepts like “Zheng Ming” and the Confucian view of order influenced Pound’s broader engagement with political and economic reform in 20th-century Western thought.

The concept of "world literature" has undergone continuous reconstruction, drawing global scholarly attention. Scholars like Volkmar and Damrosch highlight its deep entrenchment in Eurocentrism, with the Western literary system holding a meta-linguistic position in its discourse. However, as Western scholars adopt a more global perspective, "world literature" is shedding its Western-centric framework and evolving into a truly global construct.

With the inclusion of literary works and theories from Eastern civilizations (such as China, India, ancient Egypt, and ancient Babylon) in cross-cultural studies, the implicit Eurocentric and Western-dominant discursive power embedded in "world literature" is gradually dissolving, allowing the term to regain its intrinsic "worldly" essence. However, despite the increasing self-examination and critique of Western-centrism in world literature studies since the mid-to-late 20th century, the question of how to further reconstruct the concept of "world literature" remains an urgent issue for global scholars. Fundamentally, world literature serves as a bridge connecting literary traditions across different regions, yet its ultimate aim lies in leveraging the universal power of literature to mitigate the cultural estrangement and civilizational conflicts that have emerged over the past century. A proper understanding and interpretation of world literature can foster mutual understanding and inclusivity among civilizations.

This article argues that world literature must shift toward the epistemological paradigm of "mutual learning among civilizations." Throughout human history, civilizational exchanges have never ceased, and world literature increasingly exhibits a "multi-civilizational" nature. For instance, the intertextuality between The Homeric Epics and The Epic of Gilgamesh, the influence of Arab culture on the European Renaissance, and the presence of Eastern elements in modern Western literary theory all underscore the fundamental rule that mutual learning among civilizations drives world development. Accordingly, the study and reading of world literature should also align with this direction. This issue extends beyond literary research, generating a "domino effect" that shapes global political, economic, and cultural landscapes. While Huntington's "clash of civilizations" has influenced the geopolitical conflicts of the 21st century, in the face of the unprecedented global transformations of our time, both Chinese and international scholars must take on the responsibility of fostering civilizational harmony and mitigating conflicts. By approaching world literature through the lens of mutual learning among civilizations, scholars can expand the horizons of world literature studies, transcend cultural barriers through civilizational exchange, overcome conflicts through mutual learning, and replace notions of civilizational superiority with a vision of civilizational coexistence.

Throughout the nineteenth century, World Literature meant a view of the world from Europe, until a bidirectional East-West comparison developed in the twentieth century with figures such as Hu Shih, Lin Yutang, René Étiemble, and Earl Miner. These were often cultural comparisons between two “mighty opposites” such as China and Western Europe. The rise of globalization today gives us new opportunities to develop a variation theory of cultural interactions, both in the present and in the past. This talk will look at three examples of nonhegemonic comparison of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean works to Western counterparts, not on the basis of influence or of universal harmonies, but in terms of the writers’ responses to global economic and technological developments.

Most literary histories with a global ambition attempt to map the world, often tilted toward a European/Western perspective and written as a teamwork by individual experts on a variety of regions—and maybe originating from those regions—, each of them taking responsibility for their own linguistic and regional specialty. Often, the regional or local chapters offer little new insights for readers from that region, but useful insights for people from other parts of the world. A project along those lines follows what I will call a mapping strategy. This paper attempts to sketch an alternative, holding that world literature studies should take their point of departure in the dynamics of the mutual exchange following border crossings between cultures, localities and aesthetic forms and strategies. The example will be the recent Landscapes of Realism vols 1-2 (2021–2022) in ICLA’s series of literary histories.

Since the emergence of comparative literature, the academic description of communication relationships has been relatively single, mainly the influence relationships described by the French school. However, communication relationships are constantly changing and complex, and there cannot be only one type of communication relationship. In fact, there is still a network relationship of multiple points and lines, where multiple points refer to the plural reading list and multiple lines refer to the plural communication relationship between the reading list and specific literary texts. Specific literary texts cannot only obtain use cases or information from one book, but can also obtain use cases and information of the same word from multiple reading books, thus forming a network communication form. This requires researchers to investigate reading lists and their use cases in order to describe the scope of the communication object or communication object.

The way of signifying significance of ancient Chinese thoughts advocates “nothingness,” which is a type of poetics of “beyond language.” Ancient Chinese philosophical and literary concepts of art theory recognise the finitiness of the form to convey thoughts and feelings, thus pursuing the infinite mood or flavour beyond language in order to grasp the infinite with the finite, which becomes the major way of expressing Chinese literature and art. Some influential philosophical and poetic views of the West such as Martin Heidegger’s “reopen the question of being,” François Jullien’s poetics of “L’écart,” William Franke’s “Apophatic poetics,” or Jonathan Stalling’s “Poetics of Emptiness” come from Chinese poetics of “beyond language” that advocate expressing meanings through “nothingness.” Poetics of “beyond language” reveals the infinity of the meaning of discourse and the mobility of expression, which is related to the ultimate question of Chinese philosophy, and has profoundly influenced the way of thinking in China and the West; while expressed through literary games that fill in the blank between interpreting and being interpreted, it hits directly at the common thinking of the pursuit of truth in both China and the West, breaking through the language barrier and promoting the mutual learning of civilizations.

한국 웹소설은 2010년대 중반 이후 스마트폰과 PC를 매개로 한 온라인 연재 방식이 정착하며 폭발적으로 성장한 새로운 형태의 서사다. 한국 웹소설의 핵심 특성은 일 단위 연재와 실시간 소통이라는 매체적 특성에 기반한 독자-작가 간의 유기적 상호작용에 있다. 독자의 즉각적인 재미 추구와 작가의 민활한 반응이 상호 의존적 관계를 형성하며, 5000-6000자 내외의 짧은 분량과 주 5-7회의 높은 연재 빈도로 현대인의 콘텐츠 소비 패턴에 최적화된 '퀵 픽션' 형태를 구축했다. 초기 무료 제공에서 웹툰의 성공 모델을 벤치마킹한 플랫폼 중심의 유료 과금 체계와 지식재산권 보호 구조로 발전하며, 플랫폼 자본주의 경제의 핵심 산물로 자리매김했다.

서사적 측면에서 한국 웹소설은 「나 혼자만 레벨업」, 「전지적 독자 시점」,「재벌집 막내아들」 등에서 나타나는 게임 판타지, 성좌물, 회귀/빙의/환생 등의 장르적 문법을 정형화했다. RPG 요소(능력치, 스킬, 레벨업, 퀘스트)를 적극적으로 차용하여 '서사의 게임화' 를 구현하며, 게임에 익숙한 세대에게 몰입하기 쉬운 세계관을 제공한다. 특히 아즈마 히로키의 '게임적 리얼리즘' 개념을 독창적으로 변용하여, 자율적인 규칙계 위에 구축된 가상 현실이 자기완결적인 실재감을 생성하는 서사 방식을 구축했다. 주인공이 주어진 세계관과 규칙을 '플레이' 하는 방식으로 서사가 전개되며, 독자는 유능한 플레이어의 '핵' 이나 '치트키' 를 통한 성공을 관람하듯 대리적 쾌감을 느낀다.

한국 웹소설의 차별성은 일본 및 미국 웹소설과의 비교를 통해 더욱 명확해진다. 일본 웹소설이 오타쿠 문화와 미소녀 게임의 '캐릭터 소비 패턴' 에 기반하여 개별 캐릭터의 매력과 관계성에 중점을 두는 반면, 한국 웹소설은 '현실 개입을 통한 정보 우위' 라는 모티프를 극한까지 발전시키며 독자가 능동적인 서사 창조자로 전환되는 급진적 구조를 만들어냈다. 미국 웹소설이 LitRPG나 프로그레션 판타지 등 다양한 장르에서 '서사의 게임화' 를 구현하되 한국적 '게임적 리얼리즘' 의 독특한 변용은 보이지 않는 것과 대조적으로, 한국 웹소설은 매체적 특성과 서사 문법, 비즈니스 모델이 유기적으로 결합된 독자적인 '신서사 모델' 을 구축했다. 한국 웹소설은 플랫폼 자본주의 시대의 고유한 매체적, 서사적 특성을 통해 '게임적 리얼리즘' 을 창조적으로 변용하며, 독자와 작가, 캐릭터 간의 경계를 허무는 새로운 '신서사 모델' 을 제시하는 흥미로운 문학적 현상이다. IP 확장성을 염두에 둔 강력한 산업화 전략과 해외 진출 용이성을 바탕으로, 한국 웹소설은 글로벌 디지털 서사 시장에서 중요한 역할을 수행하며 새로운 서사적 경험을 제공하는 선두 주자로 발전할 것으로 전망된다.

이 연구의 목적은 한국 웹소설 '이혼물' 을 분석함으로써, 대중문화의 서사적 장치로서의 '이혼' 의 사회·문화적 역할을 이해하는 데 있다. 이혼물이란 남녀 주인공의 이혼이 서사의 주된 내용인 한국 웹소설의 하위장르다. 본래 이혼물은 2010년대 후반 '여성향' 장르인 로맨스와 로맨스 판타지에서 먼저 형성되었으나, 2020년대 현재는 남성향 장르인 판타지, 현대 판타지 장르에 전파되었다.

이 연구의 가설은 한국 웹소설 이혼물이 특히 2010년대 이후 가시화되기 시작한 한국의 젠더 갈등 양상과 관계적이라는 것이다. #metoo 운동, '페미니즘 리부트' 와 그에 따른 백래시는 한국의 성별 갈등을 첨예화했다. 이는 결국 '연애 포기' 나 '결혼 포기' 로 이어지는 친밀성의 문제를 가시화했다. 이러한 사회적 맥락 속에서 웹소설 이혼물은 특히 남녀 젠더의 증오와 분노, 원망을 재현하는 스토리텔링 형식으로 각광을 받았다.

이 연구는 남성향/여성향 이혼물의 대표적 작품들을 분석함으로써, 이혼이라는 개인사/가족사적인 파국이 재현되는 양상을 살펴보았다. 2장에서는 알파타르트의 <재혼황후> 를 중심으로 여성향 웹소설의 주류 문법을 검토했다. '재혼황후' 의 주인공은 본래 사회적 성공에 온전히 몰입한 탓에 친밀성의 위기를 겪고 있었다. 그리고 이혼은 주인공이 가족적 친밀성을 누리면서도, 사회적 성공을 추진할 수 있게 만드는 계기로 작동했다. 3장에서는 <천마재혼>, 이혼 후 <코인 대박> 등의 작품을 검토했다. 이러한 남성향 웹소설 작품들은 공통적으로 아내의 감정적·물질적 착취 때문에 사회적 성공이 좌절된 남성을 주인공으로 삼았다. 그리고 이혼은 새로운 친밀성 파트너를 탐색하고, 한편으로는 가부장제의 짐(burden)에서 해방된 채 사회적 성공을 추구할 수 있는 계기가 되었다. 요컨대 남성향 및 여성향 이혼물에서 이혼은 사회적 성공과 친밀성의 추구라는 모순적인 목표를 함께 추진할 수 있게 만드는 사건이었다. 즉 이혼물은 다만 '로맨틱' 하지 않은 현실적 조건을 포착하는 데 그치는 것이 아니라, 그러한 적대적 환경에서 번성하는 새로운 친밀성 관계의 양상을 제시했다.

요컨대 한국 웹소설 이혼물은 현대 가부장제 자본주의의 '좋은 삶' 의 양상을 재현하고 있다. 한국 웹소설 이혼물은 여성의 사회진출 및 '여권 신장' 이 기존의 가부장제 성별분업 및 친밀성 관계를 파괴하는 양상을 포착했으나 새로운 사회적 협업의 형태나 대안적인 친밀성 형태를 제시하지는 않았다. 이혼물은 오히려 자본주의 사회에서의 명령(사회적 성공)과 가부장제 사회에서

반려자에게 주어지는 기대(친밀성)를 동시에 거머쥐는 환상적 주체를 상상하고 있다. 이러한 점에서 이혼물은 우리 시대 청년들에게 주어진 좋은 삶의 각본이 얼마나 어려운 것인지 드러내는 문화적 텍스트다.

이 발표는 조선왕조를 배경으로 한 SF소설의 상상력과 문화적 의미를 비교 분석하기 위한 시론이다. 미국계 중국인 켄 리우는 중세 동아시아를 배경으로 한 스팀펑크와 유사한 이야기를 만들어내고 있는데, 이때 증기보다는 바람이나 물, 동물, 또는 기(氣)나 기관술(機關術)을 동력으로 삼고, 이를 일러 ‘실크펑크’라고 명명하였다. 그는 단편 <Beidou(2010)> 임진왜란에 출정한 명나라 원군 이여송 부대의 참모 담원사가 육지와 해상에 불[孔明燈]을 띄우고, 이에 삼각측량법으로 방향을 잡아 4만 명의 부대를 일본군의 감시를 피해 평양성으로 진군시켰다는 대체역사를 직조하면서, 2000년부터 중국이 구축한 독자적인 위상 항법 및 위치 정보 시스템 ‘베이더우[北斗]’가 갖는 의미를 덧씌웠다. 천문 관측과 국가 통치의 연관성, 별자리와 권력의 은유 등이 두드러진다.

반면, 정명섭이 참여한 ‘조선스팀펑크연작선’ 『기기인도로』,(2021)에서는 조선 전기를 배경으로 증기 기술이 실제로 도입되었다는 대체역사적 상상력을 펼친다. 이성계, 정도전, 조광조 등 실존 인물을 등장시켜, 증기기관과 같은 서구적 과학기술이 조선의 정치·사회 구조에 미치는 영향을 탐색한다. 특히 <증기사화>에서는 증기기술을 둘러싼 훈구파와 사림파의 갈등이 단순한 권력 투쟁을 넘어, 신기술의 수용과 저항, 전통과 혁신의 충돌로 확장된다. 이는 조선의 유교적 질서와 외래 기술의 긴장 관계, 그리고 사회적 변동의 가능성을 SF적 상상력으로 재구성한 것이다.

이처럼 두 작품 모두 조선 왕조의 역사적 맥락과 동아시아적 세계관을 바탕으로, 과학기술의 도입이 사회와 인간에 미치는 영향을 다각적으로 형상화한다. 켄 리우의 실크펑크는 조선을 배경으로 하면서도 우주적 질서와 인간의 운명을 중국적 미학과 과학적 상상력으로 재해석하는 반면, 정명섭의 조선스팀펑크는 구체적인 정치 상황과 기술의 상호작용에 초점을 맞춘다. 본 연구는 이러한 비교를 통해 동아시아 SF의 지역성, 장르적 변용, 그리고 전통과 기술, 역사와 상상력의 역동적 상호작용을 조명하고자 한다.

I participated in a volunteer translation project aimed at supporting sponsored children overseas. My contribution involved translating personal letters and educational materials from Korean into English, facilitating meaningful communication between Korean sponsors and children in various countries. This experience deepened my understanding of cross-cultural narratives and language mediation, which directly informs my interest in comparative literature and translation studies.

In this presentation, I will consider some of the question that arise for literature and the arts in a world of fast connectivity, social media, crowdsourcing, artificial intelligence: questions that are about writing, reading and publishing, about authorship and authority, about genre, popular and ‘high’ literature, about creativity, memory and identity. While they require answers embedded in and relevant to the contemporary digital world, they also prove to be old questions which literature repeatedly returns to.

In the digital age, the relationship between human memory and media is intimate and impossible to separate. The interaction between technology and memory is transforming how we experience reality, identity, and time. As we integrate machines into our biological memory systems, we may be entering an era where the human mind is no longer bound to the brain alone. The relationship between technological objects and human memory is reshaping how we store, retrieve, and even modify memories. From AI-assisted recall to brain-computer interfaces, technology is beginning to externalize, enhance, and sometimes even replace biological memory.

Gilbert Simondon’s theory of technical objects provides a unique framework for analyzing how medical technologies interact with and transform the human biological memory system. Simondon viewed technical objects as evolving entities that mediate between humans and their environments. Through this lens, we can examine how memory-related medical technologies—from neural implants to AI-driven cognitive prosthetics—are reshaping human memory and identity. From the perspective of Simondon’s technical object, this study seeks to explore themes of biological memory, identity, and the temporal externalization of memory through two plays: Nick Payne’s Elegy and Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime. These plays delve into the intersection of technology with the human condition, exploring how memory and consciousness shape our identities and how technology might alter or preserve them.

Memory is often viewed as the foundation of personal identity—it is through memory that we know ourselves, maintain continuity over time, and construct meaning from our experiences. The concept of temporal externalization of memory in Nick Payne’s Elegy can be understood as a central theme where human memory is shifted out of its natural biological boundaries and anchored in an artificial or technical system. From the perspective of Simondon’s technical object, this involves framing memory as something external, manipulatable, and possibly detachable from the self. In Elegy, the narrative explores a futuristic scenario where degenerative diseases are “cured” through a medical procedure that replaces parts of the brain responsible for memory and identity with artificial implants. In Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime, the temporal externalization of memory is central to the narrative, as it examines the relationship between human memory, identity, and artificial intelligence. From the perspective of a technical object—specifically, the “Primes,” which are AI-driven holographic representations of deceased individuals—temporal externalization involves transforming memory into a collective, externalized resource that is mediated, stored, and iteratively reconstructed by the AI.

The temporal externalization of memory in Nick Payne’s Elegy and Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime reflects fundamentally different approaches to how technology interacts with human memory and identity. From the perspective of a technical object, the differences lie in purpose, process, and relationship to time and humanity. In essence, Elegy views temporal externalization as a means to preserve functionality at the expense of emotional depth, while Marjorie Prime focuses on maintaining emotional resonance through collaborative reconstruction of memory. Each perspective highlights a different facet of how technical objects mediate the intersection of memory, identity, and time.

This study critically examines the formation of the Korean literary institution and the enduring legacy of settler colonialism through the lens of the university as a global affective regime. Centering on the Netflix series The Chair, the research analyzes the racialized and gendered structures embedded in the discipline of English literature and traces their colonial origins. It raises fundamental questions about the role of the university today in the era of “post- humanities” and the historical work the university has performed during the era of “humanities,”as well as the limitations and possibilities of the institution.

The Chair portrays, through the perspective of a Korean American female professor, the crisis of the English department in American academia and the affective pressures faced by racialized and gendered subjects within it. At the same time, this study turns its critical gaze toward the Korean university, arguing that it functions not merely as amimetic institution but as a settler colonial technology. As such, the Korean university continues to reconstruct the legacy of colonialism under the guise of national knowledge production, reinforcing neoliberal modes of governance through the regulation of race, gender, and citizenship.

Drawing on the framework of affective geography, this study examines the colonial and affectivefunctions of the university across the social contexts of the United States and South Korea. It contends that, rather than achieving a meaningful transition toward decolonization, both societies remain structured by the historical continuity of colonial affect―rendering them settler societies. The university operates not simply as a site of scholarship, but as a conduit for transmitting settler colonial sensibilities and power, and this affective structure continues to shape and haunt the Korean literary institution andsociety at large.

Through this analysis,the study seeks to reconfigure the flows of affect surrounding the technology of the university and to interrogate their political implications. Ultimately, it aims to move beyond the discourse of crisis in the humanities, revealing the affective mechanisms of governance performed by the university within a global settler colonial framework, and offering a critical foundation for rethinking the Korean literary institution.

Women writers in South Korea have played a crucial role in globalizing translated Korean literature, challenging the male-dominated literary field. This study examines their influence through a sociological lens, highlighting their intersection with feminism in Korean society. These writers have embodied their gendered habitus within the framework of intersectional symbolic violence imposed upon them. This habitus has shaped their literary practices, enabling them to transform “misrecognized” symbolic violence into a form of “recognition” by identifying and exposing it. Their literary strategies include disrupting conventional linguistic and literary norms, subverting traditional genres, reinterpreting and expanding female gender roles to portray women as agents of change beyond the familial sphere, and addressing social and political issues through characters who explicitly defy traditional expectations. By recognizing and exposing often-invisible symbolic violence in their work, Korean female writers engage in a meaningful act of resistance—one that not only challenges established power structures but also fosters broader societal reflection and progress.

This paper investigates the portrayal of the Korean peninsula in Arabic periodicals from 1880 to 1920, with a particular emphasis on the role of translated articles authored by foreign travelers. During this period, these translated accounts became vital conduits for introducing Korea to Arab audiences, as they provided some of the earliest and most significant insights into Korean culture, society, and geography at a time when direct engagement was minimal.

Utilizing Erving Goffman's frame analysis methodology, this study closely examines the narratives constructed by these translations and how they framed perceptions of Korea within the broader context of the geopolitical dynamics existing at the time. The research indicates that the representation of Korea in Arab media was significantly influenced by the relationships and interests of countries like Japan and Russia, which had established connections with the Korean peninsula. This influence often led to portrayals that aligned with the political agendas of these nations, coloring how Arab readers understood Korea.

Moreover, the translated articles often emphasized aspects of Korean culture and history that resonated with Arab audiences, creating a narrative that celebrated certain qualities of Korea while omitting others. As a result, the study highlights the importance of these early translations in shaping the foundational views of Korea in the Arab world, as they laid the groundwork for further cultural exchanges and literary adaptations in the years that followed.

Through the lens of Goffman's frame analysis, this paper elucidates the mechanisms by which these texts not only informed but also shaped the perceptions of the Korean peninsula in Arabic literary and cultural discourse. By focusing on this transformative period, the research underscores the critical significance of translation in facilitating cross-cultural understanding and establishing initial connections between Korea and the Arab world, which would evolve into more robust diplomatic and cultural relations in subsequent decades.

Thanks to the Internet, the Hallyu wave has spread throughout the Arab world. In this context, South Korean literature has captivated Arab readers by offering them a fresh perspective on the aesthetics, life, and culture of the Korean people. The translation of Korean novels into Arabic has been increasing year after year and, in a short time, has surpassed that of certain European languages, such as Italian. Considering that the Nobel Prize serves as a significant indicator of Arab translators' interest in foreign literatures, this trend is likely to continue following the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to South Korean novelist Han Kang in October 2024.

This promising situation has motivated me to study the movement of contemporary Korean novel translation into Arabic, aiming to provide an overview of the translations completed so far and to highlight the factors that promote and ensure the success of aesthetic and cultural interaction between South Korea and the Arab world in this field.

To analyze this emerging phenomenon within the Arab cultural context, I will attempt to answer the following questions:

• What genres of Korean fiction are being translated?

• Who are the translators, in the Bermanian sense of the term, responsible for bringing Korean literature closer to Arab readers? Are they all Arab translators, or are there also Korean translators who specialize in Arabic? In the case of Arab translators, do they translate directly from the original language, or do they rely on an intermediary language?

• Which Arab publishing houses are committed to promoting Korean literature, and for what purpose? Are these independent publishing houses, or do they receive support from Korean institutions?

World literature recognizes the contribution of all cultures on the basis of equality. However, the discourse on literary theories, the history of ideas, and the literary awards system more often than not reflect a centering around Western literature. Arab readers, not unlike the majority of the reading public around the globe, have generally turned to European and Western literature, with a growing interest in Latin American literature after Gabriel Garcia Marquez won the Nobel Prize for Literature. However, a few decades ago, Korean literature attained maturity and emerged independent of the European models, critical theories, and literary trends that dominated the Korean literary scene in the middle and late 20th century. Modern Korean giants like Han Kang captivated readers worldwide with their esquisite style, provoking social critiques and literary prowess. In the Arab world, the number of literary works translated from Korean into Arabic has increased significantly especially since 2001 (Yi Sang, Min Jin Lee, Choi In-ho). In this context, this paper seeks to explore the reception of South Korean literature in the Arab world, especially the reception of Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature and her translated works into Arabic (The Vegetarian 2007, Human Acts 2014, and The White Book 2016).

Thus, the research will study the forms of cross-cultural and literary relations between Korea and the Arab world with reference to the aesthetic specificities characterizing the culture of each. The research will explore two complementary factors that have contributed to the celebratory reception of Arab readers of Korean literature, namely, the awareness of a mutual belonging to the East, in the broadest sense, and the surprise of discovering the uniqueness of South Korean literature which makes it quite distinct from western culture.

The researcher, adopting a descriptive-analytical method, will collect and compile electronic responses from the reading public and critical circles found on digital articles that constitute the sample of the study. The researcher classified these responses according to their causal, geographical, and cultural nature. The researcher relied on two main axes which are as follows:

1. A descriptive study of the electronic Arab reactions: forms and nature.

2. An analytical study: explicit and implicit discourses.

Salome, a classic figure in Western literature, was introduced to China in 1915 with Oscar Wilde's famous play Salome, and has widely influenced and been discussed in China in the following three decades. Although the Chinese imagination of "Salome" was initially formed through Wilde's play, since the mid-to-late 20s of the 20th century, "Salome" has gradually become independent of the script with the interpretation and reinterpretation of the Chinese people, and has acquired a different meaning from that of it in the West. Specifically, the word "Salome" was frequently used in newspapers, personal letters, and diaries of the time to symbolize a certain intense emotion. The yearning or criticism of this fierce emotion is, to a certain extent, the product of the discussion of the "conflict between soul and flesh" in the later period of the New Culture Movement. In the 1930s, Salome-like passions overflowed the scope of literature, leading to the occurrence of murder-for-loves and the public's abnormal sympathy for the killers, which eventually led to the stigmatization of the image of "Salome".

The purpose of this paper is to take the transformation of the image of "Salome" as an example to get a glimpse of the changes in the emotional status of individualism in modern times. To this end, this paper first briefly reviews the discussion of "spirit and flesh" around "Salome" in the 30 years of the Republic of China; It then focuses on the reshaping and use of Salome's image by Zhang Jingsheng and his friends Huang Tianpeng Hualin from the mid-to-late 1920s to the early 1930s, illustrating how the once-popular "spirit and body" debate advanced and came to an end.

As an American author of short stories, novels and essays, Pam Houston is best known for her first book, Cowboys Are My Weakness, exploring love and gender in the American West landscape.This paper examines Pam Houston's Cowboys Are My Weakness, exploring the intricate relationship between landscape and feminist desire, and analyzing the expression of female body desire in the specific context of the American western wilderness. Through detailed landscape writing, Houston transforms the wilderness into a unique space for female desire and self-exploration. The wilderness, with its primal and untamed qualities, symbolizes animalistic instincts and a spirit of adventure. It serves not merely as a backdrop but as a metaphor for female desire, granting female characters the freedom to reconnect with their instincts and candidly embrace their desires. By depicting landscape, Houston liberates women from the stereotypical roles assigned to them in traditional western literature, transforming them into agents actively exploring themselves and expressing their desires. In her narrative, landscape embodies the powers of redemption and adventure. Through physical and emotional exploration in the wilderness, female characters break free from societal expectations, demonstrating independence and agency. Landscape thus becomes crucial medium for women to pursue freedom and reshape their identities.

Paul Schilder combining psychological attitudes with physical and sociocultural perceptions defined body image as the depiction of one’s own body in the mind of the individual. Gerald Corey identified body image as how individuals perceive their own bodies and how they perceive others’ evaluations of their bodies. Body image begins to form in early childhood and is a dynamic process that is influenced by both society and the individual. From the social perspective, the sociocultural context in which an individual lives will influence his or her experience and view of his or her own body. From the individual perspective, gender, sexual orientation and family will also have a profound impact on body image. Although there is no lack of homosexuality literature works in ancient Chinese literature, they are mainly about male homosexuality (Nanfeng), while the writings of female homosexuality are only a sporadic and vague existence. Li Yu, a dramatist and novelist in the late Ming and the early Qing periods, wrote the first female homosexuality saga, Lian Xiangban (Pitying the Fragrant and Companion), which began the process of female sexual minorities theme writing in Chinese literature, which experienced two peak periods of rapid development. The first period of rapid development was at the beginning of the 20th century, a series of new literary novels embodying the theme of female sexual minorities was created by the writers, who influenced by the May Fourth Movement, represented by Ding Ling’s In the Summer Vacation, Lu Yin’s The Diary of Lishi, Ling Shuhua’s There is Something, and Yu Dafu’s She Is a Weak Woman. The second is a series of works produced by female writers in the 1990s, including Chen Ran’s A Private Life, Lin Bai’s Water in a Bottle, Liu Xihong’s You Can't Change Me, Yan Geling’s The White Snake and The White Sparrow, and Qiu Miaojin’s Notes of a Crocodile and Last Words from Montmartre. Through the body image writing of female sexual minorities, it can be seen that female homosexuality theme in Chinese literature has shown a change from criticizing the times to focusing on the individual: writers bred under the literary parent body of the May Fourth Movement placed their works in a realistic social and historical context, judging the persecution of women by the patriarchy, calling for women’s awakening, and attempting to transform the historically defined gender roles, but with the symbolization of the May Fourth Spirit the writing on female sexual minorities during this period also contained an idealized or symbolized character. The “feminine writing” that began in the 1980s became one of the most prominent phenomena in Chinese literature in the 1990s. The works of this period were not limited to a specific social context, but rather shifted to revealing the individual social roles that dictate and force women's survival and psychological patterns, and to showing the struggle of individuals under the discourse system of the Other.

In science fiction writer Sakyo Komatsu's works before 1970, women are mostly depicted as the social and animalistic "mother,” the former healing men's emotional traumas and the latter giving birth. In response to criticism portraying women as this single archetype, Komatsu wrote the “Women’s Series” in early 1970s. In these works, there is an obvious shift in narrative where he dedicates them towards using the concept of space and body deformation as a basis for women to resist patriarchal oppression and construct their own field of discourse. Firstly, he uses the theme of travel for women to escape the constraints of the domestic space. Secondly, he uses body deformation to subvert the male gaze. Lastly, he attempts to construct transcendental space outside the real space and the imaginary space, which becomes women’s “other world,” isekai. However, because male writers’ portrayal of women is mostly based on their own experience in patriarchal society, the real space of the male perspective and the imaginary space of men cannot create women’s isekai. This limitation undermines Komatsu’s attempt to construct an isekai for women. In “Autumn Women,” the protagonist witnesses the gathering of 4 women, symbolizing Komatsu as an onlooker leaving construction of women's isekai unfinished and handing it over to women themselves.

In the later 1970s, with links to Komatsu’s attempt, a group of female science fiction writers emerged in Japan who carried on the use of body deformation and construction of their own isekai, in an attempt to subvert and change the world. These authors included Izumi Suzuki, author of "Women and Women," Moto Hagio, author of "Star Red," and Mariko Ohara, author of "Hybrid Child." In their works, their use of body deformation shows their strong desire to change the female body, while at the same time laments that it is only through these transformations that women can survive. The rise of women’s science fiction brings societal attention to the phenomenon of sexual differences, but intensifies the confrontation between the sexes.

Facing this growing contention, Komatsu opens new exploration of gender awareness in his final novel, “The Corridor of Nothingness (2000).” The protagonist of this novel, AE, is an intelligent robot of an unspecified gender. In order to improve efficiency of space exploration, multiple "sub-personalities" were created inside it, including both masculine and feminine. When AE communicated with extraterrestrial intelligent life, it reflected on itself and asked, "After all, in this universe, what is the meaning of the gender differences between 'male' and 'female'?" Through this reflection, Komatsu ponders the significance of gender in the universe and attempts to dissolve the binary nature of gender. Unfortunately, his answer is inconclusive as the work remains unfinished, with this question left for further exploration by future generations.

In recent years, with the ongoing development of body studies and feminism, the focus of female body representation in American literature has shifted from earlier discussions of aesthetics, desire, and morality to an exploration of women’s social conditions and identity. This shift from the objectification of the female body to its subjectivity is particularly evident in depictions of female bodily disorders, such as in Roxane Gay’s memoir Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body (2015). Bodily disorders refer to conditions that affect the normal functioning of the body, often leading to a deterioration of physical health or abnormal behaviors. These can include chronic illnesses, physical deformities, and psychological conditions that manifest physically, such as eating disorders or somatic symptom disorders. In the book Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Gay recounts the sexual violence she experienced in her youth and how it shaped her perception of her body. She describes how binge eating became a coping mechanism for processing trauma, pain, and inner conflict. The body and food in the book serve as tools for both self-protection and self-destruction. Gay addresses issues such as obesity, binge eating, and body shaming, presenting complex reflections on the female body, especially how to navigate self-identity in a society that upholds thinness and an “ideal” female body. She proposes a more inclusive understanding of the body, emphasizing that the body is not merely a standard of beauty but a symbol of personal experience, pain, and resistance. The female body is no longer just an object of societal gaze; it becomes a means of resisting external judgments and self-harm. In novels that focus on female bodily disorders, authors explore the relationship between the body and women within the contexts of gender, illness, and body standards, presenting the interconnections of health, disease, gender violence, and female identity. These kind of works delve into the limitations of the body, the healthcare system, and the tensions between women’s self-identity and societal expectations. This study will examine how contemporary American authors portray women’s bodies in the context of bodily disorders form the perspectives of feminist and body politics. It will examine how women perceive their bodies from a subjective standpoint, how they challenge gender roles, family norms, and societal expectations through bodily control, and analyze the forms of bodily autonomy and their relationship with social and political forces.

