.png)
.png)
.png)
China and Inner Asia
Timothy Cheek
Institute of Asian Research/Department of History
University of British Columbia, Canada
Nathan Gan
Department of History
University of British Columbia, Canada
Aminda Smith
Department of History
Michigan State University, United States
Nathan Gan
Department of History
University of British Columbia, Canada
Nan Ma 马楠
School of Marxism
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China (People's Republic)
Yifan Shi
History
Simon Fraser University, Canada
Wenjie Weng
Department of History
University of British Columbia, Canada
Sean James
Department of History
University of British Columbia, Canada
Jiaqi Yao
Asian Studies
University of British Columbia, Canada
This innovative-style roundtable seeks to explore, with our audience, the ways and challenges of bringing Anglophone and Sinophone scholars into historiographical dialogue. Our specific data or case is the topic of “New Revolutionary History” 新革命史 that has appeared in the PRC over the past decade and more. We report on our collaborative project in which we identify notable texts with colleagues in China, carefully translate them by pairs of Sinophone-Anglophone scholars, and discuss the thematic and translation questions that emerge in collaborative translation labs. The roundtable goals are: to introduce and reflect on our methods for collaborative translation and to discuss the historiographical significance of translating Chinese academic writings.
Each participant focuses on one specific aspect of the means and meaning of engaging Chinese scholarship through translation. Professor Ma Nan will discuss the impact of generational gaps and cultural identities on the transnational practice of new revolutionary history. Mr. Yifan Shi will explore the practical definitions of “New Revolutionary History” in China with the example of Li Gongzhong. Ms. Yao Jiaqi will highlight the challenge of feminist voices in PRC historiography through translating Dong Limin. Ms. Wenjie Weng engages new Taiwanese scholarship on Chinese revolutions. Mr. Nathan Gan explores what Huang Daoxuan means by xinling shi 心灵史. Mr. Sean James introduces technical tools for doing collaborative translation through specific examples in our recent work.
We propose a cross between a conventional round-table session and a call-in program. We will share with any interested registered AAS member short discussion papers prepared by each participant at least two weeks in advance. Comments from the roundtable participants limited to 5 minutes each with a stress on offering “starter questions.” While Vancouver is our core base, project participants (not available for this panel, alas) extend to Germany, Taipei, Shanghai, and Canberra. The bulk of the session time with be an open floor (including virtual participants) with questions from the audience as mediated by the chair. We are fortunate to have an experienced and capable academic leader for this role in the person of Professor Aminda Smith.