Throughout the history of literature, prostitutes have always been significant and unique presence. While men enjoy the pleasures that the bodies of prostitutes bring, they often condemn and disdain them morally. The body of the prostitute seems to serve only as a tool for male pleasure, and tragedy becomes their inevitable fate. Yan Lianke, one of the most internationally influential contemporary Chinese writers, has created a series of prostitute images and bodies in his novels such as The Explosion Chronicles, Feng Ya Song, and Riguang Liunian, which reflect the ordinary lives of rural people. These novels present both ancient prostitutes who emphasize their bodily skills and talents, and modern young women in the process of urbanization who willingly sell their bodies. In Yan Lianke’s works, the bodies of prostitutes are often intertwined with adornment, money, power, and disease, transforming them into social, moral, and political bodies. Specifically, in order to gain male favor and secure wealth or power, prostitutes often choose fashionable, trendy, and distinctive bodily adornments. Such adornments serve as critical tools for attracting and pleasing men. Furthermore, the potential for bodily adornments to enable a transcendence of class boundaries leads these women to become increasingly invested in and attentive to their physical presentation. Meanwhile, modern young women who sell their bodies for their fathers, lovers, money, or power do not feel ashamed. Instead, they become in the pleasures of money, power, and physical indulgence. In Yan Lianke’s works, the bodies of prostitutes serve not only as a medium for reflecting the cultural and social ethos of the times but also as a site for profound social critique and critical reflection.

As one of the most renowned novelists from Hong Kong, Li Bihua excels in depicting turbulent love stories through a distinctly female perspective. In Sheng Si Qiao, while narrating the emotional entanglements between Dandan, Huaiyu, and Zhigao amidst a chaotic era, Li also creates a series of compelling female characters and vividly portrays various female bodies. The women in the novel, such as the performer Dandan, the movie star Duan Pinting, and the prostitute Honglian, adopt different forms of bodily adornment based on their age, identity, social status, and profession. These bodily adornments not only fulfill their primary functions, such as providing warmth or covering shame, but also serve as vital mediums for women to showcase their personal allure. Furthermore, the descriptions of bodily ornamentation are significant literary devices for shaping character personalities and enhancing character development. They emphasize the female body, enrich female imagery, and propel the narrative forward. In Li Bihua's writing, female bodily ornamentation transcends its physical purpose, becoming a visual, aesthetic, and literary symbol. It encapsulates women’s self-worth and emotional desires, bridges ever-changing interpersonal relationships, and drives both the unfolding of the narrative and the construction of textual meaning.

For the need of spreading Buddhist doctrines, the female images in Buddhist avadana literature are pretty rich, ranging from heavenly women to civilian women, but the description of their body images has always maintained an ambiguous and contradictory attitude. First of all, the beauty of women 's body in the avadana literature is extraordinary vague. It not only lacks detailed verbal description, but also weakens the subjectivity of the body. It uses decorative utensils such as gold light, banner cover and incense flower to highlight the ' correct and perfect ' of the women body, which greatly blurs the characteristics of women. Secondly, unlike the beauty of female body, the ugly depiction of it in avadana literature is figurative and detailed. The most common way is to structure the female body and alienate it by means of aging and decay, showing a female body image with rough skin follicles, old bones, dirty smell and urine. Whether it is ' vague beauty ' or ' concrete ugliness ', it consistently reflects Buddhism 's rejection and derogation of women 's bodies. On the one hand, for those who are not pure, the beauty of women is a symbol of sin and lust, and figurative literature discourages the yearning of the masses by demonizing their inner bodies. On the other hand, for those who gain a beautiful appearance by supporting the Buddha, the avadana literature tries to blur its female characteristics, so that the positive ' beauty of women ' presents the characteristics of neutralization and even masculinity. This tendency is particularly evident in the karma of the law. For example, the taboo of talking about the beauty and ugliness of women body in ' mahasamghika ' is detailed to eight parts: lips, armpits, breasts, ribs, navels, abdomens, privates and calves. In addition, the norms of Bhiksuni 's body and dress also adopted the ' de-gendering ' standard. Buddhist practice takes men as the core, and thus takes the female body as the root of desire, so it is obsessed with breaking the beauty of women and exposing their ugliness. In this way, the principle of ' everything visible is empty‌‌ ' is transmitted to the public. Although it does not completely deny the beauty of the female body, it often chooses to degenderize it in occasions where it has to be positively described, and finally leads to the result of changing from female body to male body. That's why, as a model of saints, the most perfect body image in Buddhist literature is always male.

In the scientific and technological imagination such as human-computer interaction, gene conversion and prosthetic implants, women’s body is both confined to the self-confirmation and self-projection of white male authority, and becomes the “symbolic object” characterized with motherhood, reproductive function and objectification in the male power struggle. In the 1960s, in the three space opera novels published in succession, African-American science fiction writer Samuel R. Delany employs the myth of Babel Tower, the Grail legend and the Orpheus myth to present the plight and suffering of women’s body under the “pseudo divine body worship”. However, the female characters in these novels, under the help of science and technology, also reinvent their bodies, especially realize the transformation from the single-gender body to hermaphroditic and even fluid gender bodies. By using science and technology to break through the mythological authority, it symbolizes the writing attempt to break free from the prison of the social discipline of the old soul. Delany, who is both an ethnic other and sexual minority, discovers and concerns the plight of women, and thus conduct the “Utopian” reconstruction for women’s body, which is part of the complex and far-reaching cultural and social context of the 1960s. It also provides a pioneering reference for many female science fiction writers in later generations to explore body expression, so as to discover their subjectivity, relieve the plight of marginalized groups with intersecting identity experience, achieve self-rescue and find more expression possibilities for women and other marginal groups.

I will address current issues about the status of gender studies in relation to comparative literature: issues regarding the very legitimacy of gender studies (in the context of the heated debates against "the ideology of gender") and issues regarding the specificity of a comparative approach within the field of gender studies.

We commonly evaluate translations in terms of their “accuracy” or “fidelity”; sometimes we allow a translator more or less “license,” that is, we release the translator from the obligation to be faithful to the original text and give him/her a degree of “freedom.” All these terms have an ethical connotation: that is, they are not just about the transfer of information or about linguistic structures, but rather express a sense that the translator has a moral duty to the author being translated and to the audience for the translation. In construing translation as a moral act, we define a community and pronounce rules that are supposed to be binding on members of the community; we even suggest rewards and punishments to follow from the act of translation (these may come in the form of good or bad reputation, or even in the form of lawsuits).

When and why do translators receive “license” (akin to “poetic license,” that is, freedom from the rules of grammar and truth)? It seems that when the distance to be traversed between the original text and the audience of the translation is at its greatest, the greatest degree of “freedom” is permitted— this “freedom” arises from necessity because a strict translation would make no sense. Or “freedom" may be conceded by default, because few among the audience can check the translator’s work, or care to. This condition applies to Ezra Pound’s _Cathay_ in the early decades of its reception. Another kind of “freedom” arises when the original is experimental and breaks the rules of the original language in a way that a translator may try to imitate in the language of the translation. Or sometimes a translator simply takes the freedom to alter the form or content of the original, as if claiming the status of independent artist. In this last case, the ethical vocabulary seems to fall away, for artists are notorious for following no rules but those they set down.

This article seeks to better understand the complexities of Indian educated middle-class women during the Partition period through three Partition novels: Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day (1980), Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines (1988) and Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters (1998). Despite extensive research on women in Partition, there is little focus on the group of educated middle-class women. In mainstream historical and political discourse, these women have consistently been constructed within the official discourse dominated by males. They are either “Mother India,” or the “new woman” to meet the requirements of India’s changing political atmosphere. However, by delving into the particular historical context and personal experience of the educated middle-class women in tree novels, the article argues that they continuously subvert the essentialized identities imposed upon them by different versions of official discourse. As the embodiment of Shakti, they are distinct from the archetypes of “Mother India” and the “new woman.” Instead, they create their ideal family spaces based on their personal cognition, and transcend the homogeneous gender discourse, which reflects the fluid and complex nature of female identity.

This paper offers a comparative reading of two plays, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) and Ins Choi's Kim's Convenience (2001). Albert Schultz, the artistic director of Soulpepper, which staged Kim's Convenience, mentioned that the play was reminiscent of the two representative family plays, Death of a Salesman and Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun (1959). Choi's play is set in a Korean-Canadian immigrant family, and although the play was published more than half a century after Miller's play, these two share many similarities. Both plays explore family conflicts, particularly between parents and children. In each dramatic narrative, one of the two siblings experiences a serious disagreement with their father, which significantly impacts the dissolution or reconciliation of the family. Despite the time gap between the two plays, the mothers in both plays maintain traditional female roles as mediators. The similarities go beyond the domestic dynamics. Both plays simultaneously illustrate the wider social challenges that these families face, directly or indirectly. The patriarchs struggle to survive in an evolving capitalist society. These challenges transcend personal circumstances to contemporary economic, racial, and social issues from different perspectives. While there have been many studies of Death of a Salesman, it has been rare to conduct an in-depth comparative analysis between Miller's play and Kim's Convenience. The study draws connections between these plays and examines their messages for contemporary society.

Abstract: The Bildungsroman Until I Find You by contemporary American writer John Irving unfolds with Jack Burns’ tumultuous journey to uncover the mystery of his father’s prolonged absence. Set against the backdrop of a turbulent society, the narrative depicts the struggles and explorations of an individual in search of the answer to “Who am I?” Jack's twisted family relationships plunge him into a state of self-loss from a young age, and his quest for his father becomes his proactive response to the emotional and identity crises he faces. This journey aids him in rediscovering his true self and reflects Irving's profound contemplation on the relationship between the “self” and “others”— the discovery of the father ("you") is essential to Jack's self-discovery ("I") . The “you” in the novel’s title refers not only to the father Jack has long been looking for but also to the true self he has been pursuing. Through an analysis of Jack’s growth process, it becomes evident that the restoration of one’s true self is not achieved by erasing painful memories but rather by confronting and embracing all experiences, thereby shaping a complete, rich, and authentic self.

Han Kang's novel The Vegetarian explores the ethical dilemmas faced by individuals under the weight of violence, family oppression, and societal norms through the portrayal of two sisters—In-hye, the resilient and burdened older sister, and Yeong-hye, the younger sister who rejects meat and fantasizes about becoming a tree. This paper, drawing upon Emmanuel Levinas’s ethics of the Other, investigates how Yeong-hye and In-hye make radically different ethical responses when confronted with the call of the "Face of the Other." Yeong-hye, disturbed by a face in her dream, rejects eating meat and attempts to sever her ties with the violent world by adopting a "vegetarian" lifestyle and aspiring to "become a tree." This plantification is her response to the suppressed call of the "Face," seeking self-transcendence. In contrast, In-hye passively bears the responsibility of "being for the Other." Trapped in infinite responsibility, she becomes, in Levinas’s terms, a victim of the idea that "responsibility precedes freedom." The imagery of "the white bird-mother with two hands" and the black kite flying toward the storm clouds reflects In-hye’s exhaustion and despair as a mother and sister. By reflecting on the symbolic significance of "the bird" and "the tree," this paper further explores the ethical rupture and inner conflict experienced by the two sisters. The imagery of the bird and the tree symbolizes the ethical dilemmas faced by the sisters: In-hye dissolves herself in "being for the Other," while Yeong-hye decays in her plantification. The Face of the Other calls for responsibility, yet its infinite nature leads to the collapse of the subject. The paper examines the irreconcilable tensions and tragic conflicts inherent in ethical responsibility, and, through Levinas's ethical perspective, explores how human beings respond to the suffering of the Other, analyzing the unresolved tension between family, violence, and the burden of responsibility.

The Zhongyong, also known as The Doctrine of the Mean, has gradually attained recognition as a philosophical classic over more than 300 years of translation endeavor, since its initial English translation in 1691. A comprehensive review of its translation history unveils significant shifts in the understanding and reception of The Zhongyong. The work has been rendered into 29 English versions, that encompasses full translations, selected translations, compilations, and even adaptations in comic form. In this paper a detailed overview of the English translation history of The Zhongyong is presented, that categorizes it into three distinct phases: (1) “An Interpretation of Confucianism through a Christian Lens (1691-1905)”, in which, translators primarily sought to draw parallels between Confucianism and Christianity. (2) “An Interpretation of Confucianism through Western Cultural Frameworks (1906-2000)”, where translators predominantly adopted a culturally oriented translation strategy, that aligned The Zhongyong with Western philosophical and cultural paradigms. (3) “A Reinterpretation of Confucianism through Its Chinese Cultural Context (2001-present)”, in which, the focus shifts to the restoration of the original philosophical and cultural essence of the text, and contributes to its canonization as a philosophical classic within global discourse. The translation of the title “Zhongyong,” is further examined through an analysis of four representative renditions to illustrate the diverse conceptual understandings they reflect. The findings indicate a notable trend towards interpretive translation, wherein various strategies are employed to enhance readers’ comprehension of complex philosophical concepts. As the demographic of translators has diversified, translation strategies have also evolved from domestication in the earlier phases to foreignization in the contemporary phase, which signifies a growing emphasis on preserving the authentic Chinese philosophical context.

The series of novels “Eurasian Symphony” written by Rebakov and Alimov is a major event in the writing of China in contemporary Russian literature. The dual identities of the two writers and sinologists have endowed the novels with unique literary character and aesthetic taste. They have both systematic knowledge and in-depth research on Chinese history, culture and literary classics, and have the patriotism and literary imagination of Russian writers. China, as an idea and symbol, is the key factor in the writer’s creation of the ideal country of Ordus. With the help of the genre of afternative history and detective themes, the writers parodie Eurasianism, and China’s time and space become an organic part of the country of Ordus, expanding its geographical pattern and extending its historical latitude and longitude. Based on their high recognition of Chinese civilization, Rebakov and Alimov expressed their unique insights on the operating mechanism of an ideal society by reshaping Confucianism. The Confucian gentleman model is a yardstick for personal cultivation, and benevolent government and moral governance are the spiritual pursuits of a harmonious society. In the novel, Chinese cultural symbols are combined with Russian culture, and the writers construct the semiosphere of the cultural community of Ordus. Hieroglyphs are combined with Russian letters, and the writers shape the Chinese symbol system in the cultural space of Ordus.

Dr. Lim Boon Keng, JP, OBE (1869–1957) played a significant role in the cultural and educational development of early 20th-century Singapore and Malaya. Born into a Peranakan family in British colonial Singapore, Lim was the first Chinese student to receive the Queen’s Scholarship and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Lim is considered an intermediary between West and East (Xie, 2024). His unique background, blending Western education with traditional Chinese values, positioned him as a key figure in promoting Chinese education (Ang, 2007) and Nanyang Confucian Revival Movement (Wang, 2012) helped bridge the gap between the English-speaking Peranakan community and the broader Chinese population, shaping the foundations of Singapore’s unique multicultural identity.

By comparing Lim’s early 20th-century initiatives with later the government of Singapore’s efforts in promotion of Confucianism in the 1980s and the commitment to fostering a bilingual and bicultural society, this research offers a deeper understanding of his lasting contributions, his foresight in anticipating the importance of cultural and linguistic integration, and the enduring nature of Singapore’s multicultural identity.

This paper explores how Black Myth: Wukong introduces a new media narrative model grounded in Chinese philosophy. By leveraging the established image of Sun Wukong in media history, the game enables players to construct and dissolve their subjectivity through the process of becoming Wukong. This approach challenges the conventional digital narrative paradigm, which centers on player subjectivity. Furthermore, the game employs cyclical narrative time, drawing players into continuous cycles of media innovation. The evolution of the Wukong narrative reflects the evolution of the Sinicization of narrative from non-digital to digital media, and its transformation of media narratives. This development calls for the creation of a research framework and discourse for media narratives that embodies unique Chinese characteristics.

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), écrivain d’origine irlandaise, a écrit et (auto-)traduit ses textes principalement en deux langues, anglais et français. Bien que son activité bilingue ait suscité l’intérêt des chercheurs, la manière dont il a conçu ses œuvres bilingues reste insuffisamment explorée.

Ma thèse examine la poétique de l’auto-traduction chez Beckett à travers une analyse intra-intertextuelle de Company/Compagnie (1980), l’une de ses œuvres les plus autobiographiques. L’auto-traduction y est envisagée à la fois dans son acception stricte et métaphorique.

L’étude s’organise autour de trois axes principaux :

1. L’auto-traduction linguistique, analysée dans les versions anglaises et françaises de Company/Compagnie (intra-intertextualité interlinguistique).

2. L’auto-traduction autobiographique, explorée au sein de Company/Compagnie comme (ré)écriture de soi (intratextualité).

3. L’auto-traduction intersémiotique, examinant les correspondances entre Company/Compagnie et d’autres textes contemporains de Beckett (intertextualité ou auto-textualité).

Cette recherche repense l’auto(-)traduction comme un principe créateur fondamental structurant l’univers artistique bilingue de Beckett. Elle ouvre de nouvelles perspectives interdisciplinaires, touchant aux études beckettiennes, à la traductologie, et à la création littéraire et artistique.

This study explores how women writers in modern Korea and Türkiye utilized writing as a strategy of resistance against male-dominated literary circles, drawing on Elaine Showalter's Gynocriticism and Thierry Laurent's concept of Autofiction. By combining these two theories, this study analyzes how women's writing functions beyond self-expression to serve as social and political resistance.

The research focuses on two texts: Tan-sil and Joo-young (1924) by Myeong-sun Kim (1896-1951), Korea's first modern woman writer, and Göç Temizliği (1985) by Adalet Ağaoğlu (1929-2020), an established canonical writer in Turkish literature. Despite their temporal and spatial differences, both works represent significant examples of resistance through autofictional writing within male-dominated literary worlds.

Tan-sil and Joo-young employs an omniscient third-person narrator who describes external events and internal psychology through a frame narrative. Beginning in 1920s Gyeongseong, the narrative explores Tan-sil's life trajectory from late 19th century Pyongyang. The protagonist parallels Kim's life experiences, reflecting her resistance against patriarchal society's oppression as a New Woman. Through detailed descriptions of Tan-sil's inner world, Kim presents a female-centric worldview that challenges male-dominated perspectives. By borrowing the voice of Tan-sil's half-brother Jeong-taek to reveal social prejudice against women, she challenges male authority.

Ağaoğlu's Göç Temizliği is a memoir-novel where the author appears as both narrator and protagonist, reflecting on thirty years of literary life through personal documents discovered while relocating from Ankara to Istanbul in 1983. Ağaoğlu interweaves her professional trajectory with personal relationships, particularly focusing on interactions with her patriarchal father and male literary critics. She deliberately blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction, asserting personal truths through autobiographical narration and literary reconstruction.

Comparative analysis reveals both similarities and differences in the authors' resistance writing strategies. Both writers utilize autofictional elements to narrate their experiences and oppressive social structures, strategically blending fact and fiction. Through fictional narratives based on lived experiences, they reinterpret their experiences and challenge male-centric literary discourse, emphasizing how autofictional writing can serve as a powerful tool for establishing their presence within literary boundaries. However, while Kim emphasizes fictionality to convey her voice indirectly, Ağaoğlu foregrounds autobiographical truth for direct expression, reflecting their different historical contexts.

This study demonstrates how women's autofictional writing functioned as social and political resistance while revealing universal and specific aspects of women's literature across cultures. Kim and Ağaoğlu not only developed women's literary traditions in their countries — Kim by creating new pathways for women's writing and Ağaoğlu by achieving canonical status — but also pioneered narrative strategies that continue to inspire contemporary writers. Through the methodological integration of Gynocriticism and Autofiction theories, this research advances methodological approaches in comparative literature studies while expanding the scope of research between Korean and Turkish literature.

Drawing on Rivera Garza's conceptualization of disappropriation in Los muertos indóciles, this paper traces the technological evolution of documentary practices from Nadie me verá llorar to her more recent works, particularly Autobiografía del algodón and El invencible verano de Liliana. While Nadie me verá llorar relied primarily on traditional archival research, her subsequent works dramatically expand technological mediation, using digital mapping, database technologies, and online communication platforms to further decentralize authorial control and enact disappropriation.

In Nadie me verá llorar, Rivera Garza's archival research suggested an initial proto-technological approach to documentation, meticulously reconstructing historical narratives through careful technological mediation of historical sources. However, in Autobiografía del algodón and El invencible verano de Liliana, technological intervention becomes more radical, transforming from a documentary method to the narrative infrastructure itself.

Digital mapping and database technologies in these works become fundamental mechanisms of disappropriation, decentralizing traditional narrative structures and creating multi-layered documentary practices that fragment singular authorial perspectives. These technological tools actively redistribute narrative agency, transforming how spatial and temporal experiences are documented and understood. Digital communications emerge as both source material and infrastructural mechanism of disappropriation. In this context, technology is not merely an external tool, but an intrinsic process of deconstructing the ownership of memory, fundamentally altering how personal and collective experiences are constructed and transmitted.

By analyzing these technological transformations, this study reveals how digital tools facilitate disappropriation, radically reimagining literary creation by challenging established concepts of authorship, documentation, and narrative formation in Rivera Garza's works. This technological approach not only disrupts traditional literary practices but also opens a space for rethinking how disappropriation can contribute to the democratization of narrative, in line with global demands for greater justice, equity, and inclusivity. In this sense, Rivera Garza's works suggest that technological mediation—through its deconstruction of established power structures—can serve as a mechanism for reshaping authorial practice, enabling a more inclusive, equitable, and participatory literary landscape.

Yiyun Li has been a prominent Chinese American writer who has produced eight fictions since 2003. She was originally known for her fusion of Chinese elements into her English writing, while for her latest collection published last year, the Anglophone critics start to appreciate its theme and narration, rather than its Chinese-ness. This research endeavors to look through the transformation of Yiyun Li’s writing, ranging from its theme, characterization, to its language style, and particularly, its transition from translation literature to writing for global English readers. The representations of changes, the reasons behind it, and a comparison between she and Geling Yan in terms of their Chinese-ness in their works, will comprise the complete project. There has been research from scholars on Li’s language style, but the focus has been mainly on the Chinese-ness shown in her works before 2018. Therefore, this research would be the first one that could be found pertaining to Li’s 21-year publishing career, from ‘A Thousand Years of Good Prayers’ to ‘Wednesday’s Child’. The methodology of literary linguistics derived from Geoffrey Leech’s ‘Style in Fiction: a Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose’ will be employed to present more detailed and objective evidence.

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), a representative of American confessional poets who is regarded as the youngest and most talented female poet, became the most influential poetess since Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop. This essay is a feminine-center study, employing the “anxiety of authorship” which derives from The madwoman in the Attic, “the Bible of feminist critical theory in the twentieth century”, to explore Sylvia Plath’s writing. In The madwoman in the Attic, Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar put forward a feminist term -- the “anxiety of authorship”, on the basis of a patriarchal Bloomian model, the “anxiety of influence”. Both of the models illustrate writers’ creative mindset. In this essay, Lacanian psychoanalysis is used to study creative mindset of writers. Divergent from Freudian psychoanalysis which is based on biology, Lacan emphasizes the linguistic aspect. Moreover, Freud crystallizes a poet’s “anxiety of influence” over the his precursor into Oedipus complex of a “family history”, while Harold Bloom points out that it is Hamlet complex rather than Oedipus complex that represents the literary genealogy; Lacan argues that “phallus worship” could account for the influence from precursors. The absence of subjectivity is at the core of the “anxiety of authorship” of female writers, like Sylvia Plath. In this essay, the construction of female subjectivity is unfolded by means of Lacanian psychoanalysis which functions linguistically. To tackle the “anxiety of authorship”, Sylvia Plath employs four corrective strategies: explicit-implicit/dual narrative, parody, “madwoman”/substitute, and death. In the analysis of the strategy of “madwoman”/substitute, Michel Foucault’s Madness and Civilization helps clarify this strategy; Jean Baudrillard’s Symbolic Exchange and Death is used to explain the death strategy.

Plath's revisionist strategy is accomplished through her portrayal of the female body in her literary creations. In her literary creations, Plath expresses her own life, her own existence in its original form. Unlike her literary predecessors, most of whose mothers hid the self-image of the agonized “madwoman” in the attic of their novels, Plath becomes the “madwoman” herself, both in the ironic sense of a female author playing the role of the “madwoman” in a male-centered society, and in the sense of a female author playing the role of the “madwoman” in a male-centered society. She becomes a “madwoman” herself, both in the sense of a female author playing the role of a “madwoman” in the ironic sense of a male-centered society, and in the true sense of a real-life hysteric. She expresses herself as an imaginary person, and her poetry is so dramatic that it can be understood as an elaborate set of dramatic monologues. The female bodies in Plath's work, all of which are her props, are full of dramatic performance. For example, the ceramic head of a woman is brought to life in the poem with a “brick gray face” and “eyes under fat eyelids,” as if she were an “ape full of malice but with her face. In appearance, the head is ugly, angry, and cool like the poet. The poem can be a fight to the death around the ceramic head of the lady, as well as the squid-like body in Plath's work, the more angry the more she has to undergo electroshock therapy, just like the crazy, death-loving her ...... Plath's style of work is confessional and gothic, and she often finds the equivalent of her own life in her own work, using a lot of metaphors. metaphors, and she uses a great deal of female body imagery to express her desires, showing a female writer madly subverting and indicting the male world.

This study examines how war has culturally racialized the bodies and identities of Asian women, focusing on Korea and China. Following World War II, the Korean War, and the Chinese Civil War, Asian women experienced military, economic, and social oppression, which led to specific forms of cultural racialization.

By analyzing Chang-rae Lee’s A Gesture Life (1999) and Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior (1976), this study explores how war and migration shape women’s subjectivity at the intersection of gender, race, and class. Both novels depict women’s bodies as sites of historical memory and collective trauma, revealing how war and colonial legacies inscribe racial and gendered identities onto Asian women. The cultural racialization of women in wartime and postwar contexts differs from Western frameworks, as it is shaped by historical violence, national identity, and postcolonial conditions. War and migration further redefine gender roles and social positions, imposing constraints while also creating spaces for resistance and agency.

Drawing on cultural racialization theory, intersectionality, and historical/collective memory, this study critiques the exclusion of Asian women’s experiences from dominant Western war narratives. Through a comparative analysis of A Gesture Life and The Woman Warrior, this research offers a new theoretical approach to understanding how war and its aftermath construct Asian women’s identities in sociocultural and historical contexts.

Moving through the ACLA Reports, beginning with the Levin Report in 1965, the practice of translation was very much an argued over space. Levin and Greene reports were adamant on the elitism of programs and courses on Comparative Literature. The reports were skeptical of reading literary works in translation without knowing the source language. However, considering humane limitations, the Levin report states that in a comparative literature program if a reasonable amount of literary work is read in original language, then it would be “unduly puristic” to read certain remote languages in translation. This ideology poses a threat to the “marginal” languages and literature systems in the global context. It will obviously result in a Eurocentric bias, which is already seen happening to remote language literary systems. “The Translator’s Invisibility” by Lawrence Venuti clearly states that translations in the English language is significantly higher than any other European languages let alone remote and non-European languages. Bernheimer report provides a positive and accepting view on translations, where it is exclaimed that translation gives us a scope to understand larger contexts and interpret various cultures and traditions. This skepticism for translation is totally wiped out in “Exquisite Cadavers Stitched from Fresh Nightmares”. At this point, translation is given a special role to understand possibilities and limitations of any language. Translations may be a site of cultural clash, language is not merely a delivery system anymore but have its own rules, structure, and resistance.

The history of translation in Comparative Literature is provided to better understand the effect of culture, traditions, language literary system, politics, ethics of a translation practices. It is a complex phenomenon where the translator must evaluate and understand cultural specificities if he/she wants to truly portray the source text in the original manner in the target language, that is by foreignization. In today’s time, with the development of AI, machine translations are widely popular. These technological developments claim that it uses deep learning algorithms, neural networks to interpret and understand the context and structure of both the source language and target language. Despite the bold assertions, how much has AI succeeded in proper and correct translations? Even if I ignore the cultural and traditional contexts of any language literary systems, the machine translations are not even up to the mark is translating a coherent grammatical structure. Examples are all around our devices and social networking sites, where the audience is quite satisfied if they understand the shell of the foreign language as generated by AI.

AI is basing its results on data, algorithms, and patterns but often this information is not helpful in translating a tongue genuinely into another. Any translation should have a personal touch which can only be given by a human and never a machine or technology no matter how advanced. Translation requires not only the correct use of language and grammar but also the understanding of tones, sarcasms, emotional and physical condition of the speaker, which cannot yet be detected by AI.

The politics of translation is intertwined with both the source text and target text and are very complicated. Let me elaborate with some examples, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, when translating Mahashweta Devi’s “Draupadi”, left out an entire passage without translating as that passage contained a tribal song which Devi’s Bengali readers were not supposed to understand without delving deep into the tribal community and language. Spivak respected Devi’s method by not giving the opportunity to the English reading audience to know and understand the story fully without any hassle. Maintaining cultural specificity of the source language the translation turns rough, and readability is lessened. This readability is a result of the made-up hierarchies in language. For instance, colonial language holds a power in contrast to a colonized tongue. Machine translations might work well for industrial translations but in the case of literary translations, AI will not be able to grasp the politics which goes behind any language medium. A machine translation which does not even interpret the correct grammar will surely not understand the asymmetrical power relations and the apparent balance between languages. As Levy considers translations as a series of decision-making process.

AI translation always uses the method of domestication instead of foreignization. This is threat to marginal, non-European, remote cultures, and languages. AI, with domestication, will not take into account any cultural specificity of source text and will break it down to fit into the norm of the target language which will lead to a hierarchy of languages and cultures. Certain Bengali words such as “bhaar”, “anchol”, “payesh” cannot be translated into English without losing the essence of the language, yes, we can domesticate it and easily come up with “cup”, “hanging part of saree”, “rice pudding” but any Bengali speaker will immediately understand that its not the same. AI and machine translations thus will roughly translate a source language ignoring its cultural specificity making it easier to understand by the target readers, but is it worth it? A translation should be done to delve into a foreign language, understand the minds of the foreign tongues, not merely just get a content and structure of a foreign work, and be satisfied with just that.

However, before the contemplation of politics of translation process, machine translations take us back to Roman Jakobson’s idea of translation where he bases his idea on Sassure’s idea of sign, signifier, signified. Jakobson gives a simpler view of translation where circumlocution will give us a signified from a foreign sign. In one language we will never always find a single sign replacing a sign in the source text, so we require the help of various other signs to explain the foreign word in the target language. Machine translations does just that, detecting and interpreting a foreign word and replacing it with the closest possible signifier. Like, thesaurus and synonyms can replace a word but the essence of a sign cannot be captured.

This study examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to function as a comparatist by analyzing its ability to interpret and compare diverse poetic and cultural traditions. Focusing on the works of Jibanananda Das and Louise Glück, the research investigates how AI engages with contrasting frameworks, such as Das’s rootedness in Bengali landscapes and mysticism versus Glück’s introspective modernism and stark minimalism. Through case studies of AI-generated analyses of their poetry, the study evaluates AI’s capacity to grasp cultural nuance, aesthetic complexity, and symbolic depth. While AI demonstrates proficiency in pattern recognition and thematic identification, it often struggles with contextual sensitivity and interpretative subtlety. The findings highlight the need for culturally inclusive training datasets and interdisciplinary approaches to enhance AI’s comparative capabilities. This research ultimately argues for AI’s role as a complementary tool to human scholarship in comparative literature.

The contingencies facilitated by Artificial Intelligence in literary analysis, with its diverse applications and evolving definitions, are puzzlingly vast. The anxiety of originality in textual culture is on the rise, but particularly relevant concerning experimental literature, which has many alliances with the digital environment. Technelegy by Sasha Stiles is a book of poetry published in 2021 that was generated by Artificial Intelligence as a response to the prompts she wrote. As a digitally facilitated narrative that amalgamates experimental attributes and Artificial Intelligence, in form and content, it functions as a self-aware digitally enhanced print entity. Apart from the variety in scope, the text in its contemporariness, semiotically exposes the expositions of AI through its algorithmic creativity, as a metaphor to carry and indulge in. The paper primarily focuses on examining the interrogations of agency, authenticity, and the modalities of the representations of anxiety in the acknowledgment of AI. By closely inspecting Technelegy, the paper attempts to reflect upon the shifting cultural and social landscapes surrounding AI and to highlight its existence in the emerging digital ecologies of information. As we navigate the uncharted territory of AI-infused creativity, experimental approaches such as the concerned text offer a path forward, challenging us to redefine the boundaries of what it means to be an author/creator in the age of digitality.

This paper critically examines the "owlscapes," or the ecocultural representation of owls in the Indigenous aetiological myths and folklore of colonial West Bengal, with a focus on two particular species of owls in West Bengal. Owls occupy an ambivalent position in Indian cultural narratives—while venerated as the vāhana (mount) of Goddess Lakshmi, they are also burdened with superstitions that cast them as omens of misfortune. Engaging with Donna Haraway’s (2003) concept of "natureculture," ( this paper argues that myths and folklore serve as ecocultural texts that both shape and reflect human perceptions of nonhuman species, resisting the binary between nature and culture.

Through an analysis of Saratchandra Mitra’s (1928) reports of the Studies in Bird Myths series, the paper explores aetiological myths that narrate the ecocultural significance of the Brown Fish Owl and the Barn Owl. The myth about the two birds embed themes of neglect and irony within local oral traditions, while illustrating how owls become symbols of regret and loss. These myths reinforce the cultural positioning of owls within Bengali society, revealing underlying anxieties about wealth, familial discord, and social exclusion.

At the same time, the paper juxtaposes such folkloric narratives with esoteric texts like Ullu Tantra, which codify harmful superstitions and contribute to the commodification of owls in ritualistic practices. By analyzing these texts alongside indigenous oral traditions, this study highlights how folklore can serve as a space for reinterpreting owls beyond exploitative frameworks. Drawing from postcolonial ecocriticism (Huggan and Tiffin 2010) and contemporary folklore studies (Bendix 1997), the paper situates these narratives within broader discourses on environmental ethics and indigenous knowledge.

By recognising the owl’s role as an active participant in both ecological and cultural systems, the paper challenges dominant anthropocentric perceptions and advocates for a more nuanced understanding of human-owl relationships. This reframing not only contests colonial and exploitative narratives, but also fosters an ethical approach to conservation that is culturally informed and ecologically responsible.

Works cited:

Bendix, R. In Search of Authenticity: The Formation of Folklore Studies. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1997.

Dixit R. (2018), Ullu Tantra. Delhi, Creative Publication.

Haraway, D. The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness. Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press, 2003.

Huggan, Gr. and Helen T. Postcolonial Ecocriticism: Literature, Animals, Environment. London: Routledge, 2010.

Mitra, S. “Studies in Bird Myths About the Brown Fish Owl.” Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society 18, no. 2 (1928).

Mitra, S. “Studies in Bird Myths No. XX- On the Aetiological Myth About the Barn Owl or the Screech-Owl.” Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society 18, no. 3 (1928).

This paper shall explore the transformation of the idea of Rama and Shiva from the middle-era literary texts and folktales to contemporary age. I would also like to trace the role of ideology to reshape and modify the narratives of Rama and Shiva in recent days.

In different versions and forms of Ramayana, due to retelling and re-narrating, Rama’s narrative got transformed and reshaped over time according to local socio-cultural scene. Valmiki Ramayana got translated into different languages through ages and all these translated texts carry unique linguistic-cultural politics. The theme is same in all these texts but the plot and narrative techniques are different. The same in his revisiting displayed different or even opposite characteristics- difference-in-identity. The identity of Rama is created through diversified narratives through orature, myths, movies, performances and literary texts.

Krittibas Ojha translated ‘Ramayana’ into Bangla in 16th century and the version of Rama he presented in his text was quite different from the ‘Ramayana’ composed by Valmiki. Tulsidas’s ‘Ramcharitamanasa’ focused on portraying devotion and love where the hero Rama loved all irrespective of caste and socio-cultural inequalities. In ‘Annadamangal Kavya’, written by Bharatchandra, Shiva has been portrayed as an emotional, desire-driven, bohemian husband. In Agamani (homecoming) songs too, Shiva’s portrayal is not like a powerful, masculine, aggressive god. He possesses human qualities and flaws too. In the folktales of Bengal Shiva has been presented as an old, family-loving, peasant who even begs to Annapurna (another form of Goddess Durga).

In the modern Indian socio-politics, an emergent ‘model’ of Rama and Shiva negates the aforementioned difference-in-identity. A politico-religious discourse, matched with the majoritarian desire, has been imposed upon other cultural beliefs through digitized propaganda. Songs and videos composed/created and released on various social media platform depicted Shiva and Rama as aggressive, masculine and war-mongering characters. Portrayal of their characters evokes Raudra Rasa and Veer Rasa. Chanting the names of Rama or Shiva have been turned into political slogans. These elements can be traced in the Bollywood movies, media presentation and social media narratives in the last two decades. In the post-truth era political propagandists re-created narratives, blurring the boundary between history and fiction, to reshape the memory and public understanding of cultural-religious identity.

How is the depiction of Shiva and Rama on social media different from the age-old texts and diversified myths? How did the digitized narratives (especially on social media) become too popular to dominate the collective emotions and historical memories? What is the role of the state to appease the majoritarian desire to promote the newly-built image of Shiva and Rama? I would like to find answers to these questions in my paper.

Life writing, as an obituary or memorial talk, overwrites people’s own biography and memoirs. Concerning public figures of note, it patronizes as it purports to memorialize people as a first draft of history for the consumption of the general public. The memorial talk or obituary fixes the subjects image in the public mind in a condensed and highly selective way isolating and individualizing the subject to an extreme degree. It oversimplifies and controls the image. Writers employ life writing to serve their own ends, and a life writing is always written by another person a friend or colleague, it is a bibliographical article. A person is being appropriated for the next generation who protects a memory by creating it. The paper investigates the well-known Orientalist Armin Vámbéry’s obituary by the very famous orientalist Ignac Goldziher positioning of the former in relation to Hungarology that was quintessential in arguing Jewish loyalties to Hungary. In this way Goldziher put forward the notion that they are both Hungarian who pursue Oriental Studies out of love for their home, Hungary. At the turn of the twentieth century the Orient was employed as a metaphor to underscore the unique identity of Hungarians, positioning them as both Eastern and Western, distinguishing them from other Europeans. This nationalist-driven discourse formed the backdrop for Hungarian Oriental Studies. Like their Hungarian counterparts, Jewish scholars sought to trace the history of the Magyars in Asia, and the mixing of various peoples in the Orient before the Magyars migrated to Europe. In doing so, Hungarian Jews aimed to present themselves as authentic Hungarians and what patter place than in obituaries and memorial talks.

Translation is inherently comparative as its production, distribution, consumption, and reception involve cross-cultural and inter-linguistic negotiation and transformation – i.e. it is a network of operations, which are dialogic, and sometimes even confrontational.

Comparative Translation and Interpreting Studies (CTIS) has gained currency in the 21st century due to three reasons: our Internet-influenced increasing encounter with cultural diversities, the commercial potentialities that translation activities including Machine Translation cover, and the emergence of decolonial/ postcolonial perspectives that identify and question the dominance of a couple of European languages in the planetary translation activities.

An updated version of a 2020 paper, this paper broaches three issues related to comparative translation: first, a comparative analysis of “interpreting” (interpreter translating orally) and “translation” (translator translating or interpreting written texts); second, comparing different translations (from print to subtitle) of a single text (e.g. Hamlet); and, third, critical exploration of the domination of European theories of translation in Translation and Interpreting Studies and explores if exposure to non-European translation theories can be proved beneficial. It is in these changing contexts that the present paper explores the increasing effectiveness of CTIS in the 21st century. It intends to underscore which standpoint may serve planetary translation activities in the 21st century and whether ‘rebabelizing’ the world (Annie Brisset) in this increasingly mulit-logue globalectic world.

For Oustinoff, Lushenkova-Foscolo, and Rasse, contemporary lingual nomadicity and incommunication have given rise to what Salman Rushdie in Imaginary Homelands named “translated men.” Acknowledging that “something always gets lost in translation,” Rushdie “cling[s], obstinately, to the notion that something can also be gained.” Comparative Translation theorists advocate rebabilizing the world. In this age of globalization and multiculturalism, the maintenance of “global linguistic diversity” is promoted, on one hand, to develop “cultural diversity”; on the other, trans-national and inter-lingual interaction has been increasing. What is, therefore, needed is making the translation flow balanced and participatory – no absolute dominance of one or two languages, no deletion of the ‘minority’ languages. It is a rebabelized world – a world of many yet communicative and understanding.

Nellie Campobello published her fragmentary, violent, and unabashedly villista book of heavily autobiographical short fiction—Cartucho: Relatos de la lucha en el norte de México—in 1931. She then released a much longer version of the text as a second edition in 1940. A few of Campobello’s poems were published in English translation during her lifetime, but the vignettes or estampas from Cartucho would have to wait until 1988, two years after her death, when they were translated by Doris Meyer and published by the University of Texas Press. However, Langston Hughes translated four of Campobello’s estampas (three from Cartucho and one from the later collection Las manos de mama) which remain unpublished but are available to read and study via a digitized archive at Yale University. Hughes performed these translations in the mid-1930s, between the release of the two editions of Cartucho. During this decade, the Mexican Revolution was still in Mexico’s very recent past and the task of reclaiming Francisco Villa as a hero for all Mexicans was still very much on Campobello’s mind.

In this presentation, I begin to offer a hypothetical translation history for Campobello’s Cartucho, asking the question—what would this book’s translation future (or, the book’s trajectory in the English-speaking world) have been like if Hughes had published his translations? I offer a comparative study of the four estampas Hughes translated—what he titles “From our Window,” “My Little Sister,” “Make Them Out of Clay,” and “He Was Bad to Mama”—alongside Campobello’s source texts and Meyer’s translations to offer an alternative translation history of what Cartucho might have been in English. I examine how Hughes changes the pieces by significantly altering three of their four titles and by combining the four stand-alone estampas into one work that he called “Through the Eyes of a Child.” I also consider how these works are situated in Hughes’s larger proposed but never published anthology of Spanish American writers. Hughes’s translation and editing choices alter the texts at the fundamental levels of framing and genre—the new titles reframe the individual pieces, and in Hughes’s broader anthology of translations from Mexico and Cuba, the unwieldy estampas become something more recognizable as a short story. Hughes’s unpublished translations of Campobello exemplify what Karen Emmerich describes as “translingual editing” and create something that is every bit as original as a source text. Studying these digitized archival materials expands our understanding of Hughes’s work as a translator and mediator between Mexico and the United States, and it offers a hypothetical possibility for a different reception of Campobello’s Cartucho in the English-language literary marketplace. In his versions of Campobello’s estampas, Hughes emerges as a consummate author-translator willing to put his creative imprint on Campobello’s revisionary home-front portraits of the Mexican Revolution.

Two hundred years ago, the great German Romantic Johann Wolfgang von Goethe coined the term "world literature" (Weltliteratur) in commenting on the reception abroad of translations of his works into other European languages and on the translation into European languages of Asian classics. Across the same period and into the twentieth century, English spread as the lingua franca. Hence, many non-English-speaking writers want to learn English, have their works translated into English, or both. Such a one is Xie Hong, a Western-influenced contemporary Chinese writer who has lived in New Zealand and has begun writing in English. My co-translator Jicheng Sun and I are rendering his Chinese short stories into an English collection, making our project an East-West collaboration on East-West literature. We have relied on a system whereby Dr Sun performs the rough translations of the stories, which are then polished by me, Dr Swindall. We then collaborate on the proofing and preparation for submission of the stories. Although our use of current translation technologies is limited, we have nonetheless published several of the stories individually in reputable literary journals. We achieve this by paying attention to Xie’s minimalist style, which he claims is influenced by Hemingway, as well as the funny-sad themes of Xie’s work depicting the complications of life for ordinary Chinese in Shenzhen from the 1980s to the 2010s. To render Xie’s style, we first perform a close reading which aligns with Damion Searle’s assertion that translation is “the kind of reading a translator is doing …. when we translate [a] book, we translate our reading of the original.” Our reading of Xie’s stories derives in large part from our personal relationships with him and what he has told us he is attempting. This can be summarized as depicting what has been called the “ultra-unreal reality” of Chinese society today as it constantly changes, especially in Xie’s hometown of Shenzhen, where his stories are mostly set. As a boy, however, Xie claims his favorite reading was Sherlock Holmes, whose “logic, suspense, and detective elements” are evident in his mature writing. Now, he declares that he desires to present “Chinese stories by a Chinese writer” to anglophone readers. Therefore, we make Xie’s ironic narratives of the quests for truth of his protagonists readable in English in all their quite real unreality, showing aspects of the lives of ordinary Chinese probably unknown to most in the West. As contributions to twenty-first-century world literature, our translations make the experiences of today’s China accessible to a global audience that can read English, promoting international understanding and, possibly, identification with others far away.

Johannes Fabian's book Time and the Other urges for 'coevalness' among anthropology’s objects of study. Changing the title’s focus on the gender of the ‘Other’, this paper deals with questions of euphemisms and invisible significations, which one has to deal with while translating Sibylle Berg’s gender discourse present in her four-play series ‘Menschen with Problemen’ into Urdu. These plays are adorned with the West’s cultural pessimism and the gender discourse of contemporary European society. A translation of this kind becomes a linguistic undertaking on the intersections of time, modernity’s progress in Europe, and the post-colonial Global South. This is also an epistemic engagement with the concepts of time and gender. As the understanding of progress, with European standards of the teleological approach to history, often leads to broken forms of engagement with the absence or presence of a concept, in translational engagements of the plays mentioned above, this brokenness manifests itself as problems related to gender vis a vis language like Urdu.

Particular concerns can be raised as to how the 'storm of progress' a la Walter Benjamin functions in post-colonial societies with fragmented pasts and how this phenomenon manifests itself, especially concerning gender-based concepts, such as the question of pronouns and the usage of slang in "high" literature? This paper deals with translation problems in light of these questions.

Yiyun Li has been a prominent Chinese American writer who has produced eight fictions since 2003. She was originally known for her fusion of Chinese elements into her English writing, while for her latest collection published last year, the Anglophone critics start to appreciate its theme and narration, rather than its Chinese-ness. This research endeavors to look through the transformation of Yiyun Li’s writing, ranging from its theme, characterization, to its language style, and particularly, its transition from translation literature to writing for global English readers. The representations of changes, the reasons behind it, and a comparison between she and Geling Yan in terms of their Chinese-ness in their works, will comprise the complete project. There has been research from scholars on Li’s language style, but the focus has been mainly on the Chinese-ness shown in her works before 2018. Therefore, this research would be the first one that could be found pertaining to Li’s 21-year publishing career, from ‘A Thousand Years of Good Prayers’ to ‘Wednesday’s Child’. The methodology of literary linguistics derived from Geoffrey Leech’s ‘Style in Fiction: a Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose’ will be employed to present more detailed and objective evidence.

This study explores comparative moments between the Japanese and the recent English translations of two of Tezuka Osamu’s manga Faust adaptations: /One Hundred Tales/ and /Neo Faust/. It focuses on the Mephistopheles figure, who is female and feminized in these works. Neither Mephisto nor Sudama are outright villainous and both compete for the romantic interest of the arguably anti-heroic Faust figure.

Here, I investigate not only how they are graphically represented as female, as devil, and as their respective narrative's central (anti-)heroine, but also how their narrativization as active agents that “help the good by doing evil” or as “spirits of negation” play into their relationships with both the Faust figure and Gretchen figure of each adaptation. This is most significant in the equivalent of the Dungeon scene at end of /Faust, Part One/, where Mephistopheles declares that the girl has been judged by heaven. In both works, the Mephistopheles figure declares that the Margarete figure is lost or has given up, suggesting that the Faust figure should let her go. There is no clear counter-declaration that this heavenly judgment pronounces her salvation instead of damnation: that she has been redeemed and not—as the devil would like Faust to believe—lost. Furthermore, the new English translation of /One Hundred Tales/ (Ablaze, Dec 2023), for example, translates Sudama’s line as “She’s ready to move on.” (panel 1, p. 62); the original reads “ano musumesan mo akirametadesho yo”, where “akirameta” can be translated to Masago having given up. While not incorrect, the former translation does not share the finality of Mephistopheles’ “Sie ist gerichtet!” often translated to English as “She is judged”. For comparison, Ōgai translation reads: “are ga shioki da” [あれが処刑だ]. It is thus that the Faust figure’s abandonment of the young girl appears final in both /One Hundred Tales/ and /Neo Faust/, but the adaptations and their translations also, and arguably inevitably, lend to nuance the scene in unprecedented ways.

As Ablaze’s /Neo Faust/ is still pending release as of this writing (initially slated for November 2024, it is now planned for March 2025), the preliminary version of this study may consider the French and Italian editions for comparison, but hopes to extend that study to the newest English rendition once available.

This paper examines how traditional comic book heroes have been revitalized through webtoons, with a specific focus on Indonesian webtoons targeted at young female audiences. By analyzing selected works, I explore their distinctive characteristics and the impact these narratives have on the superhero genre and local girl culture in Indonesia.

Superheroes have held a significant place in Indonesian comics since their early development. One of the earliest examples is Sri Asih, introduced in 1953 by R.A. Kosasih, which was inspired by Wonder Woman and integrated Western superhero motifs with Indonesian traditions (Kurnia 2020; Idrus 2024). Meanwhile, webtoons—originating in South Korea in 2003—gained traction in Indonesia with the launch of LINE Webtoon in 2014, and by 2015, Indonesian became one of its language options (Putri 2024). By 2021, Indonesia had emerged as the largest webtoon market in Southeast Asia.

Among the notable Indonesian webtoon adaptations is Virgo and the Sparklings, serialized on LINE Webtoon Indonesia from August 2017. The protagonist, Virgo, was originally created in 1973 by Jan Mintaraga as part of the Ghorghon series within the Captain Halilintar comics. The character was revived through a collaboration between Annisa Nisfihani and Ellie Goh under PT Bumilangit Entertainment Corpora (Bumilangit), a company established in 2003 with the goal of revitalizing Indonesian comic superheroes across various media platforms. Nisfihani, who has been publishing shōjo-style comics since 2011 and was a prominent artist for re:ON magazine (founded in 2013), played a key role in reimagining Virgo as a superhero tailored to young female readers. The series' emotional depth and manga-influenced style contributed to its widespread popularity, leading to three serialized seasons and a live-action film adaptation in 2023.

Through an analysis of Virgo and the Sparklings, this paper aims to elucidate the characteristics of new superhero representations emerging in webtoons and their significance within contemporary Indonesian media culture.

This presentation outlines how the presence or absence of an identifiably human enemy in the role of the “villain” in Japanese cartoon animation movies (_anime_) on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki influences the respective films’ positioning towards the domestically applied narratives of “Hiroshima of Anger” (怒りの広島) and “Nagasaki of Prayers” (祈りの長崎).

Following the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War 2, both cities have been placed in starkly contrasting narrative discourses, outlining Hiroshima and its citizens as angered over what was lost, and Nagasaki and its citizens as forgiving and oriented on rebuilding. Within these discourses, products of popular culture, such as comics and films, play an important role in supporting the respective images. Most prominently, the works of the late cartoonist (漫画家) Nakazawa Keiji, led by his most successful and repeatedly re-adapted work _Barefoot Gen_ (1973-1987), can generally be understood to underline the anger of Hiroshima, as do most of the animated adaptations of Hiroshima-centered stories. On the other hand, such works that show Nagasaki do so with a strong emphasis on forgiveness rooting in a religious context that stems from Nagasaki’s longstanding position as center of Catholicism in Japan.

However, in this presentation I argue that the religious context that defines Nagasaki also coincides with a greater presence of presumed ‘enemies’ in the city, as Catholicism is not a native Japanese concept and was actively promoted in Japan by foreign missionaries, both prior and following World War 2. This is to say that Japanese people in Nagasaki had a greater exposure to those people presumed enemies by the Japanese government than did the people of Hiroshima. This circumstance is reflected in anime on the atomic bombings.

Since the dehumanization of the ‘enemy’ is a common tool used in propaganda, withholding human appearances of said enemy in film can be used as an emotional catalyst that enhances either anger or feelings of victimization.(1) In the concrete example of anime on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings it then stands out that those films depicting Nagasaki also stress the human character of the ‘enemy,’ whereas those films focusing on Hiroshima mostly avoid such representations.

Accordingly, I introduce various sample films, discuss their respective properties, and locate them within a wider body of anime painting the Japanese experience and memory of World War 2.

(1) For example, as explained in: Dower, John W. (2012) _Ways of Forgetting, Ways of Remembering: Japan in the Modern World_. New York: The New Press, p. 34.

While western science fiction works are looking up to the future and displaying themes such as cyborgs, artificial intelligence, and exploration of the universe, some Chinese science fiction works are also looking at the present, and have revived the traditional literary form of fable by taking all kinds of animals as their objects, which not only extends the science fiction works to the future, but also has a deep and solid metaphor of the reality as the foundation, and thus also reflects the inheritance of Chinese science fiction to the tradition of ‘trusting objects to speak of their will’ in classical literature, and thus makes a unique contribution to the global future imaginations. ‘This also reflects the inheritance of Chinese science fiction from the allegorical writing of classical literature, and thus makes a unique contribution to the global future imagination. Therefore, this paper will discuss animal symbols, man and animals, and man and nature at three levels, and summarise the national characteristics and literary styles of animal fables in Chinese science fiction works in comparison with Western science fiction literature.

This paper examines how mother influence and social context interact to shape children's character development in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls. Both plays depict complex familial relationships in which mothers significantly shape the moral and psychological development of their children, while societal structures, particularly class, social expectations, and economic pressures, also play a critical role in defining the characters’ identities and choices. In An Inspector Calls, Sybil Birling’s rigid classist values influence her daughter Sheila’s initial worldview, fostering a superficial sense of social responsibility that is later challenged through a moral awakening. In contrast, in Death of a Salesman, Linda Loman’s passive support of her husband Willy’s unrealistic dreams contributes to Biff Loman’s identity crisis and his ongoing struggle to reconcile his self-worth with his father’s expectations. The paper argues that while maternal influence is pivotal in shaping the children’s moral and psychological growth, it is equally important to consider the broader societal forces such as the class system, societal pressures, and economic conditions that shape these dynamics. The paper ultimately underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of character development, where both familial and social influences are integral to the formation of individual identity, and sheds a light on the ways in which individuals are shaped by the world around them.

This paper explores the symbolic role of nature and the storm in King Lear, as both a reflection of political chaos and an embodiment of Lear's psychological turmoil. Shakespeare's use of the tempest transcends mere stage spectacle, serving as a powerful metaphor for the disintegration of order—both within the kingdom and within Lear's mind. The storm externalises the consequences of Lear's folly, mirroring the collapse of hierarchical structures following his abdication of power. Simultaneously, it dramatises Lear’s descent into madness, exposing the fragility of human identity and authority. Drawing on critical perspectives from scholars such as A. C. Bradley, Harold Bloom, and Northrop Frye, this study examines how Shakespeare aligns meteorological upheaval with moral disorder and existential vulnerability. Furthermore, the storm underscores the limits of human control, revealing an indifferent natural world that resists human attempts at mastery. Yet amid this turmoil, the play also hints at the possibility of ethical awakening and compassion. By interrogating the storm’s role as both political symbol and a psychological mirror, this paper argues that King Lear presents a profound meditation on power, suffering, and the inexorable forces—both natural and human—that shape the tragic condition.

This study examines the philosophical implications of animality in two plays by Edward Albee: <Seascape> (1975) and <The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?> (2002). As one of the most experimental playwrights of late twentieth-century American theater, Albee has consistently challenged social norms, explored existential contradictions in the human condition, and interrogated the breakdown of communication between people. Despite being written thirty years apart, these two plays share the theme of boundaries between humans and animals, raising ontological questions about both beings. In the two works, animals do not function as metaphorical devices, but rather as mediators that show the psychological complexities of human characters and lead to the broader point of discussion. In <Seascape>, the encounter between humans and lizard creatures breaks down the boundaries and creates a transformative realm of perception. However, in <The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?>, a human’s love for a goat symbolizes the social taboos and radical challenge to anthropocentric values, which ultimately leads to the disintegration of a family. This thesis employs two theoretical frameworks: René Descartes’ animal-machine theory and Jacques Derrida’s animal alterity theory, together with the deconstruction of anthropocentrism. Through close textual analysis informed by these theories, the study reveals that Albee’s plays transcend social criticism to question the hierarchy and boundaries between human and non-human beings. In so doing, it emphasizes that these issues have philosophical significance and critical relevance in the contemporary world.

In his science fiction works exploring biological experimentation, Soviet pioneer Alexander Belyaev reveals the profound dilemmas of posthuman subjectivity in the technological age. When gills replace human respiratory systems, cephalic grafting prolongs life, and mental interference creates new souls, techno-embodiment not only fails to fulfill its promise of "perpetual presence," but triggers dual crises in posthuman identity: internally, the ontological anxiety akin to the "Ship of Theseus" paradox; externally, the existential deprivation stemming from social exclusion. The essence of this predicament lies in the self-negating paradox inherent to subjective thinking itself: the extreme pursuit of life enhancement through "self-made humans" (Zhao Tingyang) evolves into an "anti-existential ontology" due to resource exclusivity. The resulting posthuman identity crisis subsequently deconstructs the myth of Enlightenment subjectivity from multiple dimensions. Confronting contemporary technological practices, posthumanism engages in profound dialogue with Belyaev's sci-fi narratives, dissolving essentialist views of identity through nomadic subjectivity and reconstructing existential dimensions via symbiotic ethics, thereby offering possibilities for reimagining posthuman subjective thinking.

Vasectomy, a form of male contraception, shows distinct usage patterns in the U.S. and China. In the U.S., over 500,000 procedures occur annually, with a notable increase following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In China, once widespread under the One-Child Policy, vasectomy rates sharply declined to fewer than 4,000 annually by 2019 after the policy ended.

This study investigated how mainstream online news media in the United States and China frame vasectomy, particularly examining whether it is primarily portrayed as a medical, gender-related, or political issue. Across a comparative content analysis of English-language media from 2000 to 2025, key findings indicate that vasectomy is not merely a medical procedure, but a contested cultural symbol shaped by divergent national media environments.

This study addresses three core research questions: (1) What issues (medical procedure, contraceptive decision-making, or political and policy contexts) are emphasized by the media in each country when covering vasectomies? (2) How do media outlets connect vasectomy reporting with significant political or legislative events, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. or national population policy shifts in China? (3) What gendered narratives and emotional tones emerge in these media reports, and how might they reflect broader cultural differences concerning reproductive equality?

The research employs a quantitative-dominant mixed-method content analysis —including sentiment analysis, keyword search, topic modeling and network analysis—to systematically examine English-language coverage from major news outlets such as The New York Times(nytimes.com), CNN(cnn.com), Fox News(foxnews.com), NBC(NBCNEWS.com), China Daily, People’s Daily, Global Times and South China morning post.

By offering cross-cultural insights, this study contributes to ongoing scholarly discussions regarding reproductive responsibility, media influence on public discourse, and gendered power dynamics. The findings offer practical implications for media practitioners and policymakers aiming to improve media literacy around reproductive issues and inform public communication strategies to promote gender equity in reproductive health contexts.

This paper explores how artificial intelligence technologies, particularly large language models, systematically misinterpret Bengali literary texts due to their training on predominantly Western linguistic and aesthetic corpora. Situating the discussion within the field of comparative literature, the paper argues that this misrecognition is not a neutral technical flaw but symptomatic of a broader technological hegemony that echoes colonial structures of knowledge production. Through close reading comparisons between AI-generated interpretations and traditional literary readings, this paper analyzes three comparative case studies: Charyapada and Geoffrey Chaucer (ancient period), Chandidas and William Shakespeare (medieval period), and Rabindranath Tagore and T. S. Eliot (modern period). The analysis demonstrates that AI often flattens the cultural nuance and poetic ambiguity in Bengali texts while rendering English texts with greater fidelity and aesthetic coherence. The paper draws upon decolonial theory, digital humanities, and world literature frameworks to argue for epistemic justice in AI design and literary interpretation.

Cette proposition explore le statut de la littérature viatique comme dispositif technologique prémoderne de simulation de la conscience et de production de l’altérité. À travers une approche comparatiste allant du IXᵉ au XIXᵉ siècle, nous interrogeons la manière dont les textes de voyage de la littérature mondiale relatant le Japon ont constitué une forme primitive de réalité virtuelle, anticipant les technologies immersives contemporaines par le seul biais du langage.

Les textes des voyageurs chinois, arabes, perses et européens au fil de l’histoire serviront d’étude centrale. En croisant imagologie et linguistique de l’énonciation, nous montrerons que le texte viatique agit comme une interface sensorielle et cognitive : non seulement il capte des impressions, mais il simule une présence, fabrique une spatialité mentale et affecte le lecteur en tant que sujet percevant. Le récit de voyage, dans toutes ses formes (fiction, relation, mémoire, etc.), à la frontière du privé et du public, restructure le moi au contact de l’Autre et produit un discours à illusion dialogique, dans lequel la conscience s’élargit au sein d’une interaction textuelle feinte, certes, mais puissante.

Nous poserons l’hypothèse que la langue — avant l’image, avant l’écran — est la première technologie de la conscience simulée : une technologie de ce que nous appelons l’imago-genèse. Elle encode l’expérience, module la temporalité et fabrique des objets perceptifs (le « Japon » en est un paradigme), qui restent encore, dans l’imaginaire technologique contemporain, marqués par ces premières médiations textuelles.

Par cette approche, nous relisons l’histoire de la littérature comme histoire des technologies cognitives et nous proposons une lecture du texte littéraire comme machine à voir, à sentir, à penser, en amont des médias numériques. Il s’agit ici d’une archéologie poétique du virtuel, où le voyage devient expérience augmentée et le texte, un espace de navigation mentale.

In this essay, I interpret Eileen Chang’s autobiographical novel The Book of Change through the lenses of narrativity and Yijing cosmology. I aim to explore the deeper meaning behind the book’s title, which Chang borrows from the Chinese esoteric classic Yijing, and to consider how literature can serve as an accessible and powerful medium for expressing profound metaphysical ideas. Drawing on Paul Ricoeur’s Time and Narrative, I argue that we make sense of human time by shaping it into plots. In this sense, embodiment becomes emplotment: Chang’s memories are not simply recalled but structured into a coherent and meaningful story. Thus, The Book of Change signifies a narrative of the radical changes in Chang’s life. The notion of “changes” resonates with the Yijing’s vision of yin-yang duality and perpetual transformation. Faced with familial trauma and wartime upheaval, Chang writes as a drifting individual navigating uncertainty. Her narrative becomes not only a literary memoir but also a philosophical engagement with the ideas of transition and impermanence. By bringing Chinese cosmology, narrative theory, and the practice of literary emplotment, I argue that The Book of Change presents a compelling model of personal meaning-making, a way of understanding life through literary narrative.

Following a literature review on Eileen Chang scholarship, this paper will clarify the rationale for interpreting The Book of Change through the lens of Yijing philosophy, and how Paul Ricoeur’s narrative theory helps bridge philosophical and literary horizons. The study will then explore: (1) the philosophy of yin-yang and constant changes in Yijing; and (2) a close reading of The Book of Change and its embodiment of Yijing thought. By examining this interdisciplinary and transhistorical intertextuality, I wish to reframe the boundaries between literary and philosophical genres. This paper contributes to the broader discussion of human existence and the search for meaning by placing it within an expanded interpretive framework, where literature functions as a vehicle for philosophical insight, and philosophy offers the worldview that underpins literary creation.

From the first two decades of the twentieth century onwards, the use of the European Renaissance as an analogy for the multiple “renascences” in China’s own history became a prominent intellectual trend, particularly following Hu Shi’s famous invocation of the term in reference to the Literary Revolution. Debates surrounding the “Chinese Renaissance” became symptomatic of this critical historical moment, as Chinese intellectuals sought to address the nation’s social crises by engaging with Western intellectual traditions. This paper seeks to examine the various intellectual influences that shaped the conception of the “Chinese Renaissance” in its formative stages. The study focuses on the first two historical accounts of the European Renaissance written by Chinese authors: Jiang Baili’s History of the European Renaissance (1920) and Chen Hengzhe’s A Short History of the Renaissance (1926). By situating these works within the intellectual trajectories of their respective authors, this paper explores how China’s historiography of the European Renaissance was influenced by the works of Jules Michelet, Jacob Burckhardt, and Walter Pater, whose writings provided the foundational and orthodox conceptualization of the Renaissance since the second half of the nineteenth century. Key elements of these Western conceptions of the Renaissance are highlighted in the writings of Jiang and Chen, shedding light on their understanding of China’s own historical position.

The paper closely analyzes the texts and paratexts of these two early Chinese historical works, comparing them thematically with the aforementioned Western historians of the Renaissance. Additionally, it examines early translations, introductory essays, and book reviews of the works of Michelet, Burckhardt, and Pater in Chinese journals during the 1920s and 1930s. Furthermore, the paper investigates the history of reception and the intellectual exchanges that influenced these works, such as Jiang Baili’s and his teacher Liang Qichao’s visit to Europe between 1918 and 1919, including their meeting with Amédée Britch, the director of the Paris University Library, who lectured them on the European Renaissance. The study also considers the educational background of Chen Hengzhe, who studied at Vassar College and the University of Chicago and became the first female professor in China. By examining these different interpretations of the key elements of the European Renaissance, this paper seeks to understand the complex intellectual preoccupations of Chinese scholars as they critically reevaluated China’s classical past and pursued modernity, weighing lessons from the West against their own historical experiences.

The concept of an Iranian renaissance reflects key moments of cultural, intellectual, and political renewal, particularly in modern history. While pre-modern Persia saw cultural revivals, the 19th and 20th centuries introduced transformative movements like the Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911). The Pahlavi era (1925-1979) further advanced modernization through education and women's rights. However, the 1979 Revolution complicated this trajectory, intertwining religion with state power.

Drawing upon a leaked classified state survey conducted in 2023, the paper explores contemporary Iranian attitudes towards the relationship between state and religion, offering new insights into the possibility of an ongoing Iranian renaissance. The survey results provide a fresh perspective on the evolving discourse surrounding modernity, politics, and religion in Iran, revealing how these tensions continue to shape the country's cultural trajectory.

Don Quixote can be seen as a reflection and critique of multiple renaissances. At its core, the novel embodies the central theme of all renaissances—the tension between the old and the new. While Don Quixote attempts to revive a medieval past, Cervantes is keenly aware that such revival, without adaptation, leads to absurdity and failure. This tension is a key feature of every renaissance, where societies must decide how to reconcile their heritage with the demands of the present and future. This presentation examines Don Quixote in the context of the European Renaissance, while drawing connections with other "renaissance" movements, including the Catalan Renaixença, and the Harlem Renaissance, with a focus on how Don Quixote uniquely illuminates the challenges of cultural revival across diverse historical contexts. Ultimately, Cervantes' masterpiece transcends its European Renaissance origins to offer profound insights into the complexities and contradictions inherent in any cultural rebirth.

While the term "renaissance" traditionally evokes a specific Western time period and cultural movement, this panel challenges that narrow interpretation by expanding the concept to include diverse cultural rebirths across the globe. It critiques Eurocentric narratives in renaissance studies, advocating for a more inclusive understanding that recognizes the vibrancy of cultural revitalization in contexts such as the Arab Nahda, the Chinese Renaissance, the Hebrew Renaissance, the Persian Renaissance, the Catalan Renaixença, the Harlem Renaissance, the renaissances in India, and the Maori Renaissance, among others.

By exploring these varied movements, the panel highlights the unique historical trajectories and social dynamics that shape each renaissance, emphasizing the intrinsic cultural forces at play. Moreover, it proposes the establishment of a new field of "global renaissances," spotlighting often-overlooked cultural phenomena and their significance. Ultimately, this panel aims to illuminate the rich tapestry of these movements, encouraging readers to reconsider what a renaissance can signify in our interconnected world.

This Group Session is open to further paper proposals. Any questions should be addressed to Gang Zhou (gzhou@lsu.edu).

Drawing from the experiments conducted for the AIDCPT (AI, Decoloniality and Creative Poetry Translation) project, this paper focuses on the impact of text generative AI and LLMs in studying low resource languages within a decolonial context and understands the impact that intervention of text generative AI has had on different contexts of language use, with special focus on translation, and knowledge production of low resource languages. It is apparent that the intervention of AI has produced new ways of using linguistic skills for oral language-cultures that do not have a significant presence in the lettered world. My experiments so far have captured the manner in which careful prompt engineering and ongoing dialogue with the machine help in working with low-resource languages and complex situations of language difference and contestation. This paper delineates the strategies adopted to translate poems emerging from the Miya poetry movement in contemporary Assam, educate the LLM in context, questioning its assumptions about language, and uploading materials such as an alphabet script, audio-visual tools to make it learn the importance of the latent heterogeneity within plurilingual language-worlds.With the intervention of AI, the human experience of translation, which shapes and is further shaped in the process of establishing a relationship with an other, and the modalities of language experience becomes complex. Acts of ‘doing’ language, through writing, reading, talking, listening are intervened by the arching presence of AI that can participate in acts which were earlier contingent upon human experience. This paper aims at mediating into the networks of AI as sites of learning and knowledge production, and that of cultural exchange which is facilitated in the shared socialites of language use in everyday speech as well as creative writing. With AI and LLMs intervening into this site, questions regarding the production, acquisition and dissemination of knowledge become inevitable. While the contribution of AI and LLMs in research and academic practices is undeniably important, this paper intends to rethink the manner in which these models acquire existing knowledge and generate responses, thus engaging with the technicalities of prompt engineering and AI training along with concerns of ethics and representation.

This paper will begin by introducing the AI-Decoloniality and Creative Poetry Translation project (AIDCPT) based in the Oxford Comparative Criticism and Translation Research Centre at Oxford University (https://occt.web.ox.ac.uk/ai-decoloniality-and-creative-poetry-translation). Large Language Models construct language variety in a different way from older tools: instead of an array of separate standard languages, they represent language as a something more like a continuum of difference. This new ontology of language difference is manifest in the well-known ability of LLMs to imitate a range of styles; it also enables them to participate in translanguaging and other kinds of non-standardised linguistic interaction. The AIDCPT project explores how this capacity can support creative, decolonial translation practices. The paper will then present one such practice: the imposition of constraints, via prompt engineering, which can force an LLM to produce more creative and linguistically varied translations than it otherwise would. I will end by considering what is meant by ‘creativity’ in this case.

Generative AI tools have amplified the potential for proliferation inherent in the translation process, creating both challenges and opportunities in the field of literary translation. To explore some of these issues, I will focus on the translation into Spanish of the poetry collection Piano in the Dark (2023), by the American writer Nancy Naomi Carlson, winner of the Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize 2022. Through creative interaction practices with the Large Language Models (LLMs) ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, I will analyze the translation capabilities of these tools based on the corpus of poetic texts. These AI tools offer translation options and insights into the poems that can be useful for translators. However, their output sometimes reveals biases and stereotypes. My aim is to identify effective strategies that may guide these models to contribute to the literary translation process and study how the opportunities these tools offer may be maximized, while addressing the ethical and ideological considerations tied to their use.

In the 2003 sf novella by Liu Cixin 刘慈欣, “Poetry Cloud” 诗云, an advanced AI system, in the shape of a clone of Tang-dynasty poet Li Bai 李白, generates poetry. Yiyi 伊依, a literature teacher, challenges the clone Li Bai to generate poems of the same value as the original Li Bai. Naturally, their interpretation of what poetry is differs greatly: Yiyi thinks that poetry is the output of individuals and their human experience within their environment. The clone Li Bai believes that technology, and its ability to store and connect information suffice to create and surpass Li Bai’s original poetic compositions.

Since the publication of “Poetry Cloud”, the binary opposition between AI and human creativity continues to be a main issue of contention, even though much of our understanding of how the world connects and creates its cultural products has been relying on data gathering combined with computational analysis.

In this paper I aim to investigate some conceptual implications and practical possibilities of human-LLM poetry translation. The idea is to make poetry translation a mode of inquiry that draws more visibly and more widely on knowledges and practices across different linguistic, cultural, and literary domains. My specific interest is to experiment with posthuman multilingualism that highlights algorithmic, synaesthetic aspects of the relationship between words and sound, and creates synergies that are culturally transgressive or have boundary-shifting effects.

The resulting multiverse should consist of an extremely fluid, constantly deconstructing and reconstructing system, where distinct languages rub against each other, re-assorted, interrelated.

The video game Stray is a story based adventure game in which a stray cat finds itself in a walled city where the humans have all died from a unknown illness. Robots, Zurks and an infection roam the city. In this essay, I will analyse this video game from a post-human perspective, more specifically, this essay focuses on the relationship between the player and the bio-object, the diversity of the world left behind and its relation to the Chuthulcene, and, finally, how the power of changing the perspective of the player aided by post-humanism is represented in the video game.

“Even now hardly anyone still remembers what we meant by making the Earth live: not what you imagine, content with your dust-cloud life set down on the border between water, earth and air, (678)” says Calvino in The Complete Cosmicomics. Written during the 1960s and 1970s, this reflection on life and the cosmos parallels the current Anthropocene’s “decline narrative.” As Laura Walls notes, “the complexity of the idea of ‘cosmos’ which sought to combine ‘nature’ and culture, or matter and meaning, was lost in the last two centuries” (730). Much of contemporary ecocriticism focuses on humanity’s reflections and anti-utopian imaginings of ecology, as well as the ethical negotiation of boundaries between human and non-human species in the Anthropocene. And the frequent occurrence of crisis events has intensified ecological reflection, fueling emotional responses rooted in apocalyptic fear and existential anxiety so as to call for reimagining the intrinsic connection between humans and the environment. Calvino’s The Complete Cosmicomics, however, situates its stories in the aftermath of the Big Bang, at the dawn of life. These stories imagine intricate ecological worlds across diverse temporal and spatial scales, unfolding from the perspective of a non-human narrator named Qfwfq. Incorporating this non-human narrator into the framework of eco-narratology, and focusing on its scale expansion and transformation in texts, this paper re-examines how the spatial scales collage and intertwine in constant montage and how the multiplicity of human and non-human subjects is constructed within overlapping temporalities. These narratives challenge the linear, ordered conception of the world, proposing instead a pluralistic, subjective, timeless, and dynamic world of the here/now. In this world, the perception and understanding of the human subject is not absolutely reliable, thus provoking the reader to reflect on subjective experience.

Video games with central storylines create interactive storyworlds where both game designers and players collaboratively engage in worldmaking, a process that can be viewed as a new form of literary creation. This article argues that through the lens of players’ embodiment of a nonhuman player-character, the experience of video games serves as a unique form of literary reception. Using the recently released Chinese 3D video game “Black Myth: Wu Kong,” adapted from the Chinese classic The Journey to the West by Luo Guanzhong, as a case study, this article explores how players, particularly Western players, engage with the game world to develop fresh perspectives on the original novel, thereby revitalizing this Chinese classic and establishing gameplay as a contemporary medium for literary reception. Drawing on the theories of narrative worldmaking, this article first posits that players actively participate in the making of the black mythical world through their embodiment of a personalized monkey player-character. This embodiment allows players to navigate altered spatial and temporal settings while interacting with NPCs from the original novel, emphasizing the interactive and immersive nature of virtual worldmaking. The spatial worldmaking, enhanced by real-scene scanning of Chinese Buddhist architecture, facilitates a deep immersion for Western players into an ancient Chinese context. The personalized monkey character carries profound Chinese cultural significance, resonating strongly with players. In the game’s adaptation, the original novel’s theme of a collective journey serving celestial authority shifts to an individual struggle against that authority, a transformation encapsulated in the title “Black Myth.” Lastly, this article demonstrates how the game functions as a new medium for circulating and critiquing the original Chinese classic, fostering transmedia and cross-cultural remaking of the Chinese mythical world of Wu Kong.

Ian McEwan's Nutshell has garnered significant attention since its publication. While previous studies have paid little attention to the metaphorical use of the title "Nutshell" representing the female womb, McEwan's portrayal of the womb as a "nutshell" conveys a sense of unraveling and depletion, challenging the stigmatized view of the womb in Western discourse. The womb, depicted as a container in the novel, symbolizes not only its traditional role in childbearing but also embodies a sense of unproductive freedom of consumption. In the novel, the fetus-mother relationship of dependence and sustenance hints at the fetus's early anxiety of separation, symbolizing the body as an organ through which desires flow. Traditional image of motherhood as a holy, selfless and devoted organ is subverted in the novel to present a more complex and controversial figure—a licentious, lustful murderer. This reinterpretation, though destructive, also offers a sense of freedom and liberation. All in all, as a male writer, McEwan's reimagining of the autonomy of the feminized body challenges and disrupts the deep-rooted discourses of misogyny within patriarchal societies.

In her serminal monograph Narrative in the Anthropocene, Erin James develops the Anthropocene narrative theory on the basis of cognitive narratology and rhetorical narratology, fleshing out the reciprocal connection between the Anthropocene and narratives as records of humans writing and inhabiting worlds by reconceptualizing narrative as worldbuilding for some purpose. Under such theoretical frame, James discusses some original narrative techniques regarding time, material, and so forth. When turning to the issue of narration, she explores inconsistent “we-narration” and the “fictional you” as forms of narrative resource that aid the project of world building for environmental purposes. These narrative modes are compared by James to the world-building arrogance of the traditional omniscient narrator who implicitly forecloses a collective perspective or action. Though significantly captures the issues of environmental justice and reader immersion, James' discussion on person narrative dispises the narrative focalization hence ignoring the scale issue brought by different person narrative.

The issue of scale in the Anthropocene is primarily an epistemological problem. Because of the existence of scale effects and scale discrepancies, ecological issues may have varying causes depending on the scale of perception, and actions that seem environmentally protective at a micro level can trigger crises at regional or planetary scales. Mitchell Thomashow advocates for “scale shift,”urging individuals to transcend their scale boundaries by shifting focus from local ecosystems to broader temporal and spatial domains, enabling a deeper understanding of global environmental changes. Drawing on cognitive linguistic research on person deixis, this paper links scale shifting to DST, arguing that shifts in person and the accordingly changing narrative perspective also alter readers’psychological deictic centers. With the changing person dexis, readers are immersed in the story world, experiencing shifts in the protagonist's observational scale and adopting corresponding stances. I term this interplay between narrative person and scale changes as “deictic scale shifting.” For example, N.K. Jemisin’s “Emergency Skin” employs this strategy, blending formal aesthetics with environmental critique and a challenge to Anthropocene capitalism. Similarly, in The Fifth Season, such technique merges “you,” “I,” and “she” into a unified narrative, revealing interconnected relationships among races and objects in an environmental apocalypse. Through these case studies, this paper expands Anthropocene narrative theory, demonstrating how deictic scale shifting bridges human-scale and more-than-human phenomena.

In an era marked by rapid advancements in techno-biological sciences, traditional approaches of humanism are increasingly questioned to be undercut by the frameworks used to conceptualize them. This evolving landscape of humanities, alongside global crises such as climate change, calls for new ways of evaluating art and humanity. One such approach involves adopting animal and interspecies perspectives to offer alternative pathways beyond humancentric worldview. Zhang Wei’s Songs from the Forest (2007) and Lin Zhao’s Tidal Atlas (2022) provide two interesting examples of this genre, with the former spotlighting Chinese social changes in early 21st-century China and the latter re-narrate 19th-century China from a 2020s perspective. Despite different geographical and temporal contexts of these two works, they both express an alternative tone in shaping animality and human-animal relationship with their unique inter-species writing and animal protagonists. In Songs from the Forest, humans and animals are described as “coexisted and even intermarried” in a town called Jiwo, where interspecies hybrids are so common that making it to claim a pure humanity and animality. In Tidal Atlas, the frog heroine is portrayed as a powerful and autonomy agent that constantly challenges the rigid hierarchy between human and animals.

Through a close reading of these two novels, this paper argues that their animal and inter-species writing not only creates an open space for rethinking animality and nature, but also intersects with cultural and political discourses, serving as a metaphor to reflect the emerging context of China in the 21st century. On one hand, these novels challenge the anthropocentric view of nature by attributing active autonomy to it in various ways. On the other hand, both novels use animals to reflect the authors' different contemplations on topics such as localism, politics, cultural identity, and Chinese international relations, based on the changing temporal contexts. In Zhang's inter-species writing, the gradual retreat of animality is metaphorized as a critique of early 21st-century economic policies and globalization, and as a call for a return to indigenous cultural roots, specifically Qi culture. Conversely, Lin's animal writing employs the continual geographical transgression of the frog heroine's body to question fixed cultural roots and explore the complex relationship between China and the world through a cosmopolitan lens. The juxtaposition of these two texts not only illustrates the development of non-human writing as a literary strategy but also highlights its complex interaction with varying 21st-century Chinese contexts.

This presentation examines the poetry of Gu Cheng (1956–1993) as a profound engagement with nonhuman narratives, rooted in Daoist philosophy and framed by the crises of modernity. In his works, Gu Cheng challenges anthropocentric perspectives by emphasizing a nonhuman, cosmic narrative that dissolves the boundaries between human and nonhuman entities. His poetry offers a compelling exploration of how literature can reimagine the relationship between humans and their environment, moving toward a unified understanding of existence.

Gu Cheng’s poetic vision, informed by the Daoist concept of qi (vital energy), portrays the cosmos as a dynamic and interconnected whole, where nonhuman forces—rivers, clouds, birds, and even the essence of energy itself—participate as active agents in the unfolding narrative of life. His mystical synesthetic perception provides a framework for accessing the nonhuman world, presenting it not as an “other” to be subdued or mastered but as an intrinsic part of the self. Poems such as River and Life Fantasy illustrate how Gu Cheng develops a narrative of nonhuman vitality that resists the alienation imposed by modern technological and symbolic systems.

Through an analysis of Gu Cheng’s poetic techniques and philosophical underpinnings, this paper argues that his work redefines narrative as a medium of cosmic attunement, where language transcends its anthropocentric roots to bridge the gap between human and nonhuman realms. By situating Gu Cheng’s poetics within the broader discourse of world literature, this study highlights the role of nonhuman narratives in challenging modern assumptions about subjectivity and agency.

Ultimately, this presentation contributes to the understanding of nonhuman narratives by showing how Gu Cheng’s Daoist poetics offer a model for integrating human and nonhuman perspectives, encouraging a reimagining of literature as a space for ecological and cosmological reflection in the face of global modernity.

Ethical Literary Criticism addresses important issues in literature by taking the literary text, which is a transformed and materialized version of the brain text, as the main object of criticism. The ethics of the literary text are shaped through the interplay of competing forces including the text, materialized from the author’s brain text, the ethical environment of the chronotope itself and the moral judgment of the reader. This article examines Alfred Tennyson’s patriotic war poetry to illustrate the formation pattern of the ethics of the literary text. Tennyson transformed his brain text and encoded his ethical stances on patriotism into the text of his war poems. Readers process and decode the ethical chronotopes of the text to make moral judgments and get moral enlightenment.

The AI-generated literature reconfigures numerous philosophical inquiries, related for example to authorship, subjectivity, the aesthetic experience of the text or the ethical perspectives of literature. This paper explores the convergence of literature and technology through the prism of 20th-century French poststructuralism and interrogates the ethical and aesthetic implications of AI-generated literature.

From Derrida’s grammatology to Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizomatic models of textuality, French thought has long questioned the centrality of the human subject in writing. These philosophical frameworks prove visionary today, as AI-generated texts further challenge the notion of the centrality of the author. If, as Derrida suggests, writing is always already inscribed within a system of différance from which the subject becomes absent in postmodernity, then the emergence of machine-generated literature may not mark a rupture but an intensification of the paradigmatic shift analyzed by post-structuralism.

From an ethical standpoint, this compels us to reassess the notion of responsibility and intention in the literary act: who is accountable for meaning, and what forms of agency are at play in literary texts devoid of lived experience? On the other hand, from an aesthetic point of view, these developments raise critical questions about originality, style, and the singularity of literary voice.

Positioning AI not merely as a tool but as a participant in the literary field, this paper interrogates AI-generated literature as a symptom of a broader de-centering of the human in the discursive order – a movement already anticipated by French post-structuralism.

Based upon the author’s recent article “War and Temporality: Walter Benjamin’s Redemptive Allegory and William Faulkner’s *A Fable*” (*Criticism* 2025), this presentation enlarges Benjamin’s Western examination of the creation of value in a world at war by understanding the dialectic of violence and redemption by comparing the Western worldview, shared by Faulkner and Benjamin, with the development of a cyclical dialectic of violence and redemption in Mo Yan’s Chinese novel *Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out*. Faulkner’s novel, focused on World War I in Europe, is a backwards looking account of violence and meaning in war-torn Europe. It presents itself as an elaborate allegory of Western redemption in the face of violence by tracing peace-loving soldiers, whose week-long behavior during World War I allegorically calls up Christ’s ministry and death. Such a narrative offers *retrospective* redemption as described by Benjamin in *The Origin of German Tragic Drama* and elsewhere throughout his work. In contrast to the retrospective redemption, Mo Yan pursues a *prospective* sense of redemption in *Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out* by tracing the various reincarnations of the novel’s protagonist, Ximen Nao, as a donkey, a cow, a pig, a dog, a monkey in turn, and finally in 2000 he is reborn as a baby with a very large head. These reincarnations allow Ximen Nao to grow more and more close to compassionate humanity, a condition he aspired to and partially achieved in his first lifetime before he was executed as an enemy of the people soon after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The clashing worldviews of Faulkner’s America and Mo Yan’s China is nicely achieved in both of these more-or-less historical novels and in their different narrative strategies. For Faulkner – as for Benjamin – history is swallowed up, so to speak, in allegory: allegorical meaning overwhelms historical facts. For Mo Yan, history is opened up in his multi-voice cyclical narrative – replete with mammalian and human voices – so that what is redeemed are not past events but future promises. This contrast gives rise to a sense of the ethics of fictional discourse: that is, the comparison of American and Chinese novels present two senses of ethics: that of a closed value-system and that of value as possibility.

Alan Ford is an Italian comic book series which has been published in newsstands since 1969. Its creators, writer Luciano Secchi (aka Bunker) and artist Roberto Raviola (aka Magnus), intended it to be a satire of James Bond, as its protagonists are a group of secret agents called "gruppo TNT" (TNT Group), operating from a third-rate flower shop in New York City. Though set in the United States, the comic quite evidently hints at the ills of Italian society, which may explain why it was not successful outside Italy (with the remarkable exception of Yugoslavia, where it became quite popular, being still published today in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Unlike Ian Fleming hero, who is equipped with hi-tech gadgets, drives luxury cars, and wears expensive designer clothes, Alan Ford, the main character of the series, is always short of cash, wears patched-up clothes and is definitely not a man of the world, even though he is modeled on a famous Irish actor, Peter O'Toole. All in all, he is an anti-hero, like the other members of the group, led by the cynical and dishonest Numero Uno (or Number One, a caricature of Bond's M).

This comic is a brilliant example of black satire, based on a successful cast of characters (also including two pets, Cirano, an Italian pointing dog, and Squitty, a hamster) and their interaction, which frequently entails cheating their colleagues, and featuring a collection of grotesque villains, which repeatedly appear in the stories. Alan Ford can be seen as mixing two different genres, inasmuch as it draws from the conventions of spy stories, but also adopts some of the protocols of superhero comics, such as recurring masked enemies like Superciuk or Il cospiratore. This allowed Magnus & Bunker to overturn the conventions associated to two modern embodiments of the hero, the secret agent and the masked vigilante (including their counterparts, i.e. supervillains), and subvert the traditional protocols of narratives that feature them.

The presentation explores the complexities of identity formation for Black women in the diaspora, using Jamaica Kincaid's fiction as its central focus, especially the short novel "Lucy." In it, the protagonist's migration from Antigua to North America serves as a powerful lens through which to examine the challenges of navigating a new cultural landscape while simultaneously grappling with the legacies of colonialism and its impact on self-perception. The paper argues that Lucy's journey is not simply a geographical one, but a profound exploration of the performance of identity.

Kincaid's female characters, both within and beyond the familiar confines of their Antiguan upbringing, are confronted with societal expectations and racial dynamics. I will analyze how Kincaid's protagonists strategically perform different versions of themselves as a means of survival and self-discovery. Each performance is not merely a mask, but a complex negotiation of their evolving sense of self.

However, the performative aspect of identity also presents significant challenges. The presentation will delve into the inherent tensions between authentic self-expression and the pressures of assimilation. Kincaid's narratives often represent the tension between the search for a sense of belonging inextricably linked to the need to reconcile Caribbean (Antiguan) heritage and American environment. Ultimately, this presentation argues that Kincaid's representations of female characters are a powerful testament to the resilience and agency of Black women in the diaspora as they navigate the complexities of identity and belonging in a postcolonial environment.

In "The Suicide of an American Girl" , Alice Walker portrays the transnational experiences of protagonist Anna Harriman, who traverses between the United States and Africa, revealing the challenges of identity and cultural belonging faced by Black women in a globalized world. Anna’s attempt to find solace in Africa, which she perceives as her "cultural motherland," results in disillusionment as the gap between expectation and reality deepens her identity crisis. Africa, instead of offering a sense of belonging, exacerbates Anna’s anguish over racial and cultural estrangement. Through Anna’s personal tragedy, Walker reflects on the intricate intersections of self and other, as well as the profound contradictions faced by Black women in transnational spaces.

Walker’s personal experiences significantly inform this narrative. Her travels to Africa, her return to Mississippi, and her eventual departure from her hometown shaped her nuanced understanding of transnational identity negotiation and cultural conflict. By drawing on these experiences, Walker questions the costs and possibilities of identity mobility in the age of globalization, highlighting the ways Black women navigate and reconstruct their identities within the multiple borders of race, culture, and space.

This paper employs the theoretical framework of transnational identity negotiation to analyze the themes of cultural estrangement and racial conflict depicted in "Suicide of an American Girl." It explores how Walker’s literary work examines the processes of identity reconstruction and cultural resistance among Black women in diverse cultural contexts. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how Walker’s works transcend geographical and historical boundaries, addressing contemporary issues of globalization and Black women’s cultural identity while offering new theoretical insights into the politics of identity in transnational movement.

This paper explores Gayl Jones’ novel Mosquito as a vivid depiction of the complex intersections of African American, Mexican immigrant, and other marginalized identities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Through the lens of everyday life politics, this study examines how Mosquito reflects the fluid, transnational dynamics that shape identity and community beyond rigid national and cultural boundaries. By focusing on the permeability of these boundaries and the active resistance of imposed norms, this paper analyzes how Jones portrays the border region as a space where identities, allegiances, and belonging are continuously renegotiated. It argues that Mosquito highlights the powerful role of mobility and movement in fostering a transnational sense of community and solidarity among diverse, often marginalized groups. In Jones’ narrative, everyday practices—such as storytelling, cultural exchanges, and acts of solidarity—redefine the boundaries of community, presenting the border not as a dividing line but as a transformative zone of interaction and agency. This paper contributes to scholarship on Black transnationalism by positioning Mosquito as a key literary work that challenges conventional understandings of identity, belonging, and resistance in transnational spaces.

Rooted in nationally defined conditions and primarily addressing its immediate audience of Indigenous and white Australians, Australian Indigenous literature performs an important role in the articulation of Indigenous peoples’ protest, constituting an indictment of white Australian colonial ideology, recuperation of neglected Aboriginal history, and a call for redefining blackness. However, despite its preoccupation with the local and the national, this literature is also a component of world literature in the sense that it raises ethical questions about societal, political and cultural violence and abuse that continue to haunt all societies in the 21st century. Focused on the poetry collection of Wiradjuri poet Jeanine Leane Dark Secrets: After Dreaming A.D. 1987–1961 (2010), this article demonstrates how Leane confronts assumptions about the irreducible division between empowered and disempowered cultures. It argues that, despite the plurality of cultural responses to colonial pressure, Leane’s verse deals with wider themes and provides spaces for cross-cultural relationality.

Beyond economic, ethical, and environmental considerations, new technologies also have an aesthetic impact. In the early 20th century, modernist and avant-garde literature, art, and design often embraced the transformations of sensory experience implied by the rapid development of modern technology. As Sara Danius argued in The Senses of Modernism, “the emergence of modernist aesthetics signifies the increasing internalization of technological matrices of perception.” This transformation was sometimes even perceived by its protagonists in a radical and emancipatory sense – as a reinvention of humanity beyond oppressive traditions and humanist ideals, all starting from a radical transformation of aesthetic experience. It is only on the basis of this technologically induced transformation of lived experience and its material conditions that artistic forms needed to be transcended as well. Hannes Meyer, architect and later the Bauhaus director, wrote in this spirit in 1926: “The art of felt imitation is in the process of being dismantled. Art is becoming invention and controlled reality.” One hundred years later, the emergence of generative AI has been met with a strong humanist reaction, reviving arguments about the exceptional nature of human intelligence and creativity. At the same time, the hyperbolic imagination of its Silicon Valley proponents lacks the avant-garde’s edge and – especially – any emancipatory dimension. This paper will pose the question of whether generative AI has the potential to impact aesthetic experience, and if so, in what sense.

Soviet Georgia was an agrarian country with little industry. Nevertheless, there are industrial novels from the Soviet era that more or less fit within the conventional framework of socialist realism. However, the oeuvre of Rezo Gabriadze (1936–2021) presents a striking contrast. Gabriadze was a writer, screenwriter, and the founder of the Georgian Marionette Theater. In his work, technology plays an unusual role:

In the cult film "The Excentrics" (directed by Eldar Shengelaya, 1973), a flying ox cart is invented, powered by the force of love. The technocratic dystopia "Kin-Dza-Dza!" (1986) depicts a galaxy where art disappears, and language is reduced to a single word. "Ramona" (2013) tells the love story of two locomotives in the post-World War II Soviet Union.

In my presentation, I will explore Gabriadze’s ambivalent and unconventional perspective on technology in the Soviet Georgian context.

Surveillance has been described as a cultural technology of power, drawing on distinctions between surveillance of others and of oneself, or between powerful, top-down surveillance and power-critical, bottom-up ‘sousveillance’ – to name just a few. In my talk, I will use these distinctions to shed light on the role of surveillance in literary theories of narration. The main focus will be the concept of ‘transparence,’ as developed by Dorit Cohn in her 1978 book “Transparent Minds.” According to Cohn, since the late 18th century the instance of the narrator in the novel has increasingly become an expert in penetrating the consciousness of fictional characters, their motives, desires and fears. Thus, “the transparency of fictional minds” is considered as “the touchstone that simultaneously sets fiction apart from reality and builds the semblance of another, non-real reality.” I will revise Cohn’s panorama of narrative techniques and ask to which extent it can be referred to the aforementioned cultural techniques (something that Cohn herself was quite critical about).

This paper aims to discuss the most recent developments in short story cycle theory, introducing potential new investigative methodologies derived from the cross-fertilization between literary theory on polytextual forms and literary empirical studies.

Short story cycle theory gained traction in the 1970s, starting with Forrest Ingram’s seminal studies, and remains a mainstream framework. Around the same time, Maria Corti introduced the concept of the macrotext in Italy. More recently, René Audet’s studies have framed short story cycle theory within the broader category of polytextuality. Building on the latter, I have developed a theory of polytextuality, defining polytextual works as cultural objects generated through artistic processes that articulate meaning by creating, selecting, and combining autonomous artistic pieces. A polytext is a composite work of art consisting of multiple self-contained elements. However, it is also a unified artistic entity, as it follows an authorial, editorial, or curatorial project, is released as an independent work, and is perceived as a cohesive whole. While individual components retain their identity, they contribute to the polytext’s overall meaning-making process, altering their meaning through interaction with the whole.

In contrast to short story cycle theories, polytextual theories emphasize reader-oriented approaches, shifting focus from an author- or text-centered perspective to the role of readers' actions (Audet) and cognitive processes (Santi). However, as De Vooght and Nemegeer argue, while reader-oriented theories attempt to explain how short story collections are interpreted, their claims lack empirical validation. To address this, De Vooght and Nemegeer conducted exploratory studies analyzing real reader responses, revealing a significant gap between literary theory and actual reader behavior. Reading behavior, they found, is shaped by mechanisms of human text processing such as the primacy effect and confirmation bias.

These findings suggest that reader-oriented approaches may not fully capture real readers’ interpretive processes. Nevertheless, existing short story cycle theories remain valuable for textual analysis and for teaching reading and writing techniques. A key goal is to develop methodologies that enhance composition, reading, and analytical outcomes, making them widely applicable since collections are pervasive in education and publishing, spanning media and communication sectors.

To move beyond these preliminary findings, interdisciplinary research is needed, involving experiments on culturally diverse demographics and a multilingual corpus. This paper shares these findings and discusses a research project aimed at establishing an interdisciplinary framework and methodology for short story collections, translating research results into practical guidelines for those working in the field.

Contemporary Chinese cyborg narratives highlight the characteristics of Chinese science fiction. This is manifested in three specific ways: first, the high-tech anti-hero narrative, which expresses the concerns of Chinese science fiction writers about the conflict between humans and machines and their worries about the future society of artificial intelligence; second, the exploration of the cyborg image in ancient Chinese thinking and concepts, using dreams to connect the relationship between humans and machines and to ponder the nature of humanity; and third, to use the cyborg as a cultural practice and social adjustment for human alienation, and to place it in the context of Chinese history and culture to rethink the relationship between past and present, tradition and modernity, and human and non-human, and to attempt to achieve a new balance in the relationship between humans and machines and a stable future.

This paper returns to the vexed question of the status and meaning of “science” for science fiction (SF) and its criticism, examining the widespread tendency in contemporary SF criticism to downplay the role that science and scientific rationality play in defining SF. Prominent theorists have argued that SF “has no essence” (Rieder, “On Defining SF”) and that “sf will include more and more assemblages involving incongruous ontologies…. as naturalized alternative rationalities” (Csicsery-Ronay, “Global SF”). While this embracing of hybridity, often accompanied by claims regarding the perceived emancipatory potential of what are called “alternative sciences” or "alternative epipstemologies," responds to a progressive sociopolitical desire to foster inclusion and combat (Western) technoscientific hegemony, this paper argues that settling uncritically with the notion of the "non-essence" of SF would bring about more mystification than clarity, both in terms of our study of SF literary history, and of SF’s potential progressivism. One problem is that this critical tendency is based on a view science as inherently tied to sociopolitical exploitation: however, as this paper seeks to show, this judgement rests on a fallacy in fact-value distinction that the humanities, and literary studies in particular, have strikingly contributed to perpetuate. Furthermore, thinkers such as Indian cultural critic Meera Nanda or Syrian philosopher Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm have shown that the secularization of consciousness promoted by the transition from mythic to scientific rationality often acts as the truly emancipatory force able to oppose certain “local” and “traditional” practices and beliefs that enable the oppression of women and cultural minorities, thus problematizing any association of science or rationality per se with either emancipatory or oppressive social mores. Finally, the paper suggests that erasing the distinction between the science of SF and other worldviews and ontologies (“folkloric, mythological, supernatural” are some of those mentioned by Csicsery-Ronay) as expressed in other fictional genres also erases the historical and cognitive/existential specificity of SF (historian David Wootton, philosopher Michael Strevens, and physicist Carlo Rovelli are among the most brilliant explainers of the various aspects of such specificity regarding science). The paper thus proposes that rather than expanding our definition of science fiction to the point of unrecognizability, we should instead rely on the ample spectrum of possibilities afforded by the umbrella-label speculative fiction, actually able to encompass ontologies other than science’s naturalism.

Argentine author Ricardo Piglia’s 1992 novel The Absent City is often classified as science fiction, primarily because of its female cyborg, the Macedonio machine. With the help of the exiled Hungarian engineer Russo, Macedonio transplants the consciousness of his deceased wife Elena into a mechanical device, thus creating a cyborg that transcends the simple “organism-machine” and possesses the body of a machine and the soul of a human being who is capable of storytelling. Rather than placing the novel in a futuristic context, Piglia situates the narrative within the period of Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-1983). Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital, serves as the stage of the story, a city on the periphery of the Western-dominated global power structure, yet caught up in the wave of cybernetics. In this way, Piglia creates a space that moves beyond linear history, offering a platform to reflect on the complexities of human history while simultaneously considering the potential of a rapidly advancing digital future. The novel parodies the Huemul Project of the Perón government, and critiques patriarchal capitalism, militarism’s dedication to the technological development for its own sake, as exemplified by Argentinean nuclear energy research in the broader context of the Cold War-era global nuclear arms race. Within this historical context,the novel is rich in cyborg figures, both technical and metaphorical. Due to disembodiment and forced immortality in the form of information, Elena loses the ability to perceive the world through sense. This loss brings a profound sense of emptiness and existential confusion, resulting in a crisis of identity and subjectivity. From Elena’s absent body, Piglia reflects on the two dominant pursuits of modern technology: the creation of artificial life and the resurrection of the dead. Through the figures of Arana, a doctor with aluminum teeth who is as cold as a machine, and Fujita, an emasculated spy engaged in surveillance, Piglia interrogates the blurred boundaries between man and machine. The novel explores modern humanity’s anxiety in the face of technological advancement and reveals the potential crises faced by cyborged humans.

Flowers for Algernon is a classic science fiction novel by American author Daniel Keyes, published in 1959. It was awarded the Hugo Award in 1959 and the Nebula Award in 1966. Sixty years later, since the Chinese translation was published in 2015, the novel has sparked a "resonant" reading trend, particularly from 2022 to 2024, becoming one of the most influential science fiction works among the Chinese public. The narrative employs the story of Charlie, a protagonist with intellectual disabilities, using technological enhancement of intelligence as a catalyst, to fulfill a plot structure and emotional interaction of "nostalgia-acceleration-equilibrium". It also reflects on technological ethics and the acceleration of individuals throughout this process.

Acceleration is a defining characteristic of the technological era, and "nostalgia" represents an intuitive resistance to this acceleration. The "nostalgia" here refers to that which bears the marks of primitive and backward within the linear progression of technological rationality. In the novel, the societal acceleration of technology discards the appreciation of emotions and the attachment to things. Daniel Keyes adeptly perceived the crisis of acceleration lurking behind the progressive development brought about by technological rationality. Acceleration is not only a matter of daily and emotional experience but also a technological issue, which technology has already or will push to an unimaginable extent. The novel cruelly expresses the aspect of technological acceleration through a lobotomy, offering a warm and romantic narrative, and serves as an important representative reflecting on the future societal technological issues through the narrative of science fiction.

Technological progress has disrupted the integrity of life and the experience of growth. From the moment Charlie developed social awareness, he struggled between being accelerated or abandoned, without contemplating alternatives beyond these two. An accelerated life is another form of "precocity" and "aging", and the anxiety and fear for acceleration are also part of the process of adapting. Keyes imagines a view of natural balance as the ultimate means after nostalgia and acceleration, it is suggested that the explosive intellectual growth achieved through technological acceleration is unsustainable. The novel provides a vision of the near future that creates a "dislocation" of perception with China's compressed modernity, as the science fiction imagination of the near future from the 1960s now resonates with the echoes of the era. The near future of science fiction is impending yet not arrived, while the acceleration brought by technology has already impacted people's lives. Chinese readers' resonance with the nostalgic emotions in the novel, their extension of the anxiety about acceleration, and their reflection on the ultimate balance, is akin to picking up the Flowers for Algernon here and now.

As a contemporary American science fiction writer, Paolo Bacigalupi has always paid close attention to the ecological problems that have emerged since the 21st century, such as soil erosion, ocean pollution, species extinction, declining vegetation, climate deterioration, etc. This phenomenon is particularly salient in the context of near-future food imagination, where the confluence of natural factors and man-made factors, gives rise to a dystopian scene of “food apocalypse”. In works such as The Windup Girl, The Calorie Man, Pump Six, and The People of Sand and Slag, Paolo Bacigalupi explores a speculative approach, utilizing science fiction as an experiment to discuss potential solutions to the food crisis. By imagining the food system in the Near Future to shed light on the ecological challenges confronting the human world, The author posits a hypothetical scenario in which an unaltered human might have been able to achieve self-rescue through the severe shortage of food. However, the strategies employed to adapt to human survival by “Transform Nature”, such as gene-editing and the construction of dams, have instead accelerated the deterioration of the global environment and exacerbated regional tensions. It has even a direct impact on the human body, resulting in fertility disorders, epidemics, etc. The “Transform Nature” has led to a vicious cycle of self-rescue for the human group. Therefore, Bacigalupi has proposed a novel solution to the problem of food scarcity, by transforming the human body to create newcomers who have the capabilities to adapt to the “food apocalypse”. This involves a more varied nutritional intake and the ability to effectively cope with the problems caused by the decline of species, the homogenization of crops, and the toxicity of food. However, the imagination of posthumans adapting to nature actually obscures the pressing need to solve the food crisis and leave the ecological problems to the descendants as posthumans. The future in Bacigalupi’s works is generally characterized by a pessimistic outlook, with a notable absence of initiatives aimed at aiding the environment, and these experiments do not incorporate the efforts of “Restore Ecology”, whether involving the adaptation of nature to humanity or the creation of new species to adapt to an apocalyptic environment. The prospect of ecology writing in science fiction, as well as a potential method for avoiding ecological predicaments such as “food apocalypse ”, can only be realized by treating human beings as part of the whole ecology, by establishing the ecological community where human beings coexist with the planet Earth, and braking the further deterioration of ecology while implementing environmental restoration.

Il va s'agir d'examiner les contours de la volonté et de l'intention critiques de ces trois auteurs, écrivains et penseurs africains et antillais de remise en question de l'histoire culturelle héritée du colonialisme et de proposition d'écriture d'une autre histoire, d'une histoire littéraire et culturelle autre de leur monde à l'ère postcoloniale.

En intégrant à ses Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale un chapitre intitulé « L’épopée de l’épopée », issu de sa contribution à l’Encyclopaedia universalis, Étiemble invitait il y a cinquante ans à « repartir de zéro ». Il était temps en effet de rompre avec les approches primitivistes du genre épique, qui cherchaient à y voir l’expression « spontanée » des « peuples jeunes ». En s’interrogeant sur l’avenir de l’épopée, le comparatiste nouait ensemble deux questions désormais corrélées, celle des métamorphoses de l’épopée dans les cultures contemporaines et celle des nouveaux regards portés sur l’épopée comme objet d’étude, devant le constat de son impossible définition. Un tel renouvellement se fondait sur l’élargissement du corpus aux littératures extra-européennes, et même extra-indo-européennes. On s’intéressera donc à la manière dont Étiemble élabore sa réflexion sur l’épopée, dans les années 1960 et 1970, en dialogue avec l’œuvre d’un Georges Dumézil (auquel les Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale sont d’ailleurs dédiés) mais aussi celle du tibétologue Rolf A. Stein. On s’interrogera sur les tensions, voire les paradoxes, qu’implique la mobilisation de références aussi variées, et sur la place qui est donnée, dans ce laboratoire théorique, à la tradition épique tibétaine, ou à l’absence de tradition épique chinoise. C’est depuis l’Asie qu’on tentera ainsi de jeter un regard rétrospectif sur ce geste critique d’Étiemble à propos de l’épopée, et sur les discussions auxquelles il se prête aujourd’hui.

Toute l’œuvre d’Étiemble est un vibrant appel à penser hors des littératures et des langues européennes, en apprenant toujours plus de langues pour avoir accès aux œuvres aussi bien qu’à la critique sur celles-ci, comme il l’expose notamment dans « Comment former des généralistes ? », texte ajouté à la troisième édition des Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale (1975), et encore dans la section « Les langues de travail » des Ouverture/s/ sur un comparatisme planétaire (1988). Lui-même fut un vivant exemple d’un exceptionnel comparatisme polyglotte, abordant aussi bien la littérature chinoise que pintupi (dans les Nouveaux essais de littérature universelle, 1992). Cependant, son inlassable plaidoyer pour l’apprentissage de langues nombreuses et non européennes s’est paradoxalement accompagné d’un relatif impensé de la langue, dont témoigne Parlez-vous franglais ? (1964), réquisitoire contre le français américanisé ou « sabir atlantique ». Or, pour qui n’a cessé de montrer que les littératures et les cultures ne peuvent être considérées comme des entités pures et hermétiques, que la circulation des formes et des idées est heureusement productive, quand bien même cette productivité passe par des altérations et des malentendus, il y a là une conception puriste de la langue qui peut surprendre. À René Wellek (A. Warren, R. Wellek, Theory of literature, 1949), tout juste traduit en français (1971), qui soutenait que la langue avait été retenue de façon erronée comme critère décisif en matière de littérature, à la suite du développement au XIXe siècle de nationalismes fondés en grande partie sur des considérations linguistiques, Étiemble avait rétorqué en 1974 avec ses Essais de littérature (vraiment) générale, où il entreprenait de saper les illusions de la généralité alinguistique wellekienne. Mais qu’est-ce que la langue selon Étiemble ? On souhaiterait se saisir de certaines des tensions repérables dans ses écrits pour défaire l’évidence de la langue et des langues, et en tirer quelques propositions pour la pratique comparatiste.

The Zhongyong, also known as The Doctrine of the Mean, has gradually attained recognition as a philosophical classic over more than 300 years of translation endeavor, since its initial English translation in 1691. A comprehensive review of its translation history unveils significant shifts in the understanding and reception of The Zhongyong. The work has been rendered into 29 English versions, that encompasses full translations, selected translations, compilations, and even adaptations in comic form. In this paper a detailed overview of the English translation history of The Zhongyong is presented, that categorizes it into three distinct phases: (1) “An Interpretation of Confucianism through a Christian Lens (1691-1905)”, in which, translators primarily sought to draw parallels between Confucianism and Christianity. (2) “An Interpretation of Confucianism through Western Cultural Frameworks (1906-2000)”, where translators predominantly adopted a culturally oriented translation strategy, that aligned The Zhongyong with Western philosophical and cultural paradigms. (3) “A Reinterpretation of Confucianism through Its Chinese Cultural Context (2001-present)”, in which, the focus shifts to the restoration of the original philosophical and cultural essence of the text, and contributes to its canonization as a philosophical classic within global discourse. The translation of the title “Zhongyong,” is further examined through an analysis of four representative renditions to illustrate the diverse conceptual understandings they reflect. The findings indicate a notable trend towards interpretive translation, wherein various strategies are employed to enhance readers’ comprehension of complex philosophical concepts. As the demographic of translators has diversified, translation strategies have also evolved from domestication in the earlier phases to foreignization in the contemporary phase, which signifies a growing emphasis on preserving the authentic Chinese philosophical context.

The ‘bhanita’ or the signature line is a characteristic feature of Vaishnava poetry using which the poet participates in the cosmic drama (leela) of Radha–Krishna, or Chaitanya. In his book of verses, ‘Bhanusingha Thakurer Padabali’ (The Poems of Sun Lion), first published in 1875, Rabindranath Tagore reuses the aesthetics, form and theme of Vaishnava poetry. Thus, in Tagore's poems, the form of the bhanita undergoes a marked transformation. In the 2003-English translation of Tagore's text, ‘The Lover of God’, Tony K. Stewart and Chase Twichell further experiment with the form, as Twichell who is unfamiliar with the original language and tradition uses unconventional techniques to translate Tagore's text.

This paper explores how the politics of desire is represented and transformed through the two-fold translations that occur: Tagore's adaptation of the Vaishnava lyric form, and Twichell's English translation of Tagore's Padabali. The paper looks at the role and the difference of bhanita in Vaishnava lyrics, and in Bhanusingha's songs, focusing on how Tagore re-structures the bhanita to assume a female persona to initiate a discourse on love, desire and longing in his Padabali that is at once both personal and political. Besides the obvious gender change, the aesthetics of form and articulation of the self and desire assume a queer potential in these poems. The paper then analyses how the queer aesthetics and representation are reframed and reprocessed in the English translation of the text published several years later. Using William J. Spurlin's observations, the essay foregrounds how translation and the untranslatable constitute a queer space, praxis and phenomenon by close-reading this particular South Asian literary discourse, poetic form and texts. It attempts to initiate new discussions in the interdisciplinary fields of queer studies, and translation studies in the context of South Asian literary cultures, where often the manifestations of queerness and desire are different from the dominant LGBTQIA+ narrative.

This paper offers a comparative analysis of the moral and ethical dimensions embedded within The Analects of Confucius and the Bible, two of the most influential texts in Eastern and Western cultures respectively. The objective of this study is to explore the philosophical foundations of these texts and to identify both the contrasting and complementary ethical systems they propose. Through a detailed examination of their moral teachings, this paper seeks to deepen our understanding of the cultural underpinnings that shape these two worldviews.

The Analects of Confucius places significant emphasis on the cultivation of personal virtue through the emulation of moral exemplars, the internalization of ethical standards, and the guidance of one’s conscience. In contrast, the Bible focuses more on the concepts of self-discipline, the active performance of moral duties, and a legalistic approach to ethics that demands adherence to divine commandments. While the two texts differ in their conceptualization of morality—Confucian ethics being more relational and inner-directed, and Biblical ethics more action-oriented and duty-bound—both converge in their foundational principles of “benevolence” (仁) in Confucian thought and “love” in Christian teachings. These principles, despite their varying contexts, illustrate the shared human aspiration toward moral transcendence and the pursuit of a harmonious society.

Further, both The Analects and the Bible underscore the importance of social harmony and order, albeit through different ethical frameworks. Confucianism advocates for societal harmony through proper relationships and rituals, while Christianity emphasizes the necessity of love for one’s neighbor and the role of divine grace in fostering peace. This convergence in their focus on societal well-being hints at the potential for a global ethical consensus that can bridge Eastern and Western cultural divides. By prioritizing virtues that promote social stability, both texts offer a model for ethical conduct that extends beyond individual morality to encompass the collective good.

Building upon these insights, this paper proposes three key recommendations for the future of intercultural dialogue and global ethical development. First, it is crucial to preserve and promote the shared ethical principles of “benevolence” and “love,” which can serve as common ground for intercultural communication and mutual understanding. Second, fostering respect for cultural differences is essential, as it allows for reciprocal learning and collaborative progress in global moral discourse. Third, enhancing intercultural dialogue is vital to achieving the goal of "harmony in diversity," wherein diverse ethical traditions can coexist while respecting each other’s values and practices. This study not only deepens our understanding of Chinese and Western moral thought but also provides meaningful insights into the potential for building a more harmonious global community through cross-cultural understanding.

Cultural references in source texts can be the trickiest part of translation, as they involve choosing the right words and understanding the culture behind them. Translation studies all over the world are experiencing a cultural revolution in all its senses as never before. Translation of Culture-specific items has been and remains one of the topical issues. Anandamath was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in 1882. It is an important work in Indian literature and nationalism. The book contains many cultural references that are difficult to translate. This study aims to explore how Culture-Specific Items (CSIs) have been translated by Sri Aurobindo and Naresh Chandra Sen-Gupta. Furthermore, it examines the ideologies and translation strategies of these two translators. Newmark’s (2010) categorization of culture-specific items was adopted to classify the culture-specific items and Newmark’s (1988) strategies for Culture-specific items translation.

The classic motif of ‘Demoness-monk seduction’ first seen in Buddhist scriptures, refers to the demon Mara sending his daughters, who are demonesses, to seduce Prince Siddhartha in order to stop his enlightenment. This motif later emerged in ancient Chinese vernacular novels, giving rise to many stories in which demonesses seduce monks. It has also appeared in subversive forms in contemporary Chinese writing, changing the concept of SeQing色情. While the idea of evil women enticing men is not new to literature, the asceticism requirement of monks has resulted in a distinct Chinese literary variation that differs from the Western femme fatale. With a focus on three popular works—Journey to the West (1500s), Green Snake (1986), and Faithful to Buddha, Faithful to You (2008)—this paper will compare the different representations in which the plot of Demoness-monk seduction and analyse the changes in the images of the demoness and the monk under the evolution of this motif, so as to examine the changes in the meaning of the plot of seduction. The demoness, who has only one sentence in the Buddhist scriptures, transforms into several beautiful demonesses with dangerous power in Journey to the West, but continues the traditional narrative of monks rejecting the sexual seduction of the demoness and eventually succeeding in their Buddhist cultivation. In Green Snake, the image of the demoness changes from a sexual seducer to an emotional subject, and the seduction of the monks becomes a way of experiencing humans’ emotions through sex. It challenged the rationality of abstinence. Faithful to Buddha, Faithful to You is a further subversion of this motif, in which the heroine is no longer a demonic sexual seducer but a human woman who establishes a modern love relationship with Hatamarishi. The image of the demoness and the monk changes from the opposition of good and evil to the reversal of identity to the building of a love relationship, showing the transformation from Se色 to Qing情, reflecting the imagination of eroticism, taboo, and moral relationships in different periods. In addition, the significant plot of Demoness-monk seduction has become a well-known episode that has impressed audiences due to the influential film and television adaptations of these three works. Therefore, this paper will focus more on the contemporary interpretation of this motif in Green Snake and Faithful to Buddha, Faithful to You, analysing how popular culture has reconfigured this motif in light of sociocultural backgrounds and exploring how contemporary narratives have given seduction a new dimension of emotion, power, and subjectivity, thereby transcending traditional erotic taboos and reshaping the relationship between eroticism and morality. The paper will also explore how the contemporary interpretation of the Demoness-monk seduction has broadened people's understanding of Qing情, beyond individual love to include a wider range of worldwide emotions, and provided more possibilities for emotional expression.

이 논문은 횔덜린(Friedrich Hölderlin, 1770~1843)과 김춘수(金春洙, 1922~2004) 신화시의(神話詩, Mythopoesie, 獨 Mythopoetische) ‘예수’의 의미를 칼 바르트(Karl Barth, 1886~1968)의 신학적 관점으로 구명하는 것을 목표로 한다. 횔덜린과 김춘수는 모두 관념의 세계를 상징적 언어로써 심미적으로 형상화하는 형이상시(形而上詩, metaphysical poetry)의 창작을 통해 인간과 신의 본질에 대한 존재론적 성찰을 추구했다는 공통점이 있다.

특히 이들은 인성(人性)에 대한 성찰에서 깊은 존재의 심연을 발견하고, 인성의 한계를 극복하여 이상적인 존재로 거듭남을 추구하는 과정에서 신성(神性)에 대한 사유에 이른다. 이러한 맥락에서 신성에 대한 사유는 순수한 존재란 무엇인가를 묻는 진리를 찾아가는 도정이라고 볼 수 있다. 이들의 이러한 진리를 향한 시작의 여정은 신화시를 낳게 한다. 횔덜린과 김춘수의 신화시는 인류사에 대한 역사철학적 인식을 반영하고 있다. 특히, 예수의 죽음을 인간의 가장 큰 비극으로 인식한다는 것도 두 시인의 공통점으로 나타난다. 이에 이 논문은 횔덜린과 김춘수의 신화시의 ‘예수’의 의미를 밝히는 비교 연구를 하고자 한다. 이러한 연구는 두 시인의 시세계의 본질을 관통하는 연구로서 가치가 있을 것이다. 본고는 이러한 연구를 하는 데 칼 바르트의 『교회교의학』으로부터 신학적 개념을 원용하고자 한다. 그 이유는 횔덜린은 튀빙엔 신학교에서 신학을 수학하였으며, 김춘수는 독학으로 라인홀트 니부어의 신학을 수학하여서, 이들의 시세계의 근저에 신학적 세계관이 놓여 있다고 할 수 있기 때문이다.

칼 바르트의 『교회교의학』은 예수의 의미를 다음과 같이 규정하고 있다. 바르트에 따르면 하나님은 아버지, 아들, 성령의 세 가지 존재 양식으로 계시는 삼위일체적 주권이다. 이 삼위일체 하나님은 인간에게 ‘당신(das Du)’으로 다가와, 인간의 ‘나(das Ich)’와 만나 계시된다. 이때 하나님의 계시는 곧 말씀의 성육신(성육신)인 예수 그리스도의 존재로 구체화된다.예수 그리스도는 참 하나님이자 참 인간으로서, 하나님이 인간의 본질과 현존재를 택하여 거룩하게 하는 존재이다. 바르트는 예수 그리스도의 탄생을 '하나님의 피조물로의 낮아지심'(Kondeszendenz)으로 보며, 이 사건을 통해 하나님이 인간 속에 현존하신다고 본다. 예수의 존재 자체가 인간을 향한 하나님의 자유이며, 이 자유는 하나님의 자기계시다.

예수 그리스도는 인간과 동일한 존재로서 인간 세계에 들어오신 하나님의 자기증거이다. 바르트에 따르면, 인간이 자기 존재를 제대로 이해하고 참된 현존재의 의미를 깨닫기 위해서는 예수 그리스도라는 계시를 받아들여야만 한다. 왜냐하면 예수 그리스도 안에서 창조자와 피조물이 합일되어 있기 때문이다. 이러한 창조는 시간의 시작이자, 인간이 하나님과 맺는 계약의 역사를 여는 출발점이다.

인간은 하나님의 창조와 더불어 존재하게 되었으나, 무(Das Nichtige)와의 대립을 통해 타락을 경험한다. 그러나 하나님은 예수 그리스도를 통해 이 무(無)를 심판하시고, 이를 통해 피조물에 대한 하나님의 통치를 이루신다. 이 통치가 바로 ‘하늘나라’이다. 바르트에 따르면, 예수 그리스도의 십자가와 부활 사건이 바로 하나님과 인간의 화해를 이루는 핵심이며, 이 화해는 완전한 창조의 차원이 아닌 타락한 현실에 이루어진다. 따라서 예수는 인간을 위한 하나님이자, 온전한 인간으로서, 인간 존재를 왜곡된 선택에서 구원하여 영원한 삶을 선사하는 존재이다.

칼 바르트의 이러한 신학적 관점으로 2장에서는 두 시인의 공통적인 세계관으로 신이 부재하는 시대의 의미가 논의될 것이다. 횔덜린은 이러한 시대를 ‘세계의 밤’으로 명명하였으며, 김춘수는 신이 죽은 시대로 인식하였다. 이처럼 신이 부재하는 시대, 인간의 깊은 심연의 발견을 두 시인의 출발점으로 보고자 한다. 3장에서는 예수의 ‘죽음’의 의미를 횔덜린의 「빵과 포도주」 등의 시편과 김춘수의 「겟세마네에서」 등의 시편을 통해 살펴보고자 한다. 예수의 죽음은 두 시인에게 인류 최대의 비극이지만, 신학적으로는 인간의 타락에 대한 정죄이자 심판이다. 4장에서는 예수의 ‘부활’의 의미를 횔덜린의 「빵과 포도주」 등의 시편과 김춘수의 ‘예수 시편’을 통해 살펴보고자 한다. 횔덜린의 시에서는 성체성사라는 예수 부활의 약속이기 때문에 세계의 밤은 예수의 재림을 기다리는 신성한 시간으로 재규정된다. 김춘수의 시에서는 인류의 종말을 연상케 하는 역사에서 예수의 심판이 올 것이라는 묵시록적 인식이 나타난다. 마지막으로 5장에서는 횔덜린과 김춘수의 신화시의 ‘예수’의 의미의 비교 문학적 의의를 밝히고자 한다. 이 연구의 결과는 세계문학사에서 인류의 미래에 혜안을 제시하는 형시상시로서의 신화시의 가치와 인성과 신성을 통한 인간 존재의 성찰의 가치를 드높일 것으로 기대된다.

This essay discusses the uncanny materiality of the past, being rediscovered and often reconstructed to tell stories of the sites as locations of the memory of the nation. This essay addresses the disappearance of medium in history, focusing on how the historical past is re-created on the present space. The role of historical narrative, which used to work as an interstice between the two different time zones, is now being replaced by the immediate convergence of the past and the present temporalities. The uncanniness is detected in actions such as passing without meeting, seeing without looking and meeting without touching, and imagining that the space is entered and experienced. In order to examine the role of such (im)medium, this essay reviews the thoughts on history and historical past, mainly proposed by Walter Benjamin, who demonstrated a new model of time in his unfinished collection of notes and citations now comprised under the title of Das Passagen-Werk (The Arcade Project). According to Benjamin, time progresses in accumulative fashion rather than a linear mode. Focusing on the role of medium, this essay discusses how history is no longer working as a medium, but space is being used as a nodal point where the two different timelines, memories and experiences concur. To be more precise, this study demonstrates how the space intervenes history in the name of historiography. The diminishing role of mediator found at the actual sites of historicization in Seoul will be reviewed in connection to Han Kang's question, articulated at her Nobel Prize Lecture.

Mensagem, Fernando Pessoa's only book published in Portuguese during his lifetime, praises the national “heroes” of his native Portugal and celebrates their achievements. Some of his avant-garde colleagues criticized the work for its nationalism, as it mythologizes national heroes to an excessive degree. However, if we look at the structure of the poem, it is not simply a hymn to national heroes, but contains several symbols in its structure. First of all, Pessoa's Mesagem is divided into parts 1, 2, and 3. The first part is “The Coat of Arms (of the nation),” the second part is “The Sea of Portugal,” and the third part is “Discovery.” In particular, Part 1, “The Coat of Arms,” has the same structure as the flag of Portugal at the time. Part 1 consists of five chapters: 1. Land, 2. Castle, 3. Five castle marks, 4. Crown, 5. Insignia, and if you look at the number of poems in each chapter, you can see that it consists of two lands, seven castles, five castle marks, one crown, and three insignia, just like the Portuguese coat of arms. In terms of content, the book relates the meaning of the Portuguese coat of arms to historical figures and mythology, starting from the time before the founding of the country, through the first dynasty, when the Portuguese were focused on conquering the Moors, to the second dynasty, when they began their maritime expansion. We will analyze the signifier-signified relationship established between the external structure, or form, and the internal content, and read the symbols and signs that are both concealed and revealed through the structure.

As the first important work in the history of literary theory and criticism in China that systematically discusses the theory of literary creation, Lu Ji’s Wen Fu has had a significant impact on later generations of literary creation and literary criticism. With the growing interest in the “Chinese classics” at home and abroad, Wen Fu, has increasingly become an important proposition in the study of Chinese literary theory by overseas scholars in the midst of this boom. With the help of WorldCat, Goodreads, and Amazon, as well as other relevant book reviews, this paper examines the worldwide distribution of eight translations of Wen Fu and their impact, and outlines the current status of the translation of Wen Fu overseas. So as to reflect on the existing shortcomings in the process of translating and disseminating Chinese classics, and to provide reference for the “going abroad” of Chinese literature theories.

This study finds that most of the English translations of Wen Fu are in a state of “marginalization” and have not really entered the mainstream vision of Western public readers, especially the translations of domestic translators and translators of Chinese origin. The author believes that in the process of translation and dissemination of Chinese literary theory, we should not blindly pursue word-for-word translation that is faithful to the original work, pile up large paragraphs of complex annotations, but pay attention to the dissemination and acceptance of translated works. It is necessary to establish a sound feedback mechanism, fully investigate the overseas translation of Chinese literary theory, understand the aesthetic and market needs of Western readers, and combine the current situation of Chinese literary translation to select appropriate translation strategies in a targeted manner to improve the acceptance of translations overseas. In addition, sales, as an important part of the translation and dissemination of Chinese literary classics and “going abroad”, cannot be ignored. In order to ensure that the translation can reach readers smoothly, we need to broaden the channels of external communication and dissemination, strengthen cooperation and publicity with Western mainstream media, and make the translation smoothly enter the general Western readership.

Through research, we have realized that there is still a large space for translation of Wen Fu overseas, especially among the public. While promoting the Chinese literary theory to go global, it is necessary to reflect on and adjust the existing translation subjects, channels, audiences, contents and strategies in a timely manner, so as to continuously improve the translation and dissemination capabilities. In the context of cross-cultural context, we should fully explore the modern values of literary classics, effectively interact with and interpret Western literary theory in both directions, and promote Chinese literary theory to “going in” effectively.

China's Anti-Japanese War literature is an important part of the world's anti-fascist literature. Stories of China at War is the earliest collection of short stories about China’s War of Resistance against Japan that was published both in Britain and America. It contains 16 English versions of novels set in War of Resistance against Japan and shows the multiple aspects of wartime China in many dimensions. This collection of novels embodies the characteristics of blending Chinese and western literature in planning and organization, selection of articles and compilation methods, and also highlights the common concept of world anti-fascist literature. By combing the subject, material selection, strategy and effect of translation, this paper explores the reconstruction of wartime China's image in the process of translating China's wartime novels into English, summarizes the path and characteristics of China's anti-Japanese war literature in the English world, and reveals the significance of China's anti-Japanese war literature translation to the construction of China's image during the anti-Japanese war.

Zong Pu’s (1928- ) novella “Hongdou” (“Red Beans,” 1957), a tale of two college sweethearts torn apart by ideological conflicts in 1949, has been frequently mentioned but seldom analyzed in depth in recent Chinese literary scholarship. While scholars have been drawn to the story’s tumultuous romance, they have often overlooked its complex ideological-affective dynamic, which mirrors the formation of modern patriotic discourse in the early People’s Republic of China (PRC). The dynamic is illustrated through fierce debates in “Red Beans,” establishing it as a seminal work on the modern Chinese dream. In this paper, I will do a comparative reading between Zong’s original work and Geremie Barmé’s English translation. Through a comparative analysis of three key terms — “ziyou (freedom),” “dajia (everyone),” and “zuguo (motherland)” — in both the Chinese text and English version, I argue that translatability provides a lens to uncover the distinctive contours of Chinese modernity. The difficulty of translation bespeaks the intense competition between Chinese communists and Western-oriented elites for cultural leadership. Following the communist victory and establishment of the PRC in 1949, patriotic intellectuals successfully reinterpreted individualistic Western modernity within a Chinese context, transforming it into a collectivist ideal that envisioned a brand-new homeland where all people could live freely.

2024년 노벨위원회는 대한민국 작가 한강의 작품을 “역사적인 트라우마에 맞서고 삶의 연약함을 표현한 시적인 산문”이라 평가하며 올해 문학상 수상자로 선정하였다. 이리하여 한강은 대한민국 최초이자 아시아 최초 여성 노벨문학상 수상자가 되었다. 일각에서는 노벨위원회의 이와 같은 평가는 5.18 광주민주화운동에 대한 상처를 다룬 <<소년이 온다>>와 제주 4.3 사건을 배경으로 하는<<작별하지 않는다>>등 대한민국 현대사의 아픔을 작품으로 표현 한 것에 대해 높게 평가된 것이라 보기도 하였다. 비단 역사적 사건에 대한 아픔을 다룬 작품에서만 트라우마를 표현한 것이 아니라, 다른 작품에서도 트라우마는 한강 작품에서 비중있게 다뤄졌다. <<흰>>에서는 “흰”이라는 단어가 동시에 내포하는 삶과 죽음의 의미에 대한 사고를 표현하였고, << 채식주의자>>에서는 꿈에 등장한 과거의 트라우마가 미친 영향을 그려냈다. 위에서 열거한 한강 소설 작품의 서사적 특징들을 종합해보면, 노벨상 선정 이유에서 정신분석학적인 면이 강하다는 것을 볼 수 있다. <<채식주의자>>는 전반적으로 역사적인 사건에 대한 기억을 다룬 작품은 아니지만, 주인공 영혜의 모습을 통해 작가의 시대상을 반영하고 있다. 작품의 주인공 영혜는 자신의 트라우마에서 벗어나려고 하지만 그 아픈 기억의 분위기 속에서 나오지 못하고 있다. 그 이외에 <<채식주의자>>에 등장하는 영혜의 악몽, 예술 욕망, 정신병원등 정신분석학에서 광범위하게 다뤄지는 개념들이 등장한다. 이런 특징들을 보다 자세하게 관찰하고자, 본 논문에서 필자는 정신분석학적 시점에서 <<채식주의자>>를 해석하였다.

본 논문의 주요 내용은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 프로이트의 엠마 부인 광장공포증 치료 사례에서 바라본 영혜의 채식이다. 1장에서 영혜는 악몽을 꾸고 난 뒤 갑자기 채식주의자가 되겠다고 선언한다. 영혜의 채식주의 선언과 엠마 부인 광장공포증과는 유사성을 가진다. 엠마 부인은 자신의 광장공포증은 그녀가 12살 때 상점에서 겪었던 안 좋은 기억에서 형성된 것이라 하였는데, 프로이트가 상담을 하면서 그녀가 12살 때의 기억과 그 이전인 8살 때 겪었던 일에 대한 기억이 복합되어 있다는 것을 발견하고는, 유사한 상황이 주어진 곳에서 병인이 생겼다는 것을 밝혀냈다. 영혜는 고기라는 것은 폭력과 억압의 상징이라 여기고는 채식주의자가 되기로 하였지만, 작품 속에 나오는 영혜의 이야기를 통해 어렸을 적 기억으로 인하여 형성된 것이라 알 수 있다.

둘째, 자크 라캉의 주체 및 욕망 이론에서 바라본 영혜가 참여한 형부의 예술 작품이다. 라캉은 “욕망이 독립적으로 성립된 것이 아니라, 타자의 욕망에 의해 형성된 것”이라 정의했다. 2장 “몽고반점”에서 영혜는 비디오 아티스트인 형부의 시점에서 이야기가 전개된다. 영혜의 형부는 영혜 몸의 몽고반점을 예술적 영감으로 여기고, 영혜의 몸에다 꽃무늬를 그린다. 폭력과 억압의 상징이라 채식주의를 선언한 영혜였지만, 형부의 예술적 욕망에 대해선 거부하지 않았으며, 심지어 영혜는 자신의 몸에 칠해진 물감을 지우지 못하게 한다. 영혜는 예술이라는 미명으로 형부의 욕망을 문제삼지 않는다.

셋째, 프로이트 <<꿈의 해석>>의 자유연상기법을 응용하여 바라본 영혜의 환상이다. 3장 “나무불꽃”에서 영혜는 언니인 인혜의 시점에서 이야기가 전개된다. 형부와의 부도덕적인 관계를 언니 인혜에게 발각되고, 영혜는 병원으로 들어가게 된다. 병원에서 영혜는 음식도 치료를 다 거부하는 상태에 이르고 자신은 한 그루의 나무가 되고 싶다는 환상에 빠진다. 이 환상은 작품 초에서 채식주의자가 되겠다는 선언 이유와 맥락이 어느 정도 상통한다. 나무가 되고 싶다는 환상은 자신의 트라우마를 완전하게 벗어나고자 하는 욕망으로 보이지만, 인혜는 이에 대해 영혜가 꿈에 아직 갇혀있는 상태라고 여긴다. 인혜의 이와 같은 진단은, <<꿈의 해석>>에서 말하는 “무의식에서 형성된 자아 이미지 형성”의 시점에서 해석해 볼 수 있다.

Kim Ae-ran (김애란) is a famous contemporary South Korean woman writer, the attention to marginalization is the theme through her whole creation. Kim Ae-ran depicts the oppressive space hidden in the corner of the city with keen observation, showing the reality faced by the marginal groups of society. In Kim Ae-ran’s novels, there are typical spatial images such as semi-basements, exam hotels and demolition sites. The spatial division has become the symbol of social class differentiation, and the living space of the bottom people is constantly squeezed. At the same time, focusing on the typical situations of women’s survival, wandering in a foreign land, accidental bereavement and physical abnormality, this paper discusses the depression and anxiety of the marginal groups who are separated from the mainstream society in detail. Kim Ae-ran’s novels create typical spatial images and characters through marginal writing, reflecting on the close relationship between urbanization, modernization and individual survival, which is extremely realistic, contemporary and expressive, and profoundly expresses the author's thinking on contemporary South Korean realistic problems and her understanding and concern for marginal groups.

This article delves into the translation initiative known as the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works: Treasures of World Literature, which was launched in the post-World War II period under the auspices of UNESCO. The study explores the processes and mechanisms of world literature production in the post-war era. The article highlights that, influenced by post-war developmentalism and modernization trends, UNESCO sought to establish a system of world literature embodying a shared human spirit by selecting and translating classic works from various nations, aiming for cross-cultural exchange and world peace. However, the creation of world literary classics under UNESCO’s guidance became a realm of international cultural-political contention, revealing tensions between developed and developing countries, the West and the non-West, universal values, and cultural diversity. The production of world literature classics has always been a contentious, selective construction process reflecting the political, economic, ideological, and cultural power structures of different eras.

“Palindrome” represents a unique literary form in China, characterized by its playful nature, with a long history and profound influence. Starting from the translational variations of the English term “palindrome,” this paper first expounds the pictographic nature of palindrome poems’ forms and structures, rich variety of genre and diversity of thematic meanings. On this basis, it focuses on most critical work within the sequence of Chinese palindrome poetry: Su Hui’s Xuan Ji Map. This paper briefly outlines its creative background and its significance in the developmental history of Chinese palindrome poetry, as well as the attention and research it has garnered in Anglo-American academia. Emphasizing Michèle Métail’s Wild Geese Returning, it reveals several main characteristics and patterns in the organization of Xuan Ji Map: multidirectional connectivity and nested meanings, zigzag rhyming and cross-rhyming, omitting words and borrowing words. It also addresses the connection between Xuan Ji Map and Taoist philosophy as highlighted by Métail, alongside its influence on David Hinton’s Classical Chinese Poetry, and analyze Hinton’s interpretative variations of Xuan Ji Map. Furthermore, by integrating Hinton’s understanding of Taoist and Zen philosophy, the paper analyzes the impact of Xuan Ji Map on Hinton’s spatial poetry Fossil Sky from the perspectives of intrinsic thought and compositional strategies, highlighting the playful significance of Xuan Ji Map and its vital value in cross-cultural dialogue.

文明互鉴 situates Chinese literary tradition in a Global context, encouraging research on how it may dialogue with other traditions that have remained materially disconnected from China until recently. In that sense, 文明互鉴 may become useful methodologically to reformat “World Literature” into a mosaic of cross-civilizational case-studies concerned with mutually appropriate literary issues. After reaching scale, it would be possible to dispense with overarching narrative(s) focused on any specific tradition and its claims to influence.

Taking such a cue, I will search for common grounds between Portuguese-language and Chinese ancient literatures. There are enough parallels to postulate a degree of “poetic-cultural” equivalence between early “Cancioneiro” 歌谣集 poetry and the “Airs of the Countries” from the Classic of Poetry 《诗经·国风》. I will analyze three pairs of poems: (1) “Hum tal home sei eu, ai bem talhada” (D. Dinis, B 514, V 97) and 《周南·关雎》; (2) “Vaiamos irmana, vaiamos dormir” (Fernando Esquio, B 1326, V 932) and 《鄘风·柏舟》; (3) “Pero el-Rei há defeso” (Estevão da Guarda, B 1298, V 902) and 《魏峰·硕鼠》. Considered general differences in terms of language family, ethology and poetical-aesthetic codes, the poems are compatible in respect of form, content and theory.

My presentation has three sections. An introduction will present the theoretical references, subject matter and standards for comparison. As bureaucratic, patriarchal and agricultural societies, Middle Age Iberian Peninsula and Ancient China possess relevant common features. Such affinities foster a similar sense of what it means to “be a poet” and to “produce poetry”. They also attribute analogous social functions for poetic creations. The main section is devoted to the case-studies. First, the poems have comparable formal features, such as compositional techniques and prosodical properties. They share the same sense of orality and musicality, creating rhythm and melody through vocabular repetition. Second, regarding their content, Portuguese-language cantigas are classified under a tripartite division of themes. All three are identifiable in their Chinese counterparts: love (expressed by male or female voices) and the satirical game between parties at odds with each other. Finally, the two traditions also follow comparable theoretical frameworks. I will summarize the technical and critical standards defined in the short treatise “Arte de Trovar”, included in the Cancioneiro of the National Library, and the “Great Treatise”《毛诗·大序》, part of the textus receptus of the Classic of Poetry in the Mao tradition.

In the conclusion, I will attempt a theoretical discussion about how 文明互鉴’s methodology may become relevant to World Literature (and comparative literature as a discipline). Specifically, I will dwell on its interplay with mainstream “Theory”, concentrating on how it relates to “Postmodernity” in terms of philosophical underpinnings, political ideology and literary historiography.

Abstract: The Red Queen is one of the important works written by Margaret Drabble, a famous British contemporary writer. Focusing on intercultural communication and understanding, the three parts in the novel titled as “ancient times”, “modern times” and “post-modern times” are connected with spirit narrative. The writer’s expectation towards post-globalization era featured by mankind’s equal and harmonious living is embodied in the novel. There are two prominent ideas in the novel. One is the criticism and reflection to globalization. The other is Drabble’s understanding of cosmopolitanism. A kind of tension is formed with the two ideas to represent the contemporary reality. In the “ancient times” part, the turbulent life of the Crown Princess is narrated with the first person narrative, together with the understanding of the events at the ancient times with modern western psychological theories, medical knowledge, science and philosophical knowledge of the spirit of the Princess. The Princess, as the narrator, shows her confidence in the Korean culture with the western culture as a kind of reference. The spirit of the Princess serves as a combination of eastern and western cultures, and there is a tendency of cosmopolitanism embodied in the understanding of the culture of ancient Korea. The Princess has unique appreciation for their aesthetics. She values high on their psychological construct, too. The confidence in their culture prompts the cherish and preserving of the traditional culture. In the “modern times” part, the importance of communication and understanding is shown through several intercultural communication instances. With Dr Halliwell’s visit to Seoul as the thread, a modern woman’s family, career and private life are stated. As a substitute for the Princess, Dr Halliwell’s life shows the shared dilemma that mankind face in different times and different cultures. With the shared dilemma, mankind could find some common place and eliminate prejudices through communication. This could be traced to Drabble’s creation idea. For example, in Drabble’s another earlier novel The Middle Ground, the communication, negotiation and understanding of different cultures is an important concern, too. In the “postmodern times” part, the prospect of win-win gets its prominence based on the respect for the common character of mankind. Drabble’s expectation for post-globalization is voiced by Dr Halliwell. Different cultures could enjoy harmonious co-existence. Communication and understanding could have more innovative productivity and achieve win-win. In all, Drabble’s expectation for harmonious future for mankind is expressed with her broad international vision, delicate psychological description and superb spirit narrative skills.

The Travels of Marco Polo represents a significant document in the history of East-West cultural exchange, with its influence continuing to the present day. Through the lens of cross-cultural communication theory, this paper examines the translation history of The Travels in China, its communication characteristics, and contemporary value. The research reveals that the reception of The Travels has evolved from being valued primarily as historical documentation to becoming a paradigm of cultural exchange. Its cross-cultural communication features are manifested in three aspects: the uniqueness of observational perspective, the inclusiveness of narrative strategies, and the innovation in cultural translation. As a crucial text in early East-West cultural exchange, The Travels offers important implications for contemporary cross-cultural communication: first, communicators should maintain an open and inclusive attitude; second, communication strategies should emphasize appropriate expression of cultural differences; and third, in the digital age, cross-cultural communication requires innovative approaches and discourse systems. This study provides significant insights for understanding the communicative value of historical documents and exploring contemporary paths for cross-cultural communication.

This presentation compares discourses on the Korean Peninsula as they appear in Sekai, a general-interest magazine founded by Japanese intellectuals in 1946, and Sanzenri, a Zainichi Korean magazine launched in 1975. Both publications, though based in Japan, demonstrated strong interest in the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Despite being published in the same country, the nature of their discourse differed significantly due to differences in the ethnic subjectivity of their publishers.

In the 1980s, coverage of Korea increased rapidly following the death of Park Chung-hee and the rise of the Chun Doo-hwan military regime. Sekai distanced itself from North Korea, with which it had maintained close ties during the 1970s, and shifted its focus to Kim Dae-jung and the democratization movement in South Korea. Sanzenri, meanwhile, showed interest in issues such as settlement in Japan, treatment of minorities, and the Korean diaspora, linking these to its discourse on the Korean Peninsula.

This presentation thus seeks to examine the shifts in Korea-related coverage and differing problem consciousness reflected in Sekai and Sanzenri during the 1980s. Through this comparison, it aims to analyze how media discourse on Korea varied depending on the publishing body and to clarify the cultural impact these media had on perceptions of Korea and Japan.

The main character of Yu Jin-oh's(兪鎭午) short story “Memories of Shanghai” (1931) gets to meet Seo Young-Sang, a Chinese friend he acquainted during his study in Japan, in Shanghai by chance, and then unexpectedly stumbles onto a conspiracy. After spending several days in Chinese prison, he is freed to return home but finds out that Mr. Seo was executed while he was in the prison.

In the 1931 edition of “Memories of Shanghai,” there is a scene where the main character gets to hear the song called 'International' in the prison to which, failing to meet Seo Young-Sang, he was taken by unidentified assailants. But in the 1939 edition, the word 'International' is deleted. The reason for the deletion was probably because of self-censorship against ideological suppression. In the work, the date on which the main character was taken to the prison by somebody is clearly stipulated as January 17. And January 17, 1931 is the day Five Martyrs of the League of Left-Wing Writers (左聯五烈士) including Rou Shi(柔石) and Yin Fu (殷夫) were arrested by the Chinese Nationalist Party(國民黨 or KMT). Yu Jin-oh, imagining ideological solidarity between Korean main character and China's left-wing writers, was attempting to combine his passion for political ideal transcending nation and language with the date of ‘January 17' into an entity.

Having written socially critical novels ever since his debut in the literary circles in late 1920s, Yu Jin-oh transformed himself to take on the mantle of reality-embracement after experiencing political persecution through the 'Research Institute of Korean Society' incident (朝鮮社會硏究所事件). In that sense, “Memories of Shanghai,” announced in 1931, can be regarded as the work written when his radical political awareness was at its height.

2005년 한일 수교 40주년에 발표된 소설 『사랑한 후에 오는 것들』(공지영・츠지 히토나리)은 양국 간의 화해와 우호를 남녀의 사랑 이야기로 형상화한 기념비적 성격을 지닌 텍스트다. 이 소설은 한일 인물의 만남과 이별, 재회를 그림으로써, 양국을 상징하는 인물이 정치적, 역사적 갈등을 넘어 상호 이해와 공감으로 나아가는 서사적 전략을 취하고 있다. 특히 역사적, 민족적 의식의 틀 안에서 일본을 바라보던 여주인공 최홍과 이웃나라인 한국에 대해 무관심했던 아오키 준고가 우연히 마주하게 됨으로써, 점차 서로의 존재를 이해하며 사랑의 결실을 맺게 된다는 것이 로맨스의 핵심 동기로 자리하고 있다.

그런데 2024년 동명의 드라마로 재해석된 서사는 원작의 기본 줄거리를 유지하면서도, 인물의 행동 동기나 이야기의 분위기 면에서 뚜렷한 변화를 보인다. 소설의 경우와는 달리 드라마의 여주인공은 과거사나 민족 정체성과 같은 무거운 문제의식보다는 세련된 이미지나 취미에 이끌려 도쿄로 향하며, 그 타지에서의 생활은 일상의 연장선으로 자연스럽게 묘사된다. 이러한 변주는 단지 매체 전환에서 야기된 차이라기보다, 지난 20년간의 한일 문화적 지형 변화를 반영한 시대적 감각의 변동으로 이해할 수 있다.

실제로 2000년대 중반 이후 한일 관계는 정치적으로 반복된 갈등 국면에도 불구하고, 문화 영역에서는 일상적 접촉과 감각적 친밀성이 강화되는 양상을 보였다. 글로벌 자본, 디지털 미디어, 관광의 일상화는 양국의 대도시 간 유사성을 확장시켰고, 드라마는 이를 배경으로 사랑 이야기를 재구성한다. 작중에서 서울과 도쿄는 더 이상 민족적 차이가 부각되는 공간이 아니라, 서로를 닮은 도시적 일상의 공간으로 변모했으며, 인물 간의 관계 역시 ‘한국인과 일본인’이 아닌 ‘서울 사람과 도쿄 사람’의 만남으로 재편된다.

따라서 원작 소설이 역사적 인식의 차이나 정체성의 충돌을 극복하는 과정을 중심에 놓았다면, 드라마는 그러한 무게감을 덜어내고 범속한 두 남녀의 연애 과정을 그리는데 치중한다. 민족적 차이가 주된 갈등의 요소로서 더이상 기능하지 않게 됨으로써, 두 인물에게 부여되었던 역사적 상징성은 약화되는 한편, 두 인물의 관계가 지속될 개연성은 오히려 강화된다. 이는 한일 젊은 세대의 문화 교류가 더 이상 국가 간 우호라는 정치적 프레임에 갇히지 않고, 도시적 감각과 일상적 접촉의 층위에서 새로운 관계성을 형성하고 있음을 보여준다.

〈사랑 후에 오는 것들〉의 이러한 변주는 한일 문화 교류의 주체와 감각이 어떻게 달라졌는지를 보여주는 지표라 할 수 있다. 역사적, 민족적 정체성의 차이를 전제로 했던 오랜 대화 방식에서 서로 닮아 있는 문화적 유사성에서 갈등을 풀어나가는 새로운 대화 방식으로, 한일 커뮤니케이션 양상이 점차 변화해 온 과정이 이 소설 및 드라마의 시차 속에서 구체적으로 가시화된 셈이다.

In an age of computer-mediated communication, the verbal visual elements of language are being remixed within new systems of codification. Against this backdrop, this paper will challenge the “purist” approach to comparative literature by incorporating Egyptian and Korean composite media practices within a comparative perspective. This endeavor recalls the past controversy surrounding the comparison of literatures written in local vernaculars alongside those in standard languages. Currently, the relevant issue pertains to the feasibility of including digital composites as new processes of language codification in a comparative perspective that transcends geohistorical and visual verbal divides. This proposal addresses the significant debate surrounding whether Arabic is a fixed or evolving language, an intervention that determines the inclusion or exclusion of other languages, epistemologies, and methodologies in the study of its expansion.

Visual verbal creations in Arabic and Korean languages go back several centuries. The Hieroglyphs, Amazigh scripts, and Korean calligraphy predated Arabic calligraphy, in merging visual verbal writing systems that have evolved since their early phases. They merge technology and art, mathematics and text, as seen in contemporary design. Based on these premises, current digital composites by Korean and creators in Arabic,who blend software, media narratives, and metafiction can be considered as evolving elements of assembly and dispersion, reminiscent of the art of calligraphy. This suggests a rhizomatic irreducibility that transforms reading as an interactive process.

The verbal visual divide has increasingly been challenged by philosophers and critics since the mid-twentieth century. In Of Grammatology, Jacques Derrida, considers ideogrammatic, pictographic, phonetic or alphabetic marks—along with the digital images—as manifestations of “arche-writing” (1976: 9-10). In Picture Theory, W. J. T. Mitchell posits that language functions as a visual verbal medium, an imaging process wherein theory and practice converge. This interplay fosters and exchange between the cognitive and the hermeneutic (Mitchell 1994, 33). Recognizing that literature is now regarded as a medium—serving as a mode of communication—it has been mediated through the computerized memory banks that facilitate software intermediation systems. In Deep-Remixability (2007), Lev Manovich discusses the evolution of what he terms “hybrid media,” transitioning to “media remixability,” and presently as “composites,” which refer to the co-presence of multiple media (2007). Consequently, modes of reading through software intermediations becomes a means of engaging with theory in practice or understanding the epistemological within the contextual. This approach enables the reader to communicate with diverse Korean and Arabic post-media creators as they challenge institutionalized images that have lost their invigorating potential.

In recent years, there has been a clear increase in digital travel contents produced by young Arabs who have devoted all or part of their time to travelling and making videos which aimed primarily at YouTube viewers, after the latter became a major source of income for many of them.

The present paper focuses on the East/East (or Middle East/Far East) cultural interaction achieved by young Arab travellers who travelled to South Korea and were able to get to know its personal culture very close through videos posted on their YouTube channels. These travellers embody the journey in its new dimensions, which have been shaped by globalization and technological development that enabled them to document their personal travel experiences, which, in fact, turned into cultural experiences that can serve as initial grounds for studying Arabs’ constructed images of Korean culture and its people. Among the issues to be analyzed in this paper are: (1) the meaning of new Arab travellers, and examples of those who have arrived in South Korea, (2) the choice of Korea as a destination, (3) South Korea through Arab eyes, (4) reception of Korean culture in the Arab world, and (5) finally challenges. Among those new Arab travellers whose videos will be explored in this paper is a Jordanian YouTuber named Joe HATTAB, a Saudi man named Ahmed ALSHAMMARI, a young Moroccan woman named Sara.

The popularity of Korean culture in recent years, has attracted the attention of the Arab viewers and travellers who wanted to get closer to its culture. This is why South Korea was one of the first destinations chosen by a number of young Arab travellers to start the adventure of travelling and introducing the local culture to the Arab audience. Thus, the channels of these travellers turned into the most popular and accessible source of knowledge and culture among Arab and foreign viewers.

The elements that new Arab travellers focus on, while documenting their trips to South Korea, reflect a variety of cultural and other aspects that they find interesting. The videos, filmed by these travellers on YouTube, about South Korea, are of great interest to the Arab viewer, which is reflected in the high viewership rates, and the great interaction between viewers and travellers through various comments and questions.

Overall, the new Arab travellers on YouTube are a cultural phenomenon that reflects the technological development and the growing interest in discovering the world and adopting the culture of travel for many people who see it not only as a way to entertain themselves, but also as a way to understand the world and promote critical thinking based on rejecting intolerance and accepting the difference which is the basis of life.

Since the late twentieth century, Arab comparative literary studies have undergone a significant shift in direction and focus, fostering the exploration of new research areas and the ambition to establish further interdisciplinary domains. One of the emerging horizons in Arab comparativism is its interaction with South Korean literature and culture. This development is driven by the growing economic and cultural exchanges between South Korea and the Arab countries, as well as the widespread influence of the Korean cultural wave, Hallyu, in the Arab world. This highlights the intricate relationship between literary and cultural capital and economic power.

Despite an awareness of its significance, Arab comparative studies of South Korean literary and cultural productions remain in their early stages, represented primarily by the individual efforts of a limited number of Egyptian scholars interested in imagology, translation studies, women's writing, and bilingual comparisons. The scarcity of Arab specialists proficient in Korean within the field of comparative literature contrasts with the more established contemporary Korean comparative studies that engage with the Arab world, within an interdisciplinary framework that reflects South Korea’s openness to engaging with global history and culture.This is due to the fact that South Korean comparativists have benefited from the institutionalized interest in Arabic studies since the mid-1960s and early 1970s.

In alignment with the theme of the Arab panel, this paper aims to expand the scope of emerging Arab-Korean comparative studies for the benefit of young Arab comparativists who are currently eagerly learning the Korean language in all Arab countries including Morocco .It seeks to explore new areas of inquiry, including the intersection of cultural and creative industries with technology, as well as comparative analyses of the aesthetic and thematic foundations that shape the contemporary Arab imaginary in the context of the socio-historical Arab- Korean transitions. It will specifically examine:

1. The relationship between transnational texts, transcultural identity, and sustainable development in the digital age, with a focus on Ibn Baṭṭūṭa's Journey in the Korean context, the first Moroccan application for Korean language and culture, and the recently published book Teaching Korean in Arabic (Tangier, Morocco).

2. The evolving sources of Arab literary creativity, illustrated through Mrs. Korea by Abir Hamdi (Egypt) and Korean Scheherazade Tales by Inès Abbassi (Tunisia).

Henrik Ibsen’s drama A Doll’s House (1879) is also called Nora after the pro-tagonist. It is one of the most translated and performed dramas across the world, and Ibsen’s manuscript is included in UNESCO’s world heritage list. Hence, to say that Nora is not visible on stage would be a gross understate-ment. More importantly, though, is the fact the drama itself is about her invis-ibility and her fight to be visible as an embodied human being in a family life which itself is nothing but a series of theatrical playing between the characters until she finally breaks the glass ceiling herself as a woman by slamming the door on her husband, heading into an unknown future. However, this shift from invisibility to visibility is not an individual act; it is embedded in a cul-tural context. When translated, adapted and performed in other cultures than its European origin, Nora’s making herself visible has to find other means to make her life understood as a radical act of female visibility. The paper will discuss Ibsen’s play and its transformation into Chinese after 1911 and in the May Fourth movement through the translation of Hu Shih as Nuola (1917) and his dialogical response in English, the short The Greatest Event in Life (1919), later followed by the experimental interactive performance The Great-est Event in a Doll’s Life (2019).

This paper explores the literary and visual representations of women’s bodies in classical Chinese culture, focusing on Qixi poetry and Qiu Ying’s Court Lady Paintings. By examining the idealized female body as both a cultural construct and a symbolic medium, the study investigates how these artistic forms reflect and shape the social, moral, and aesthetic values of their time. In Qixi poetry, women’s bodies are often metaphorically associated with dexterity and virtue, symbolizing their roles in domestic and cosmic harmony. Similarly, Qiu Ying’s Court Lady Paintings depict idealized female figures through exaggerated elegance and refined postures, aligning with imperial and elite expectations. Using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates literary analysis and cultural anthropology, the paper argues that these representations of women’s bodies are not merely aesthetic but serve as tools for constructing and perpetuating gendered social norms. By comparing the portrayals of women’s bodies in poetry and painting, this study reveals the intricate intersections of gender, embodiment, and cultural identity in traditional Chinese art and literature. The research contributes to broader discussions on body politics, exploring how visual and literary narratives mediate understandings of femininity within historical and cultural contexts.

This paper focuses on the descriptions of female incomplete body image in American novels from 2009 to 2016. Based on the social contexts depicted in the works, these novels are categorized into two major categories: "modern consumer society" and "science fictional society".Within the "modern consumer society" , further sub-categories are made according to the different social groups of the main characters, classifying the works into "minority social context" and "mainstream social context". And the theories concluding Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology and the feminist body philosophical theories such as those proposed by Elizabeth Grosz and Iris Marion Young have been referred as well. The descriptions also reflects the complex relationships between gender, identity, and power structures in American contemporary society. In the paper, firstly, the novels belonging to "minority social context" use the descriptions of female incomplete body image as a metaphor to uncover historical trauma, racial violence, and the struggle of cultural identification. Here, the incomplete body images are carrying their specific collective memories and tracing their ethnic cultural elements besides gender situation. Novels from the "mainstream social context" tend to pay more attention on themes of family issues and signs of illness to emphasize the deep impact of diseases, as well as the view of life and death, and pressures on the individual. In these, the incomplete body images often represent spiritual crises, and a form of rebellion against the pursuit of the "perfect" body, searching for the true form of existence and dignity in deeper layers. Secondly, the paper shifts to discuss the description of the images in the "science fictional society". In these works, the female incomplete body images is set as a performance having connections with future technologies. And these novels often depict the transformation, control, and shaping of female bodies within fictional background such as human freezing and so on. The paper analyzes the incompleteness of female bodies in these texts and consider it as a means of criticizing social and technological control over women’s bodies and individual identities, reflecting a stronger discussion on the commodification and reconfiguration of female subjectivity in a postmodern era. This study delves in to the meaning embedded the descriptions of female incomplete body image through multiple angels and reveals how such descriptions reflect the loss and reconstruction of individual subjectivity as cultural symbols. In doing so, it highlights how these descriptions reflect deep-rooted human anxieties and cultural crises in the context of postmodern society. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the female body image in contemporary American literature, this research offers a new perspective on the literary representation of the body image and the passive gender situation behind all these descriptions and expressions.

The motif of "difficult marriage proposal" is a recurrent theme in the mythologies and legends of the Korean ethnic group and the Manchu-Tungusic peoples. In the process of courtship, the hero consistently encounters a series of challenges designed to test his prowess, intelligence, and magical abilities. These trials often involve physical contests with the relatives or guardians of the prospective partner, such as combat or slaying formidable creatures like bears, dragons, large fish, or eagles. Intellectual challenges may include selecting the correct fiancée from among many beautiful women or performing tasks that require extraordinary ingenuity. Magical trials might involve dueling with the elders of the suitor's family or using spells to resolve complex problems. The myths and legends of the Korean and Manchurian Tungusic peoples are rich in motifs that test the hero's magic, intelligence, and strength in the context of "difficult courtship." These motifs exhibit the following characteristics:

1. In the Hezhe, Xibe, Ewenki, Oroqen, and other ethnic groups, suitors are often depicted as mediocre yet kind-hearted young men. They frequently rely on divine intervention, rescued animals, or their future wives to overcome challenges and punish evildoers, thereby securing their marriages. In contrast, Korean and Manchu motifs involving magical and intellectual tests are associated with divine figures, endowing the suitors with superhuman magical abilities and wisdom. Consequently, these suitors can complete all difficult tasks without external assistance, facilitating their marriage proposals.

2. Many of the women pursued by the suitors have divine connections.

3. In the courtship motifs that test the hero's magic, strength, and intelligence, the challenges are typically set by the parents or guardians of the prospective bride.

4. In the motifs of heroic magic, there are numerous scenes depicting "incarnations of fighting law" between the suitor and the challenger.

5. In most cases, the individuals who assist the suitors in overcoming challenges are the suitors themselves.

In the folk narrative literature of the Korean and Manchurian Tungusic peoples, the theme of "heroic trials in courtship" carries profound connotations and encompasses several key aspects. First, the motif of "difficult marriage proposal" vividly illustrates the natural principle that "only individuals with superior genetic traits are deemed fit to reproduce." Second, the "difficult proposal" serves as a "rite of passage" to determine whether the suitor is eligible for marriage.Thirdly, the process of the "difficult proposal" serves as a demonstration of the suitor's ability to provide for and protect his family. Fourth, the "difficult marriage proposal" motif reflects the transitional marriage forms of servitude and "redundant husband." Fifth, in the "difficult proposal" motif, women as suitors exhibit unprecedented enthusiasm, subtly revealing the waning influence of the matrilineal era.

There are so many translations (interpretations) of the Book of Changes (Yijing 易经) since the westerners began to know it in the late 15th century, but few were translated (or interpretated) from the gender perspective. Margaret J. Pearson strived for the original meaning of the Book of Changes in many ways. First of all, she pointed out that Wang Bi wrote his commentary based on the assumption that the paired concepts of yin and yang were gendered and existed at the time the Book of Changes was created, and that these concepts are expressed throughout the whole book. But the gendered yin/yang interpretation by Wang Bi in the third century CE is an anachronistic addition to the text, even though it is the earliest extant complete commentary. Secondly, she took Hexagram Hou 姤, the 44th hexagram of the Book of Changes, as an example, to illustrate the rigidly dichotomous and gendered yin/yang analysis of the Book of Changes is anachronistic to the era of its creation and earliest use, which she believed that this is a major justification for seeking a meaning closer to the original. Thirdly, Margaret J. Pearson pointed out that while the unfortunate, dichotomized yin/yang definitions now current in both the West and the East may never fade away, he richer natural imagery that has been obscured by them can invigorate out thinking, help us see beyond conventional divisions, and lead us toward a deeper wisdom, a philosophy perhaps more useful in riding the changes in our own lives and times as well as in interpreting the past. This paper intends to argue whether body of images of women could be perceived in the Book of Changes by investigating Margaret J. Pearson’s gendered interpretation of the Book of Changes.

In Eudora Welty’s (1909-2001) short story collection The Golden Apples, seven interconnected stories span from the early 20th century to the mid-20th century, in which the body images subtly emerge, such as disease, childbirth, sex, and death, depicting the relationship between the female body and consciousness, as well as between the self and the world. These body images outline the journey of women in pursuit of subjectivity during the collapse of Southern Belle culture.

In “Shower of Gold,” Welty portrays the defender of Southern Belle culture by using Snowdie MacLain’s body image. Her pregnancy image exemplifies the bodily disciplining of women under the patriarchal system. In addition to Snowdie, through Katie’s words and bodily rituals, Welty creates a symbolic figure who attempts to maintain the traditional role of women in Southern culture. Also, in previous studies, Cassie Morrison and Jinny Love are often considered adherents of the Southern Belle culture. However, after analyzing their body images, it is clear that they are outwardly following its principles, but inwardly questioning, even shaking the Belle culture. Further, Easter and Mattie Will deconstruct the Southern Belle culture. In “Moon Lake,” Easter’s hair, eyes, and sleeping posture break through the traditional gender boundaries and restrictions, embodying the image of androgyny. This image deconstructs the Southern Belle culture’s monolithic expectations for women’s appearance and behavior, emphasizing the body’s expressive power in gender fluidity. Mattie, in her sexual relationship with King, shifts from a passive, worshipped, and gazed-at object to an active, dominating, and gazing-at subject. The bodily images and behavioral expressions of Easter and Mattie challenge the constraints of Southern Belle culture, demonstrate the complexity and initiative of women in the intersection of gender, power, and desire.

Like Easter, Virgil is androgynous. The image of Virgie as both feminine charm and masculine roughness, her unkempt and free-spirited body language directly expresses her rejection of the Southern social expectations of women’s decorum and grace, marking her defiance against traditional gender norms. Moreover, the scene of baptism-like sexual intercourse in the Big Black River further reflects her radical transcendence and refusal to be bound by the gender norms of Southern society. Ultimately, she chooses to define her own life as a true wanderer as her piano teacher, Miss Eckhart, who truly realizes the identity of the wanderer.

In The Golden Apples, body is intended as a controlling devise to deconstruct the traditional patriarchal society, the male-female power dynamics and redefine women’s roles within the Southern social order. This reclamation not only critiques the myth of the idealized Southern Belle culture, but also underscores the evolving identities of women, heralding a transformative shift toward modernity and women’s construction of subjectivity.

Abstract:

Labeled as an "erotic writer," Philip Roth grapples with the tension between his Jewish identity and the countercultural liberation movements in America. Within the intersecting domains of sexual liberation and self-identity, Roth frequently constructs his perceptions of eroticism and gender relations through the imagery of the female body.

This article analyzes narrative fragments from his novels, focusing on animal metaphors in erotic depictions, male-gaze-driven body imagery, and portrayals of bodily illness. Through these animalized representations, the article demonstrates how Roth employs an absurd, postmodern experimental approach to demystify the female body and subvert societal norms.

First, the animal metaphors in erotic depictions appeal for the natural animalistic desires and behaviors inherent in humans. Second, the male-gaze-driven animalization of female body components, combined with tedious and repetitive imagery of body parts, critiques the era's stereotypical and objectifying fantasies about the female body. Finally, the body disease with animal metaphors frequently corresponds to the tragic destinies of female characters, implying the enduring constraints imposed on female sexual liberation and bodily autonomy.

This article concludes that Roth’s seemingly absurd, game-like portrayal of the female body serves to reclaim female independence and subjectivity, advancing a nuanced critique of societal and cultural disciplining of the body.

Richard Yates, in his representative works "Revolutionary Road" and "Easter Parade", depicts the heroines of the two works, April and Emily, with exquisite psychological and physical imagery, whose lives end in the pursuit of their dreams, and who perform a modern and melancholic interpretation of "heroic" performances. In particular, the metaphorical physical performative personality is impressive, providing us with a theoretical paradigm for exploring the true dimension of life." Performance" is a concept that transcends time and space. Performance" is a psychological proposition that transcends time, space and culture, and opens up cultural dimensions such as literature, gender studies and historiography, etc. By examining the value system and deeper meaning carried by these different individuals at the level of bodily performances, and by analysing the speech strategies of the disadvantaged performers under the strong discourse, this paper provides a space to think about the disadvantaged performative individuals in their struggle for the "reasonableness of existence".

This paper employs Luce Irigaray's theories on the female body to analyze Angela Carter's novels, The Passion of New Eve and Heroes and Villians, focusing on how Carter reimagines and redefines female body imagery in her works. Irigaray's critique of phallocentric discourse and her emphasis on the specificity of female embodiment provide a theoretical framework for understanding Carter's subversive portrayal of female characters. Similarly, Carter's female characters often defy traditional gender roles, embracing their bodies as sources of power and creativity. This paper argues that Carter's literary project aligns with Irigaray's call for a feminine imaginary that celebrates difference and multiplicity. Through her innovative narratives, Carter not only deconstructs oppressive representations of the female body but also envisions new possibilities for female subjectivity and expression. The study concludes that Carter's work contributes significantly to feminist literary discourse by offering a radical rethinking of the female body and its potential for liberation.

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), a representative of American confessional poets who is regarded as the youngest and most talented female poet, became the most influential poetess since Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop.

Plath's revisionist strategy is accomplished through her portrayal of the female body in her literary creations. In her literary creations, Plath expresses her own life, her own existence in its original form. Unlike her literary predecessors, most of whose mothers hid the self-image of the agonized madwoman in the attic of their novels, Plath becomes the madwoman herself, both in the ironic sense of a female author playing the role of the madwoman in a male-centered society, and in the sense of a female author playing the role of the madwoman in a male-centered society. She becomes a madwoman herself, both in the sense of a female author playing the role of a madwoman in the ironic sense of a male-centered society, and in the true sense of a real-life hysteric. She expresses herself as an imaginary person, and her poetry is so dramatic that it can be understood as an elaborate set of dramatic monologues. The female bodies in Plath's work, all of which are her props, are full of dramatic performance. For example, the ceramic head of a woman is brought to life in the poem with a brick gray face and eyes under fat eyelids, as if she were an ape full of malice but with her face. In appearance, the head is ugly, angry, and cool like the poet. The poem can be a fight to the death around the ceramic head of the lady, as well as the squid-like body in Plath's work, the more angry the more she has to undergo electroshock therapy, just like the crazy, death-loving her. Plath's style of work is confessional and gothic, and she often finds the equivalent of her own life in her own work, using a lot of metaphors. metaphors, and she uses a great deal of female body imagery to express her desires, showing a female writer madly subverting and indicting the male world.

Writing as a technology brought major changes to literary creation throughout world antiquity. In China, one of the outcomes is the easy (and abundant) production of collections—collections of sayings, anecdotes, poems, divination records, and so forth. Coincidentally, many early literary productions appear compilatory, catalogic, even reiterative. From entire works of philosophy to chapter-length biographies, the basic texture of those writings can only be described as loosely woven, from materials that are thematically compatible but structurally detachable and discursively self-sufficient. This gave rise to a series of postulations that view early Chinese writings as “composite,” “modular,” and based on “textual repertories.” The act of true “authoring” is thus defined as everything that is not “compiling.” This paper seeks to destabilize that distinction. It shows how compiling is a way of authoring and how authoring is likewise an act of compiling. The two modes of writing constitute each other to the point that the most famous “authors” in Chinese antiquity—Confucius, Qu Yuan, Sima Qian—are all “authors” only by way of “compiling.” The technologies of writing, compiling, and later on archiving fostered an “aesthetics of fragmentation,” so to speak, that conditioned the development of authorship.

This article analyzes how the material and technological development in medieval China shaped the reading space and reading experience, which, in turn, influenced the ways in which authors present themselves in literature. Although dedication to reading has long been an esteemed quality among Chinese scholars, it was not until the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE) that reading began to be depicted as a pleasurable and leisurely pursuit. This transformation coincided with the introduction of new types of reading furniture, including reading pillows, bookstands, and book cupboards, which not only facilitated the act of reading but also expanded the reading space and reshaped the meaning of reading. These innovations not only facilitated the act of reading but also expanded the reading space and reshaped its cultural meaning, granting authors new opportunities for self-representation. Through an analysis of works by various authors—such as Li You (ca. 55–ca. 135), Xiao Yi (508–555), and Yang Jiong (650–ca. 694)—across a range of genres including inscriptions, rhapsodies, and verse, this study uncovers how these material artifacts are depicted and symbolized in literature. It demonstrates that reading furniture not only served but also carried symbolic meanings, which contributed to the presentation of the identity of individual author identities. In some instances, the reading furniture became an extension of the authors themselves. By foregrounding the interaction between the author’s self-presentation and material objects, this paper offers a nuanced understanding of how changes in the material culture of reading influenced literary depictions and perceptions of the reading experience, as well as the identities of the authors associated with it.

This paper focuses on the production and reproduction of Yu Xin’s (513—581) inscription on the Maijishan Buddhist caves to study how author-agent controls the presentation of texts, as allowed by technology, to realize what the text was intended for. The author-agent functions as a technician (one who uses technê) to convey the intended meanings by making use of text’s material form.

Yu Xin composed an inscription for a cave consigned by Li Yunxin, the Northern Zhou magistrate of the Maijishan area, in commemoration of Li’s deceased father. The text was transmitted to this day as part of Yu’s anthology but the original inscription was lost, most likely in earthquake. About one millennium later, in the Ming dynasty, the local magistrate Feng Weine (1513--1572) was compelled to reproduce Yu Xin’s text as a freestanding stele in the temple by the foot of Maijishan, in addition to carving on the cliffs some of his lyrical poems while visiting the caves. Reading the series of relevant texts and studying their material bearing, i.e., various forms of inscription, this case study intends to understand the role of the author within a more nuanced network of agents and things. On the one hand, the author (in this case, Yu Xin) uttered texts according to other people, social network and literary norm’s expectation and restriction; on the other hand, simply copying an old text onto another material form still was an intentional act of conveying the author’s message.

By comparing Yu Xin and Feng Weine’s acts of writing down exactly the same words in the same place, this paper argues that the author-agent does things with words not only by composing a text when inspired by the moment and event but also by determining which reproductive technology to present the text. It challenges the validity of classical Chinese theorization of poetry as a spontaneous verbal act in response to sincere feelings but reminds us of another stream of Chinese poetics that sees literary presentation as manifestion of hidden cosmological necessity (well illustrated by Liu Xie, for example) and writing as a way of conveying the knowledge of the sages (epistêmê, maybe?). Therefore, this paper will also be an attempt to demonstrate how authors’ acute awareness of the reproductive technology allows them to opt for a trans-individualistic mode of poetry.

In the 1930s, Lu Xun's literary thought entered the stage of self-reflection and self-transcendence. The tense relationship between literature and politics, as well as the "alienation" of the modern literary production system, led to the "squeeze" of the literary writing action of the intellectual class. In the face of such writing environment, Lu Xun awakened himself as "the author as producer". With an open subject attitude and continuous revolutionary spirit, he actively used the press system to transform the literary production technique for the intellectual class, innovated modern Chinese as the basic "literary productivity", explored a more suitable artistic medium for the public, trying to build an interactive literary production horizon for the intellectual class and the public and to rebuilt a cultural community on the basis of common modern experience. Lu Xun's producer consciousness reflects his reflection on the modernity of literature, transcends the aesthetic logic of modern subjective enlightenment, and contains his unique thinking of life philosophy.

This paper aims to explore whether we can gain new insights and understandings of the Neo-Confucian diagrams of the Chinese Song scholar Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073) and Korean Joseon scholar Yi Hwang Toegye (1501-1570) through digital 3D animation. The Neo-Confucian tradition in China and especially Korea had a strong focus on the human being and our connection to heaven and earth, as well as creation. This led scholars to not only write down their theories but also visualize them through diagrammatic drawings. Such scholar was Zhou Dunyi, who created The Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate (太極圖, taiji tu), and Toegye, who created The Diagram of the Mandate of Heaven (天命圖, cheonmyeong do) based on Zhou’s diagram. These two diagrams are drawn in 2D. However, in recent years scholars have begun to wonder whether these diagrams, despite being in 2D, were intended to be imagined in 3D when observed based on certain statements found in the diagram’s corresponding textual explanations. The corresponding textual explanations of the diagrams have been studied before in the context of the diagrams being in 2D. Hence, if the diagrams have to be viewed differently, do we then have to analyze the textual explanation differently? As mentioned above, Toegye based his diagram on Zhou Dunyi’s, and therefore they have been compared in former research. Thus, would the comparison prove different if we viewed the diagrams in 3D instead of 2D? Lastly, we might ask whether employing digital methods, such as 3D animation, can aid us in the study of Neo-Confucian diagrammatic literature as well as provide us with new perspectives on how to study pre-modern Chinese Korean literature.

Shamik Dasgupta’s graphic novel Virulents, with illustrations by Dean Ruben Hyrapiet, offers an exploration of horror through the lens of mythology and technology. The increasing entanglement of technology and literature has transformed the ways in which narratives are created, disseminated, and received. The story follows an elite commando team investigating the disappearance of a military squad amidst intense bombing campaigns targeting suspected militant strongholds. The fusion of mythology and technology grabs another layer in its reconfiguration of the vampire trope through Indian mythological figures such as Kālī and Raktabīja (blood seed). The rhizomatic nature of these figures, representing boundless multiplication and decentralization, finds a parallel in the non-linear, fragmented structure explained in Deleuze and Guattari's book A Thousand Plateaus. The animated adaptation of the text utilizes graphic novel cut-outs, 3D war elements, stop-motion techniques, and Flash animation, further reinforcing its postmodern digital hybridity. This work suggests that technological advancements can disrupt conventional power dynamics, as seen in the evolving relationship between humans and vampires. By analyzing the convergence of war, mythology, and technology in Virulents, this paper would like to engage with broader debates on digital humanities and comparative literature. The study aims to demonstrate how digital tools such as animation, network analysis, and distant reading reshape the study of literature. It also interrogates whether technological advances redefine established mythological and supernatural narratives, challenging the presumed dominance of the supernatural over the human. The paper would like to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the role of artificial intelligence and intermediality in contemporary literary studies.

This paper conducts a cross-cultural comparative analysis of borderland narratives in the Global South, focusing on The Story of Southern Islet (Chong Keat Aun, 2020) and Embrace of the Serpent (Ciro Guerra, 2015). These films portray borderlands—the Malaysian-Thai border and the Amazon rainforest—as liminal spaces where cultural hybridity, ecological trauma, and colonial legacies converge. Through non-linear storytelling and symbolic imagery, the films explore themes of discrete identities, spiritual connections, and the entanglements between humans, nature, and colonial histories.

Employing Deleuze and Guattari’s “deterritorialization” and the framework of postcolonial ecocriticism, this study examines how borderland spaces in these films transcend their geographical and cultural boundaries, functioning as metaphors for identity reconstruction and resistance against colonial structures. The analysis highlights how The Story of Southern Islet reimagines Southeast Asian borderlands as spaces of cultural syncretism, while Embrace of the Serpent envisions the Amazon as an ecological and spiritual frontier resisting the colonial project.

By situating these films within the theoretical discourse of spatiality and postcolonial studies, this paper argues that the cinematic borderlands in The Story of Southern Islet and Embrace of the Serpent reveal the transformative potential of hybrid cultural identities and offer a critique of modernity’s impact on both ecological and cultural systems.

As a renowned 20th-century writer and a representative of the stream-of-consciousness novel, Faulkner has had a profound impact on Chinese and even world literature. This influence has inspired a group of Chinese scholars to conduct academic research on him. Over the years, Chinese Faulkner studies have yielded fruitful results, encompassing the fields of influence studies, parallel studies, and cross-cultural studies, with distinct characteristics of comparative literature, making them an excellent case for comparative literature analysis. On the one hand, reassessing Faulkner studies in China from a comparative literature perspective broadens our understanding of Faulkner’s influence and provides a unique Chinese experience in Faulkner studies. On the other hand, examining China’s Faulkner studies from the perspective of world literature injects a global perspective and value into China’s Faulkner studies, aiming to better promote world literature studies.

It can be said that from the perspective of world literature, we can see that Faulkner research in China: on the one hand, Chinese Faulkner research has constructed the Chinese experience of Faulkner research with China’s unique culture and context.On the other hand, it provides a world perspective and practical cases that overflow the boundaries of Chinese national literature and constructs universal literary experience and aesthetic values. Both of them are integrated into the construction of world literature with the experience of cross-cultural literary exchange and interaction, providing a reference for the construction and reconstruction of world literature. With its possibility of cross-cultural influence, cross-cultural similarity, and interdisciplinary exploration of mutual interpretation, Chinese Faulkner research provides theoretical support for world literature, and also demonstrates the vivid practice of literary interpretation in the context of world literature through specific cases. In the final analysis, Chinese Faulkner research, a regional cross-cultural research practice with a global perspective, provides a possibility of cross-cultural communication, which is the premise for the realization of world literature. In addition, placing Chinese Faulkner research in the perspective of world literature will give Faulkner research a wider meaning. At the same time, taking care of Faulkner with a global perspective will enable Chinese researchers to form a conscious awareness of dialogue with international scholars, and better promote the breadth and depth of Faulkner research.

Focusing on the research paradigm of aeromobility, this article aims to sort out the narrative and imagination of aerospace in Chinese and Western literary creation since the 20th century, and explore people's complex attitudes towards time and space compression, scientific and technological progress, and different assumptions about the unknown world in different cultural backgrounds, so as to provide reference for mutual learning and cultural exchanges between Chinese and Western civilizations.

Although India and China have disparate historical backgrounds, the two countries share the Oriental cultural root. Natyasatra, as the masterpiece of Bharata, has long attracted the attention of international scholars contributing the cultural, religious and theatrical studies, including West scholars who parallel this classic with Aristotle’s Poetics and Chinese scholars who compare this Indian canon with Chinese ancient treatises, i.e. Wen Xin Diao Long, or The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons.

However, Chinese theatrical theories were epitomized in Ming and Qing Dynasty, during which Xian Qing Ou Ji, or Casual Expressions of Idle Feeling by Li Yu, is a systematical theatrical encyclopedia that could rival Natyasastra in scope and comprehensiveness but has long been ignored. Taking the theatrical theories as a microsome, I would explore the differentiation in various cultures and prospective mutual learning in Oriental civilizations, which is the central aim of thematology in comparative literature. In particular, regarding the ontology of drama, the principles in theatrical composition and performance, the style of drama as well as the functions of drama are all discussed in detail in both of books, yet the religion and philosophical ideas largely shaped the ideas into diverse directions.

Through the comparative lens, the study into the similarities and differences of the theatrical theories in Natyasastra and Xian Qing Ou Ji would not only commit to the inheritance of national classic poetics and contribute to the understanding of the general Oriental aesthetics, distinguishing the East from the West represented by ancient Greek, furthermore embodying the multicultural dimensions in world literature, but also experiment a new avenue of inquiry of literary theories, shifting from pursuing homogeneity in comparative literature to the mutual learning of disparate civilizations in world literature.

In the early 1960s, young Bob Dylan entered the scene and core of the New York counterculture movement, perceiving the popularity of the distinctive ideas from the Chinese classic "I Ching" among the youth represented by the hippies, which were quite different from Western traditions. Through reading, communication, and in-depth contemplation, Bob Dylan artistically transformed the philosophies in the "I Ching", such as the simplicity of the great way, change and constancy, and the interdependence of opposites. He successively created songs like "Blowin' in the Wind", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", and "Like a Rolling Stone", which reflected the contemporary value of ancient Chinese I Ching thought in terms of form, content, and philosophical connotations. The "I Ching" also had significant enlightening significance for Dylan's artistic creation that had a global impact. Dylan's reception of the "I Ching" is an important case of Chinese culture being introduced into the United States and having a profound influence, which deserves the attention of the academic community.

As determined by women’s reproductive capacity, natural ethics is intrinsically linked to female identity. With the advancement of the feminist movement, women gain degendered social identities along with the associated ethical obligations. The intense mental pressure resulting from the inevitable conflicts between the natural and social ethics of women makes the ethical dimension a key factor in the analysis of female madness. By the end of the 20th century, with the development of ethical perspectives, there was an increasing number of cases of female madness resulting from ethical conflicts in American and Chinese literature, both with distinctive cultural characteristics. Based on a comparative study of Mo Yan’s Frog and Toni Morrison’s Beloved, this paper aims to explore the ethical conflicts in female madness, and their connection to multiple female identities, while discussing the role of Chinese and American cultures in the progression of female madness and the reshaping of ethical concepts. Through infanticide, Gugu and Sethe assert their rights within society and their agency in ethical decision-making, but, as a result, they suffer from the ethical burden of their actions, which ultimately drives them to madness. The physical return of dead children, as a representation of the resurgence of natural ethics and maternal identity, accelerates the process of madness. American Christian traditions, alongside Chinese ghost and spirit culture, imbue the ethical return of the dead with distinct meanings. The redemption made by Gugu and Sethe, localized according to the distinct sin and shame culture, alleviates female madness by reconciling women’s maternal function and affirming their maternal identity. In conclusion, Gugu and Sethe’s madness is a consequence of conflicts between their identities and the ethical responsibilities assigned to them by their respective era, highlighting the dilemmas women face in pursuing ethical subjectivity. Chinese and American cultures play essential roles in female madness, imparting distinct characteristics and connotations based on their different cultural traditions. In nature, the emergence and alleviation of female madness reflects the evolving reconfiguration of the ethical system, and the dynamics and balance between women’s multiple identities in the new era.

Historical narration in literature has a long tradition in the development of world literature. Using literature to tell historic stories is also the common point between William Faulkner and Jia Pingwa, whose masterpieces The Sound and the Fury and The Mountain Whisperer show distinctive historical narrative features, both of which represent history through literary fictionalization. They re-imagine, reconstruct and reflect history with family legends and village stories respectively, reflecting their unique literary and historical views. Based on the historical narrative theory of Stephen Greenblatt of the New Historicism School, this paper firstly analyses how the two novels use literary fantasy to carry out historical narratives, and compares the similarities and differences of the two novels in the narrative strategies of reconstructions of history from the perspectives of multi-perspective narration, marginal narration and fragmented narration. Secondly, it discusses the two writers reflections on the relationship between literature and history through historical narratives from three aspects: the origin of the works, the intention of writing and the involvement of myth. Both writers have made profound reflections on the relationship between literature and history, but Faulkner intended to metaphorize the disintegration of the American South and the spiritual crisis brought by the invasion of capitalism through the family stories, reflecting a profound humanistic spirit in the deep structure. And Jia Pingwa breaks through the restrictions of official grand narrative by folk stories. With the comparative study, this paper finds that both novels reconstruct history by dissolving grand narratives, but because of differences in times and cultural backgrounds, different narrative strategies are applied in the process of reconstructions. The two writers reflections on the relationship between literature and history makes the novel intertextually significant in historical memory and reflects the important role of literature in reproducing and enriching socio-historical contexts.

Adaptations were all the rage in the Shanghai theatre scene during the fallen period, and Li Jianwu's Wang Deming, adapted from Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, is one of the best. Guided by the 'Artistic Illusion Theory', Li Jianwu uses adaptation strategies of Sinicization to successfully create the characters of Wang Deming and Li Zhen, critiquing the 'chic' Chinese national character. Li Jianwu's adaptation inherit the tradition of critique of national character since the May Fourth Movement, simultaneously present the aspirations of intellectuals on the eve of and in the early years of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to change from their predecessors and reestablish moral norms.This paper analyses Li Jianwu's adaptation practice and the cultural and social motives behind it, thereby revealing its significance in the process of Shakespeare's Sinicization and the nationalization of Chinese drama.

In recent years, research on the Anthropocene has been a rage, but it is rarely

discussed from the perspective of ecological literature. The relationship between -

human and animals comes up repeatedly in ecological novels, and their views can be roughly divided into two: one holds that humans are the center of all things while the other advocates the rejection of anthropocentrism. I find that neither of these two

views truly understands the ethical and ecological significance of “actual animals.”

My master’s degree thesis studies the metonymy of “actual animals” in novels that

depict epidemics, in which animals, serving as hosts for parasites, spread viruses and impact the ecological environment and human society. Animal ethics is also involved, from which I proceeded to explore the relationship between animals, ecology and society. On this basis, my present project will delve into animal ethics and animal rhetoric in ecological novels.

Literary works often discuss ethical relationships. Yet, it is worth thinking about

why literature is not limited to writing about human ethical relationships, but instead

extends the consideration of human ethics onto the animal world. Can the true

relationship between animals be characterized “ethical”? Does the behavior of

animals really reflect the emotions of loyalty, gratitude, etc. that humans project onto

them? I will explore the relationship between animal behavior and ethics in literary

works, taking the study of ethology as my point of departure.

Similarly, the relationship between animals, ecology and society is manifested in

the rhetoric of ecological novels, including metaphor and metonymy. My MA thesis

has demonstrated that existing research rarely pays attention to animal metonymy. I

therefore propose to continue to explore the metonymic relationship between “actual

animals” and ecology in ecological novels, and the metaphorical meanings of animal

totems in different tribal communities at the same time.

As defined on these pages, ecology is no longer limited to nature itself, but also includes cultural anthropology, which is premised upon the inseparability of human

culture and nature. In the ecological novels since the new century, Wolf Totem (《狼

圖騰》) (2004) and Tibetan Mastiff (《藏獒》) (2005) respectively write wolves

and Tibetan mastiff totem culture. Wolves and Tibetan mastiffs are endangered

grassland animals. The metonymy of wolves and Tibetan mastiffs leads to the

speculation as to whether biological extinction is the normal run of affairs of the

ecosystem. At the same time, what kind of “contribution” can humans make regarding this issue? From the perspective of cultural anthropology, wolves represent Mongolian culture, and Tibetan mastiffs represent that of Tibet. The metaphorical meaning of totems has a profound relationship with tribal communities, and therefore defines the ethical relationship and national discourse of “actual animals.” In addition, animals in Southeast Asian ecological novels Monkey Cup (《猴杯》) (2000) and When Wlid Boars Cross the River (《野豬渡河》) (2018) play the role of demigurge, even humans breast-feed animals’ kids as a way of showing back-feeding. Therefore, the ethical relationship of “actual animals” is not only between animals, between humans, but also between humans and animals. This study will explore cultural anthropological allegories through animal metaphors and analyze animal behaviors and ecology through animal metonymy.

The objective of this study is to examine Latin American ecocriticism through an analysis of Agustina Bazterrica's "Tender is the Flesh", with a view to critiquing anthropocentric thinking from the perspective of posthumanism and considering alternative perspectives. Latin America serves as the primary setting for postcolonial ecocriticism, a region that is profoundly concerned with environmental degradation and posthuman existence. In her work, Bazterrica draws international attention to environmental issues and social justice by addressing the unethical practices of animal agriculture in societies facing the dual challenges of pandemics and environmental degradation. In order to establish a methodological foundation, this study examines the theoretical aspects of ecocriticism and posthumanism. The theories are then applied to the analysis of the works in order to identify their messages and literary historical significance, with a particular focus on human existence and identity in the posthuman era.

In order to establish a methodological foundation, this study examines the theoretical aspects of ecocriticism and posthumanism. The theories are then applied to the analysis of the works in order to identify their messages and literary historical significance, with a particular focus on human existence and identity in the posthuman era. By reexamining the question of human-animal identity, this study challenges the assumption that humans have the exclusive right to manage and exploit animals. It calls for a significant shift in speciesist thinking, which has been deeply embedded in human civilization since its beginnings. To achieve this, it critically examines anthropocentrism by integrating its concerns into discussions of the adverse effects of ecosystem destruction and the problems it causes between humans and non-human life forms.

In her 2019 novel, Barefoot Doctor, Can Xue tells the story of Yun Village, a paradisiacal society seemingly disconnected from the modern world and its concerns of capital and progress, where a group of barefoot doctors continues the traditional practice of bringing life-saving herbs from the mountainside to the doorsteps of village inhabitants who entrust them with their lives and well-being. Reading the novel through frameworks of ecocriticism and incorporating ideas of urbanism and technology, this paper explores how Can Xue constructs a communication network between plants, animals, and humans that resembles the information networks of the internet age. In this literary world, Can Xue imagines the existence of an invisible network of communication between all beings that is built on the foundations of technological progress and traditional knowledge and provides a vision of a less anthropocentric and more eco-friendly future.

The novel uses the knowledge and practice of traditional Chinese medicine as a device to explore the intimate connection between local flora, fauna, and human inhabitants to construct a natural world that embodies its own subjectivity at the largest scale of unfathomable wilderness to the smallest scale of the single plant. Drawing from the work of American ecocritics, such as William Cronon and Wendell Berry, in addition to Chinese ecoaesthetics and East Asian ecocriticisms, the paper begins by examining how Can Xue characterizes natural and human-nature relationships in the spaces of wilderness, rural village, garden, small town, and eventually, urban city center. In each encounter with the natural world, whether it is with the unpredictable mountain ecosystem or the single stalk of banlangen, nature and its parts wield the power to affect change and communicate with their human counterparts, establishing a reciprocal relationship between nature and humanity.

Though the urban city center is never explicitly described, through themes of profit and progress and characters that return from the city, Can Xue casts, in negative, a rough outline of where the city is located in the minds of her characters. Eventually, the space of the city is filled by her post-urban vision where countless pockets of human settlements are placed alongside gardens, farms, and forests, between which constant, invisible, and far-reaching communication occurs indiscriminately between all living things. Such a vision aligns with recent urban theories that suggest that the future of cities lies in increased connectivity and delocalization.

Barefoot Doctor offers a framework where technology and tradition can work in tandem to address the problem of environmental deterioration. In the intricate literary world that Can Xue creates, the unity of nature and man that dominates traditional aesthetics in ancient Chinese literature finds new life in the webs of information networks and urban infrastructures, offering a post-urban vision of the world.

This paper explores how the creatures in Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海經) collapse the logic of human-nonhuman binaries by transgressing body boundaries, discussing to what extent Classic of Mountains and Seas reunifies the dichotomy and revivifies the archaic by magnifying ecophobia. This research also examines the creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for comparison. Despite their distinct historical and national backgrounds, both texts employ similar descriptive methods in the nonhuman narrative, representing the nature of body queerness, a celebration of heterogeneity and diversity, and the rejection of human-constructed uniformity and collectivism. However, compared to Frankenstein, Classic of Mountains and Seas goes further in terms of the temporal sense of narrative, highlighting the vital difference between Gothic and ecogothic. In Classic of Mountains and Seas, the temporal sense is constructed as evolutionary rather than biographical. Overall, the research employs a comparative approach, drawing on the theories of Simon C. Estok’s ecophobia (2009) and Sigmund Freud's “uncanny.” It argues that although the creatures in Classic of Mountains and Seas follow the Gothic tradition regarding Freud’s “uncanny” effect and share some similarities in body appearance, such as “patchwork” with the creature in Frankenstein, Classic of Mountains and Seas further questions the human-knowledge-constructed logic of ecological binaries and collapses anthropocentric speciesism by evoking a deeper ecophobia. This study contributes to the ongoing questioning of human-nonhuman dualism under the anthropocentric gaze and offers new insights into how to recognize another Chinese map of cultural consciousness. In this renewed but ancient map, the “metanarratives” of the absolute dichotomy between human and nonhuman, such as the myth of Kua Fu Chases the Sun (夸父追日) and The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain (愚公移山), are refreshed by a healthier interaction of more openness and possibilities. From this perspective, the interpretation of Classic of Mountains and Seas could be a good starting point for reviving the archaic in modern times.

Selon le chercheur Claude Tapia, « le courant postmoderne véhicule […] des tendances au désenchantement, au pessimisme, au scepticisme à l’égard des valeurs héritées des Lumières ». La littérature, dans ce contexte, adopte une position critique vis-à-vis de la société contemporaine, où le progrès technique ne se solde pas forcément par une augmentation du bonheur humain. La technologie, omniprésente, revêt, en particulier, une dimension à la fois utopique et dystopique.

Cette dualité s’observe dans les romans de Michel Houellebecq. La technologie y apparaît comme une réponse potentielle aux maux de la postmodernité. Dans Les particules élémentaires, face à l’aliénation généralisée, l’auteur envisage une solution radicale : le clonage ; afin de créer une nouvelle race humaine, asexuée et immortelle, libérée des afflictions de l’existence. L’homme serait ainsi immergé dans un présent sans fin, où les liens avec autrui seraient indissolubles et la notion de séparation, obsolète. Cependant, cette utopie transhumaniste soulève de nombreuses interrogations. Les clones, malgré leur longévité, semblent réduits à une existence virtuelle et désincarnée. Dans La possibilité d’une île, les néo-humains se distinguent par leur apathie et leur existence routinière. Leur société, fortement aseptisée, est caractérisée par l’absence de contact physique, la répression du désir et l’atomisation des individus. Dans Sérotonine, Houellebecq explore les conséquences des innovations technologiques dans le domaine agricole. La mondialisation et l’industrialisation de l’agriculture, tout en augmentant la productivité, entraînent la disparition de modes de vie traditionnels et posent des questions environnementales.

En somme, à travers l’œuvre de Houellebecq, la technologie, loin d’être une solution miracle, se révèle un outil ambivalent. Elle peut être porteuse aussi bien d’espoir que de menace. Entre utopie et dystopie, les représentations littéraires de la technologie chez Houellebecq invitent à une réflexion critique sur son rôle dans la société contemporaine.

L’intégration des extraits littéraires dans l'enseignement du FLE ne doit pas être perçue comme un simple ajout, mais comme un moyen de rendre l’apprentissage plus vivant et engageant. Il s’agit des outils puissants pour stimuler l’intérêt des apprenants et approfondir leur compréhension de la culture francophone. Cependant, de nombreux enseignants de FLE hésitent à exploiter ces extraits ou les omettent. Ce constat est fréquent dans l’enseignement du FLE, où l’accent est souvent mis sur des approches plus fonctionnelles ou pratiques. Avec l’omniprésence de la technologie, ces extraits tombent parfois dans l’oubli.

Une question s'est alors posée à nous, enseignants de FLE : la technologie constitue-t-elle un défi pour l’intégration des extraits littéraires ? Notre travail démontre le contraire. Grâce aux outils numériques, ces extraits prennent une nouvelle dimension, rendant l'enseignement plus interactif et engageant. Les technologies modernes permettent aux apprenants d’accéder à une vaste diversité d’œuvres littéraires francophones via des plateformes de lecture en ligne, des podcasts ou des ressources multimédias. Cela ouvre la voie à un véritable enrichissement culturel francophone, en plongeant dans les réalités historiques et sociales à travers des supports variés.

En parallèle, les extraits littéraires, associés à des activités interactives comme des quiz ou des discussions en ligne, favorisent le développement des compétences linguistiques des apprenants. Ils peuvent donc mieux comprendre les subtilités de la langue, tout en étant guidés par des outils d’analyse de texte et des plateformes éducatives.

De plus, l’utilisation de la technologie permet un engagement culturel plus fort. En participant à des forums en ligne ou en analysant les textes à travers des outils numériques, les étudiants s’approprient les œuvres de manière plus active. Ils apprennent à interagir avec la culture francophone tout en renforçant leur compréhension des textes littéraires.

Enfin, les extraits littéraires, même intégrés dans un cadre technologique, continuent de transmettre des leçons de vie intemporelles. Nous avons ainsi réussi à exploiter un extrait du roman Bel-Ami de Guy de Maupassant, introduit dans la méthode Inspire 3, comme étude de cas. Ces extraits apportent aux apprenants non seulement la richesse de la langue et de la culture, mais également de nombreuses autres vertus telles que l’ouverture d’esprit, l’engagement émotionnel, la pensée critique, et l’empathie à travers des leçons de vie significatives sur des thématiques universelles.

Des pages numériques aux cœurs, l’alliance de la littérature et de la technologie offre un apprentissage du FLE plus enrichissant.

This paper examines how queerness in broad terms can be conceived as a radical biopoliticized project – one that fosters estranging yet empowering transnational solidarities between those who are othered on the basis of identity by social, technical and affective means. I seek to investigate digital media texts and practices from both a scholarly and artistic perspectives that mobilize the inherently fluidity of queerness to cultivate an intimacy and relationality with those pushed toward the margins. My paper reflects on the holistic conditions they are creating in order begin to identify new and potentially transformative feelings to build upon. It not only recognizes the difficulty and precarity of being queer in the Asian diaspora, but also considers what it would mean to think about LGBTQ life as the starting point for imagining radically new futures for queer Asian diasporans and the broader communities and environments in which they live.

Specifically, my paper explores the ways visual records of queer experience and belongingness within the Asian diasporic communities are inscribed within the materiality, affectivity, and performativity of digital media texts and practices. Focusing on queer diasporic Chinese artist LuYang’s multimedia work titled DOKU: The Binary World (2023), I use digital ethnography and visual anthropology to inquire about how different transmedia practices of imagining and embodying queerness are mediated within virtual spaces. The networked, live motion-captured performance of DOKU: The Binary World is a real-time collaboration between motion-captured dancers – embodying the avatar forms of LuYang's genderless digital bodies – in two different geographical locations interacting in the same virtual environment. My paper wishes to illuminate how racialized queer bodies and desires with queer relations are relegated to liminal spatio-temporalities in cyberspaces. In so doing, I hope to elicit a shared future that is reciprocal and liberatory. A future that sees the power of digital media practices and makes the virtual part of the conversation around queer diasporic freedom and pleasure.

In the 21st century, the concept of Ramrajya—an idealized vision of governance and society rooted in Valmiki’s Ramayana and Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, later reinterpreted by Mahatma Gandhi—has gained renewed prominence in Indian political discourse, particularly through digital media. This paper examines how contemporary political movements, particularly those led by the BJP, instrumentalize Ramrajya as a powerful cultural and emotional narrative, drawing from the broader tradition of Ram Katha to consolidate ideological unity and mobilize support.

This study further explores how social media platforms reshape Ramrajya narratives, transforming them into hybrid storytelling forms that interweave myth, cultural memory, and political ideology. Platforms such as X, Instagram, and Facebook do more than archive these narratives; they actively reconstruct them, leveraging emotionally resonant and visually compelling content to expand their reach. By analyzing digital campaigns, memes, and visual imagery, this paper investigates how Ramrajya is reimagined in digital spaces to forge collective identity and reinforce political narratives amid rising polarization and rapid technological shifts.

By situating Ramrajya at the crossroads of traditional mythology and contemporary political communication, this paper highlights its enduring significance in shaping cultural memory, political mobilization, and ideological frameworks in 21st-century India.

In recent decades, theorists have introduced and approached the concept of using external environmental factors to define the self in relation to technology, covering concepts ranging from dematerialization to the co-construction of the self. Their theoretical and underlying technological novelty notwithstanding, recent debates on the co-construction of the self strikingly resemble late 20th-century postmodern conceptions of the death of the author. Barthes, for example, re-conceptualized authorship as an essentially instrumental function in the re-circulation of language in his essay "The Death of the Author." Similarly, in his lecture famously titled "What is an Author?," Foucault reduced traditionally expansive notions of authorship to specific social and juridical frameworks of rights, responsibilities, and ownership. This unexpected convergence raises the question of the extent to which postmodern theories of the death of the author can help reconceive the balance between increasingly universal AI technology and individual identity in 21st-century education. This paper accordingly examines postmodern efforts to redefine the previously established role of the author, probing how far such a position could be extended in AI-informed educational contexts. Accounts of digital Darwinism were then examined to reveal the broader, ongoing dissolution of authorship, especially in classroom creative writing settings. Finally, data on the influence of technological experience on student writing styles was considered for evidence of a convergence of digital media in traditionally humanist pedagogical practices. This paper argues for the resilience of the notion of authorship in creative writing pedagogy, insisting that information gained through digital media and AI interactions remains central to self-expression and the co-construction of identity.

Translation is mostly understood as a lonely activity and calls for discussions on the subjectivity of the translator, her language proficiency, her close reading of the text and the resultant understanding reflecting in the act of translation. However, Anthony Cordingley and Celine Frigau Manning (2017) raise a series of very pertinent questions that challenges the popular image of the translator as a lonely individual at work since the reality of the profession is strikingly different and requires a collaboration of many with different roles. Belen Bistué (2013), traces the practice of collaborative translation to the Renaissance time. She calls the translation of those time the work of “translation teams” where “two or more translators, each an expert in one of the languages involved, collaborated to produce a translation”. This act of distributing responsibilities among multiple agents involved in the practice helped in the inclusion of skills they brought from different linguistic and cultural traditions. This paper would, however, want to look at collaborative translation as an alternate method of translating and preserving indigenous oral literature. This paper will question how collaboration that brings together native speakers can help in eradicating epistemological violence and misrepresentation in translation of indigenous texts? Can this inclusive method of translation become a tool of academic social responsibility of informed translators? How can digitization of translations of oral narratives can help in the preservation and circulation of indigenous literature?

This paper aims at mediating into networks of AI as sites of creativity, and that of cultural translation, which is facilitated through the shared socialites of language use in speech-acts as well as creative writing. With generative AI and LLMs intervening into this site, questions regarding the creation, production, acquisition and dissemination of knowledge become inevitable. While the contribution of AI and LLMs in creative practices is undeniably important, this paper rethinks the manner in which these models acquire existing knowledge and generate responses, thus engaging with the technicalities of prompt engineering and AI training along with concerns of ethics and representation. One of the contributions of text generative AI and LLMs in language use is the act of facilitating a decolonial approach to translation. For researchers working on areas emerging from a decolonial context, the use of such language models becomes challenging and limiting. While projects involving the use of English or other European languages might benefit from these models and incorporate the practice of translation and transcription and data sampling among other practices, those engaging with alternate, marginalized languages and peripheral contexts draw our attention to the limitations inherent in the current LLMs and generative AI models. Even with advanced LLMs, problems such as context window paradox or AI hallucination pose limitations for creative translations. Highlighting the limitations of LLMs in understanding the creative aspect of language, this paper further draws our attention to the manner in which poetic language renders itself inaccessible to computation for AI and hence the aberrations and absurdities. Consequently it mandates a human intervention in the process to ensure ethical considerations and prevent misrepresentation especially for marginal and oral language-cultures. Finally, this study aims to forge newer ways of Human-AI engagement which is underscored by the concerns of plurality and untranslatability emanating from a decolonial context, thus aid in the destandardization or undo standardisation of marginalized languages.

This paper explores a reading mode for now by experimenting with machine/human translation and re-visiting reading theories. It aims to address a series of interlinking literate changes in this digital era and seeks to answer the following questions: how we attune our reading to an AI-assisted/enhanced one, as N. Katherine Hayles says; how AI production suggests different interpretations of a text; and how we navigate them through reading skills and philosophy offered by Stephen Best, Sharon Marcus, and Jonathan Culler. These cares evoke an investigation at a conjuncture between classic language, translation, and reading.

My writing departs by comparatively reading Han-shan the Tang poet’s poem in classical Chinese and its two English renditions by Gary Snyder and ChatGPT, respectively. Surface reading denotes their discrepancies in verbal structure and poetic philosophy while close reading highlights a potential to better the understanding of Han-shan’s original. To gain a wider valence, I recruit around 30 participants with a good command of both languages to evaluate the two translations and identify which comes from AI. Concluding with reflection on survey results and re-examination of key notions, this paper emphasizes that what we are reading now is a co-shaped, filtered Text in Barthes’s term and meaningful exchanges rise from testing these filters and re-painting their contours.

This project examines the many points of overlap in conversations about information literacy and translation literacy in the university classroom and muses on how new digital tools and archives incite urgency toward these intersecting competencies or modes of reading and interpreting. As Brian Baer argues, “given that so many of the texts students encounter both inside and outside the classroom are translations, and that machine translation tools are so readily available, it is time for translation literacy to be a key component of both information and global literacy” (4). By translation literacy, I mean the general ability to recognize the mediated experience of reading a translated text and to think critically about the form and socially-situated practice of translation, a mode of literacy that Anthony Pym describes as “the ability to make informed decisions about when to turn to translations, how to read them, how to compare them, when to trust them, when to intervene in them, and [. . .] how to produce them.” In particular, I evaluate the gains of involving students in disparate English translations of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca’s Relación and the ready transferability of information literacy concepts like “reading laterally,” “going upstream,” and looking for bias, sensationalism, and marking the ideological underpinnings of any given source and its subsequent versions or iterations. Through my case study of using digital tools to bring translation literacy into the classroom, I aim to put the metalanguage of information literacy in conversation with recurrent questions and concepts of translation literacy and translation theory.

Sources:

Baer, Brian James. “Is there a Translation in this Class?: A Crash Course in Translation Literacy.” In Teaching Literature in Translation: Pedagogical Contexts and Reading Practices. Edited by Brian James Baer and Michelle Woods. Routledge, 2023. 3-12.

Pym, Anthony. “Active Translation Literacy in the Literature Class.” PMLA 138, 3, May 2023: 819-823. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/active-translation-literacy-in-the-literature-class/AA9D71A6C29677BF1D784FC0379786E5

This seminar problematizes the continual domination of Eurocentrism over the canonized idea of world literature and the resultant exclusivist approach of conducting literary studies. As we engage with this problematic and attempt to decolonize world literature from the methodological premise of Comparative Literature, we must first acknowledge that the emergence of the decolonial method with regards to literary studies is only possible through the adoption of a framework of “interconnectedness”. The domain of literature and culture in South Asia has been accommodative of this framework from its initiation. We have seen how the mode of “telling” has not been divorced from the scribal culture in South Asia. This framework of inclusivity leads us to the development of a renewed approach towards perceiving literatures of the world which is bereft of the Eurocentric exclusivist reading of cultural articulations. I would elucidate on the development of this method by concentrating on the domain of Indian theatre in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. Through a reading of Kalakshetra Manipur's theatre production Pebet (1975), I would locate how theatre in the Indian “bhashas” receives oral traditions like the phūṅgā wārī and contests the hierarchized division between aesthetic traditions. By citing instances of embodying “restored behaviour” in Pebet, I would show how the production of modern performance spaces in post-independence India is interrupted with the agential presence of the human and the non-human residue of the pre-modern/ritual performances. By reading the gestures of Kanhailal’s theatre as the “unverifiable” , I would move towards the assertion of “untranslatability” as a method of decolonizing South Asian space of cultural articulations. Moreover, by contextualizing the paradigmatic shifts within the imagination of the “rangamancha” with reference to liminality both in the context of the stage in India and Indian modernity, I would argue how twentieth century Indian theatre has engendered a practice of decolonization informed by the contemporary politics of the Global South.

Comparative Literature, as a method of studying literature in comparison across national and cultural boundaries, has evolved in the 19th century. In India, Scholars like Brojendranath Seal (1864-1938) and Sasankamohan Sen (1872-1928) initially contributed to this field. In 1907, after the Swadeshi Movement, Rabindranath Tagore delivered a lecture on comparative literature that was later published as ‘Vishyasahitya’ in his essay collection ‘Sahitya’. Tagore proposed a vision of Comparative Literature that transcends national boundaries on literature and cultural identities, promoting a universal expression of humanity by making temple of aesthetic. However, traditional interpretations have limited his concept to ‘world literature’ framework, neglecting the potentials to challenge with stereotypical comparative literary practices and also the history of disciplinary practices in India. This paper revisits the historical development of Comparative Literature in India, situating Tagore's Vishyasahitya within the broader contexts of transnationalism and decolonization. It examines the contemporary relevance of Tagore’s ideas, particularly in relation to Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s concept of ‘Planetarity,’ which echoes Tagore’s vision of a unified literary spaces that transcends political and cultural borders. By comparing contemporary pedagogical approaches in Comparative Literature of the sub-continent with Tagore’s insights, this study highlights the potential of his approach to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of world literature. The research employs qualitative textual analysis to critically engage with primary texts and secondary literature, underscoring the lasting impact of Tagore’s ideas on comparative literature.

Comparative Literature emerged as an academic discipline in India in 1956 with the establishment of the Department of Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University, shortly after Independence. This paper explores how the adoption of comparison as a literary method was not a mere European import but was instead rooted in an ideological effort to challenge colonial educational frameworks. It becomes crucial to understand the creation of the first department of comparative literature within a broader historical and intellectual context. This includes the contemporary trends in literary discourse, the national education movement, and the history of the National Council of Education, Bengal, which sought to construct a decolonial educational structure. These developments collectively influenced the establishment of comparative literature as an academic discipline in post-Independence India.

The paper draws on archival materials related to the National Council of Education, Bengal, as well as contemporary writings on nationalism and its impact on intellectual spheres, particularly literature, as found in periodicals and journals. It also investigates the evolving discourses surrounding the notion of ‘Indian literature’ and how comparative literature in India, with its inherent decolonizing tendencies, emerged in the twentieth century. In addition, the study examines how the search for alternative, pluralistic understandings of ‘Indian literature’ shaped the trajectory of the discipline. By tracing these intellectual currents, the paper seeks to demonstrate how comparative literature in India became a key site for questioning colonial legacies and developing new frameworks for literary scholarship.

After Goethe’s coinage of the term Weltliteratur, the idea has had much iteration. Meltzl, Brandes, Durisin, Guillen, Casanova, Moretti, Apter and several others have explained ‘World Literature’ from respective contexts. In an Indian context, Rabindranath Tagore's idea of Vishwa Sahitya seems to have the most currency. Such a concept cannot be thought of as simply a Bangla equivalent for an idea of World Literature.

Tagores's idea of Visva is conceptualized through his own beliefs of liberal humanism and an understanding of desh/swadesh. More recently, a discussion of World Literature has come to focus on categories such as ‘major-minor’, ‘center-periphery’, and methodologies such as “distant reading” or “literature as system”. However, upon closer examination most practices of World Literature are grounded in explorations of cross cultural and inter-literary relationships. Such practices pose unique methodological challenges in the context of Indian literatures. Any history of modern Indian language literatures demonstrates an interplay between heterogeneity and interconnectedness across such a plurilingual landscape.

In this paper, I will use literary texts by women authors such as Ashapurna Devi, Mahasweta Devi, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Rashid Jahan and Ismat Chughtai to illustrate how their writing foregrounds the complexity of categories such as gender, caste, class and language in India. More importantly, my analysis of their works problematises categories such as ‘major-minor’ or ‘center-periphery’ through contrasting views of their locations within a canon on "World Literature" and their contextualizations with modern Indian language literatures.

M’quidech est un personnage mythique du patrimoine culturel algérien, plus précisément berbère. Il s’agit d’un petit garçon courageux qui lutte contre les dangers qui s’infligent sur les gens de sa petite communauté. Â partir de 1969, ce personnage fut exploité dans le cadre du roman graphique algérien, en bande dessinée, par Ahmed Haroun (considéré comme l’un des premiers illustrateurs algériens) . Cette bande dessinée illustre les aventures de m’quidech dans un cadre oscillant entre l’héroïsme mythique, le folklore oral et la culture algérienne. Dans notre présentation, nous allons plonger dans le paysage culturel et mythologique algérien tout en analysant le roman graphique en question selon, premièrement, une perspective sémio-narrative, ensuite transculturelle. Tout en mettant au centre le caractère d’héroïsme comme caractéristique principale de la construction narrative du personnage principal, notre étude se focalisera également sur les représentations socioculturelles de la notion d'héroisme dans les communautés nord africaines en général, et algérienne en particulier; le tout selon une perspective plus large avec les grandes formes graphique mondiales. Cette recherche se basera sur une comparaison littéraire et transculturelle de la notion d'héroisme dans la littérature graphique dans ces différentes traditions: européenne, nord américaine et asiatique ainsi que leurs dimensions éthniques et culturelles.

Graphic narratives have long been expert at portraying differing feats of heroism: this includes narratives of cape-wearing superheroes, but also, arguably, more recent medical memoirs about people living with illness. In my talk, I want to focus on a different kind of “heroism”: the heroism inherent in living a lesbian adolescence. In the past decade, there has been a plethora of lesbian coming-of-age narratives in comic form, including Maggie Thrash’s Honor Girl (2015) and Lost Soul, Be at Peace (2018), Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me (2019), Eleanor Crewes’ The Times I Knew I was Gay (2020), Molly Knox Ostertag’s The Girl from the Sea (2021), Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s Roaming (2023), and much of Tillie Walden’s oeuvre. I am interested in how within comics, which as an art form has long been linked to adolescence, creators have now carved out a space for a particular kind of adolescence – a lesbian one – to be put on the page. (Although arguably, there is a lesbian/bisexual precursor as far back as Wonder Woman.) In my analysis, I want to particularly focus on Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me and The Girl from the Sea, two texts which at first glance seem vastly different: while Laura Dean is set in a high school and features only human characters, The Girl from the Sea is about a human girl falling in love with a female selkie, a Celtic mythological creature living in the sea. Both graphic narratives have a strong sense of place. In my talk, I want to explore how these texts depict lesbian desire, and a lesbian adolescence, both as something ordinary—something very much of a piece with the rest of the characters’ lives—and as something otherworldly and transporting, with the high school rendered just as strange as the sea’s edge.

In Tessa Hulls' graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts (2024), the convergence of visual and textual storytelling creates a uniquely powerful medium for exploring intergenerational trauma within Chinese American experience. This paper examines how the distinctive properties of graphic narrative enable the representation of trauma, postmemory, and cultural healing in ways that conventional narrative forms cannot achieve. Through close analysis of Hulls' visual-verbal strategies, this study reveals how the comics medium provides sophisticated tools for articulating experiences that often resist traditional narrative representation.

Drawing on Marianne Hirsch's theoretical framework of postmemory and Hillary Chute's groundbreaking work on graphic narratives as trauma texts, this analysis demonstrates how the formal elements of comics—including panel structure, page layout, visual metaphor, and text-image interaction—create a dynamic framework for processing inherited trauma and facilitating intergenerational healing. The study focuses on three crucial aspects of Hulls' work: the spatial architecture of comics as a mirror for traumatic memory, the visual-verbal representation of postmemory, and the transformative power of artistic creation in cultural healing.

First, the research examines how the structural elements of comics, particularly gutters and panel transitions, parallel the fragmentary nature of traumatic memory and its transmission across generations. Second, it analyzes how the synthesis of visual and verbal elements enables the complex representation of postmemory through techniques such as nested narratives, visual echoes, and temporal layering. Finally, it explores how the act of drawing itself becomes a method of cultural healing, enabling the reconstruction of fractured family narratives and the integration of disparate cultural identities.

This research makes a significant contribution to both trauma studies and comics studies by illuminating the unique capabilities of graphic narratives in representing and transforming inherited trauma. Through its examination of Feeding Ghosts, this paper demonstrates how the graphic memoir format serves not only as a witness to traumatic histories but also as a powerful vehicle for processing and transforming intergenerational trauma through artistic creation. The findings have implications for understanding both the theoretical foundations of trauma representation and the practical applications of graphic narrative in therapeutic and cultural contexts.

Cha Cha on the Bridge, written by Yoon Pil and illustrated by Jaeso, is a 60-episode webtoon that was first published in weekly installments in 2018 and later published as a two-volume graphic novel. It was the Grand Prize winner of the 2019 Science Fiction Awards in Korea. The soft-toned black and white pencil sketch illustrations provide a sharp contrast to the futuristic setting where human labor have been replaced by AI robots and massive data centers accessible to only a tiny handful of the elite can store and manipulate information to achieve desired outcomes.

In this webtoon, the two main protagonists are AI robots. “Cha Cha” is a humanoid robot that was introduced in the year 2030 to prevent humans from killing themselves on Mapo Bridge, a site notorious for its alarming suicide rate. “Ai,” who owns and operates a nursing home for the elderly, eventually learns about Cha Cha from the numerous residents who reminisce about “the Bridge” where they had almost ended their lives. Cha and Ai heroically save lives in a postmodern, posthuman society where robots have been programmed to be kind and perform tedious tasks, while humans have become cold and calculating machines that act upon their selfish impulses, heartlessly abusing and discriminate against children, women, and migrant workers.

“Cha Cha on the Bridge” explores what it means to be human, and how behaving like a warm, friendly human is so rare in contemporary society that the simple act of sharing a meal together, or making time to chat about personal matters with a colleague, seems to be a heroic feat. It also uncovers the arbitrariness of human values, such as when a War Robot’s killing of a human can make you a murderer or war hero, depending on circumstances. A few exceptional robots begin to think on their own, act and think as if they have free will, and desire to become human.

This comic can also be analyzed through the framework of Groensteen’s “postmodern turn.” The work is characterized by narrative disruption. Flashbacks from past and present are made confusing because the robots do not age and retain the identical appearance even after decades have passed, whereas the human characters show signs of wear.

It is well known that the Jewish people, as God's chosen ones, are a nation that lives according to the "mitzvot (commandments)." The Torah, the first Jewish sacred text, was canonized around 440 BCE and has always been regarded as the source of all (Jewish) "mitzvot." However, these "mitzvot" are often brief, and how to live by them in daily life has always been a difficult problem. To solve this problem, exegesis was born, and it quickly became a tradition that guided Jews on how to live a "sanctified" life，or holly life. The Jewish exegetical tradition is the key for people to understand Jewish civilization and Jewish way of life. This paper will provide a brief and concise overview of the formation, content, methods, characteristics, and impact of the Jewish exegetical tradition, in order to arouse people's interest and attention.

In the paper “The Career of the Logos: A Brief Biography,” Daniel Williams delves into the “polysemic notion” of concepts such as speech, discourse, reason, and divine will, tracing their origins back to the term “Logos.” Interestingly, when this article was translated and published in Chinese in Journal for the Study of Christianity, it found its place under the section titled “Dao Wu Chang Ming道无常名” (The Dao Has No Fixed Name). It can be argued that the “polysemic notion” and “Dao Wu Chang Ming道无常名” have indeed become shared metaphors between the East and the West, inspiring an ongoing dialogue between the “Dao道” and the “Logos.” In his concluding remarks, Williams revisits the question: If the “Dao道” also encompasses notions of “natural law or nomos法则” and “principle理,” then can we consider the “Dao道” and the “Logos” to be similar? My proposed presentation is to join him to trace back the polysemic word Dao in Chinese and the encounter between Chinese intellectuals and Christian missionaries in the translation and interpretation of the related concepts like Logos, Verbum, Way and Word.

As globalization deepens and new technologies rapidly evolve, the world is experiencing unprecedented cultural exchanges, the dissemination of ideas, and the movement of people and goods. In this context, literature plays an increasingly prominent role as an important medium for recording, representing, mediating, and reshaping these dynamics. This forum, themed "Cosmopolitanism and Localism: Comparative Literature in Global Flows in the Digital Age," aims to explore how to understand and address the tensions between cosmopolitanism and localism in literature, particularly against the backdrop of accelerated global flows driven by new technologies.

We welcome discussions around the following possible topics:

1. How the development of digital technologies challenges the formation of comparative literature theories and methodologies;

2. The diverse representations of cosmopolitanism and localism in literary works within a globalized context;

3. How the digital economy reshapes contemporary literary genres and forms;

4. The role of digital platforms in transforming literary creation, dissemination, and reception, and how these changes impact the relationship between global and local cultural narratives;

5. How literary works navigate the tension between group identity and individual autonomy in a technology-driven globalized world.

Some scriptures are supposed to have a divine origin, for example the often conflicting Abrahamic religions, but with consequences for secular law and view of humanity. Others are texts on spirituality, ethics and social behavior written by sages and philosophers like the texts of Daoism, Buddhism, Shinto and Confucianism, and also with effects on local laws and anthropologies. Yet another group of religious and spiritual belief systems, for example across the African continent, are working through oral communication and entirely embedded in traditional social practices and norms. In today’s globalized social reality, a variety of such belief systems often share the same multicultural social space, where they blend or confront each other in conflict of mutual misunderstanding and enmity. To articulate this complex cultural reality, the various belief systems may reach a dead end, continuing to view the world from their own particular perspective. Here, the imaginative and creative language of literature opens a space for human understanding of the full complexity of the multicultural zones of conflict. Literature rarely focuses on the preaching of the scriptures themselves, but on how their norms and behavioral patterns guide human interaction, often focusing on limits of humanity, ethical issues like honor and shame, retaliation and reconciliation. My cases are two examples from different periods and cultures—the breakdown of the Medieval saga-world of Iceland with the arrival of Christianity, and the transition of post-Apartheid South Africa.

As Homi Bhabha wrote in the late 1990s, the nation is a problem of narration. Considering the narration of national identities partly tied to their flags, this essay aims to analyze the character of permanent updating of the Brazilian national flag, in order to understand to what extent the appropriation of its forms contributes to the release of signs and operators that, supposedly, are able to narrate the imagined communities beyond their official iconography.

Beatriz Sarlo (1942-2024) and Leyla Perrone-Moisés (1934), in Argentina and Brazil, occupied the most prominent roles in the literary criticism of their countries for more than 50 years. Both intellectuals had similar trajectories, initially standing out in cultural journalism before later taking up positions as professors at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of São Paulo.

They also shared the same intellectual mentor: Roland Barthes. Not only did both write books dedicated to Barthes (Writings on Roland Barthes by Beatriz Sarlo and With Roland Barthes by Leyla Perrone-Moisés), but they also helped edit his works and contributed to his critical reception in both countries.

Through this relationship with their mentor, I aim to show how their trajectories intersect and diverge, highlighting the particularities of the "Argentine Barthes" and the "Brazilian Barthes," as well as the literary criticism produced in both countries.

In the introduction to the volume Crossings and Contaminations: Studies in Comparative Litterature (2009), Eduardo Coutinho talks about the significant changes and shifts in the perspective that had guided traditional comparativism until then. According to the critic, the aura that surrounded the literary object was questioned and other types of literary and aesthetic expressions that had previously been excluded from comparative studies began to be taken into account. The result is a re-evaluation of the prevailing binary scheme in order to consider the inclusion of "alternative forms of expression and recognise their differences".

The discussion of literature and other forms of aesthetic expression is one of those fields where "crossings and contaminations" can be observed from the angle of comparativism. The institutional manifestation of this discussion on the interrelationships between the arts, initially dealt with in the so-called Interart Studies, has led to the formation of transdisciplinary discourses whose developments can be identified in reflections on intermediality, its definition and foundations, its theoretical scope and its practices, which are as varied as the creative power of artists is infinite. These approaches open up perspectives for investigating heterogeneous products marked by the confluence of media, materials, languages and signs, by the interaction between them and, above all, investigate how they produce meaning.

These objects are often beyond what is conventionally called Literature, or rather, they emphasise the proteiform nature of Literature itself. It's no surprise, then, that contemporary criticism, especially from the Global South, has increasingly turned its attention to these aesthetic and literary practices, henceforth referred to as "writings of the present" or "post-autonomous", in the terms of Josefina Ludmer (2007); productions that belong to the "expanded field" of Literature, an expression that takes up the one used by Rosalind Krauss to deal with sculpture (1979); or that are characterised by non-specificity and non-belonging, in the terms of Florencia Garramuño (2014). Therefore, the aim of this communication is to assess the contribution of theories from the so-called Global South, such as those mentioned above, to the critical discussion of literature in its relationship with the arts and the media.

Le travail a pour but d’analyser, dans une perspective comparatiste, quatre œuvres littéraires dont le leitmotiv est les manifestations multitudinaires qui ont récemment émergé comme une forme de résistance aux processus d’exclusion sociale en cours dans le monde globalisé.

Nous considérons que toutes les insurrections abordées dans les récits sélectionnés – le Printemps arabe (Tunisie), les Journées de juin 2013 (Brésil), le Mouvement des Gilets Jaunes (France) et l’Estallido Social (Chili) – s’inscrivent dans les luttes anti-hégémoniques menées par le Sud global, une catégorie comprise ici non pas comme une opposition au Nord global, puisque, comme le souligne le sociologue Boaventura de Souza Santos, elle relève davantage d’un territoire épistémique que d’un territoire géographique.

Le corpus est composé des titres suivants : Par le feu, de Tahar Ben Jelloun ; Meia-noite e vinte, de Daniel Galera ; Leurs Enfants après eux, de Nicolas Mathieu ; et Despachos del fin del mundo, d'Alberto Fuguet.

Cette proposition vise à mettre en évidence le potentiel de la littérature pour favoriser, grâce à sa dimension affectivo-cognitive, un élargissement de nos connaissances sur les problèmes contemporains, contribuant ainsi à ouvrir des voies pour les affronter.

The work of Anglo-Indian writer Salman Rushdie is marked by the permeability of the boundary between humanity and animality, a technique clearly adapted from the Hindu pantheon, which consists of gods who share physical characteristics between humans and animals. The pages of the controversial The Satanic Verses, a novel published in 1988 that led to the author's condemnation by the Iranian administration of Ayatollah Khomeini, are populated by characters derived from this ancient narrative practice. In this novel, two ordinary men are suddenly transformed—one into an angel, the other into a demonic goat who finds himself in a hospital where all the patients have undergone some transformation positioning them at the crossroads between the animal and the human. Meanwhile, the most recent novel by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, The Last White Man, published in 2022, revolves around a different kind of transformation: the sudden change in the skin color of white citizens in the United States, leaving only one remaining individual with their original white skin. In both novels, we witness the nightmare of European colonial discourse materializing into a reality that even escapes the discursive-psychic negotiation of colonial stereotypes, which Homi Bhabha associates with the Freudian fetishistic scene. By presenting how Western metropolises find themselves invaded by animalized and racialized bodies, we seek to briefly reflect on the unsettling presence of the Global South in the streets of the All-Powerful North and how the transposition of this presence into contemporary global literature contributes to the consolidation of a World Republic of Global-South Letters. Furthermore, we will explore how this "Literature Without Borders" can be understood from a comparativist perspective.

Unlike the assumption that associates the ‘birth’ of al-Nahḍa (erroneously rendered into English as the “Arab Renaissance/Awakening”) with the 1798 French expedition to Egypt, a counter-assumption stipulates that there existed an indigenous/local form of modernity in Egypt during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This study focuses on the contributions of Shaykh Ḥasan al-‘Aṭṭār (1766-1835), a polymath scholar, writer, and Grand Imam who published in Arabic grammar and composition, logic, science, medicine, astronomy, and history, in addition to literary endeavors. Al-‘Aṭṭār’s peculiar position in Egypt’s modern history, attested by both his entrenchment in an indigenous, Islamic worldview and a first-hand encounter with the French colonizer/enlightener?, makes him qualified, more than any of his contemporaries, to be labeled as the first nahḍawī. By investigating al-‘Aṭṭār’s scholarly and literary contributions, this study shall explore how such contributions qualify him as a beacon or a genuine predecessor of an indigenous, Islamic modernity that adds another layer of signification to the existing term al-Nahḍa.

This presentation begins by examining the contrast between the European Renaissance—a periodization scheme that emerged in the post-Enlightenment era—and various self-proclaimed Renaissances across Europe, which were cultural movements rooted in their unique contexts. Notable examples include the Irish Renaissance, the Scots Renaissance, the Catalan Renaixença, the Czech Renaissance, and the Hebrew Renaissance, among others.

Beyond Europe, many regions have also claimed their own Renaissances, such as the Arabic Nahda, the Chinese Renaissances, the Indian Renaissances, and the Harlem Renaissance as well as the Mexican Renaissance, among others. It is particularly intriguing to note that these Global Renaissances often emerged from societies with long-standing traditions and cultural legacies, or from young nations eager to forge a distinct identity.

While acknowledging the significant impact of the European Renaissance on world history, this paper argues that various Global Renaissances equally merit critical inquiry and comparative analysis. It argues that Renaissances are dynamic and interconnected global phenomena with diverse manifestations. At their core, the concept of Renaissance revolves around the pursuit of identity, self-definition, and cultural transformation.

Moderator

While the term "renaissance" traditionally evokes a specific Western time period and cultural movement, this panel challenges that narrow interpretation by expanding the concept to include diverse cultural rebirths across the globe. It critiques Eurocentric narratives in renaissance studies, advocating for a more inclusive understanding that recognizes the vibrancy of cultural revitalization in contexts such as the Arab Nahda, the Chinese Renaissance, the Hebrew Renaissance, the Persian Renaissance, the Catalan Renaixença, the Harlem Renaissance, the renaissances in India, and the Maori Renaissance, among others.

By exploring these varied movements, the panel highlights the unique historical trajectories and social dynamics that shape each renaissance, emphasizing the intrinsic cultural forces at play. Moreover, it proposes the establishment of a new field of "global renaissances," spotlighting often-overlooked cultural phenomena and their significance. Ultimately, this panel aims to illuminate the rich tapestry of these movements, encouraging readers to reconsider what a renaissance can signify in our interconnected world.

Han Kang’s literary works use the body as a prism to reflect the systemic violence imposed by East Asian patriarchy and authoritarian regimes. Centering on texts such as The Vegetarian, Human Acts, Greek Lessons, The Fruit of My Woman, and The Boy Is Coming, this paper draws on Jeffrey C. Alexander’s theory of “cultural trauma” to explore how Han employs bodily narratives and ghostly presences to interrogate patriarchal structures and state violence. In The Vegetarian, “meat” functions as a metaphor for sexuality, and sex becomes a tool of patriarchal control over the female body. The father, a Vietnam War veteran, symbolizes the oppressive state other, while the sister's complicity underscores the tragic impossibility of solidarity among women. Han’s turn to nature, plants, and animals reflects a cultural feminist impulse to summon a primal feminine resistance, though it often ends in the self-destruction of the “mad woman.”In contrast, Human Acts and Greek Lessons commemorate the “unspeakable” traumas of the Gwangju Uprising and the Jeju April 3 Incident through poetic language and transcendent structure. Ghosts in her narratives are not mere symbols but vessels of collective trauma, allowing history to be reactivated through embodied, sensory experience. Her use of stream-of-consciousness and near-death states produces an eerie power, giving voice to the silenced and forgotten in the fissures of history. This preoccupation with “refusing farewell” forms an intertextual dialogue with Lee Chang-dong’s film Burning, where spectral gazes and silent dances evoke suppressed class pain and collective rage, together revealing the obscured strata of trauma beneath East Asia’s modernization myth.Han Kang subverts Alexander’s discursive model of cultural trauma by inscribing trauma into nerve endings and muscle memory, making the body itself a battleground of memory politics. While the protagonist in Burning sinks into existential nihilism amid class immobility, Han’s female characters carve out subterranean paths of feminine resistance—through womb (The Vegetarian), vegetative consciousness (The Fruit of My Woman), and silence (Greek Lessons). Elevating bodily experience to an ontological level, Han re-maps the emotional landscape of Korea’s democratization and crafts a cultural poetics of trauma unique to the East Asian context—where unspoken historical violence continues to burn within flesh and blood.

In contemporary science fiction, the digital self born through mind uploading frequently appears as a distinct type of disembodied posthuman. These entities retain consciousness while being severed from their biological bodies, leaving their status as “life” ambiguous. This paper focuses on such uploaded individuals and examines their life potential and paradoxes from a posthumanist perspective. It argues that the continuity of memory, emotional responsiveness, and social functionality grants these uploaded beings a semblance of life. However, due to their radical state of disembodiment, they lack embodied perception, self-sustaining capacity, and the potential for growth—traits typically essential to living beings. This tension reveals a shifting ontological boundary of life under technological transformation and challenges the embodied premise embedded in classical life definitions. Drawing on posthumanist discourse and embodied cognition theory, the paper conceptualizes these uploaded minds as a form of “simulated life”: neither fully organic nor entirely artificial, but a novel mode of existence that urges us to rethink the boundaries of both life and humanity in the posthuman era.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, space-themed science fiction(SF) flourished amid the US-Soviet space race and technological advancement, with pioneers like Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein exploring themes of human space exploration and contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. These narratives not only shaped the genre but also inspired future Chinese SF writers. In recent decades, as China’s space technology and global influence grow, those writers such as Liu Cixin, Wang Jinkang, and He Xi have gained increasing international recognition. This paper examines how these Chinese authors build on the legacy of their predecessors, incorporating features such as scientific imagination, menacing others, and ephemeral humans in their creation. Furthermore, it explores how they infuse their works with unique Chinese cultural elements, including mythological tales, philosophical doctrines, and lyrical verses. In a word, Chinese space-themed SF is poised to delve into deeper existential themes, fostering global cultural exchange and expanding the scope of future environmental humanity studies and the imaginative possibilities for humanity’s future in space.