Backreading Hong Kong Symposium on “Diaspora and Adaptation”
Call for Abstracts
Deadline: Sunday 25 August 2024
The 2024 edition of the Backreading Hong Kong Symposium will be held in person in Toronto on 18–19 November 2024. The theme of this year is “Diaspora and Adaptation”.
The concept of diaspora has profound implications for understanding cultural identity, migration, and community formation. In the context of Hong Kong, the dynamics of diaspora and adaptation are particularly poignant given its unique historical, political, and cultural trajectory. This symposium seeks to explore the multifaceted relationship between Hong Kong and the concept of diaspora, exploring not only how immigrants adapt to Hong Kong’s cultural and political ecology but also how the Hong Kong diaspora community adapts to different cultural environments globally. Additionally, the conference will broaden the scope of adaptation to include cross-genre adaptations of works of art, examining how artistic expressions are transformed to, within, and from Hong Kong.
We invite established and early-career scholars, researchers, and practitioners to present papers that address the following sub-topics, although submissions on related topics will also be considered:
- Historical Perspectives on the Relationship between Diaspora and Hong Kong
Explore the historical migration patterns of diasporic communities in Hong Kong and Hong Kong diaspora in host regions and how these have shaped diasporic communities across the globe. Papers might examine specific periods of migration, the socio-political contexts that prompted migration, and the historical development of the relationship between diaspora and Hong Kong. - Identity and Cultural Retention in the Hong Kong Diaspora:
Investigate how members of the Hong Kong diaspora retain and negotiate their cultural identities in various host regions. Topics could include language retention, cultural practices, community organizations, and intergenerational transmission of cultural heritage. - Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Integration:
Discuss the processes of cultural adaptation and integration experienced by diasporic communities in Hong Kong as well as Hong Kong diasporic communities. This might include studies on acculturation strategies, experiences of discrimination, and the creation of hybrid cultural identities. - Media and Representation of the Hong Kong Diaspora:
Explore how the Hong Kong diaspora is represented in various media forms, including film, literature, and digital media. Consider how these representations influence public perceptions and contribute to the cultural narratives of the diaspora. - Artistic Adaptations in and out of Hong Kong:
Investigate how works of art are adapted across genres within the context of Hong Kong. This could include adaptations of literature into film, theatre into visual art, and other cross-genre transformations, exploring how these adaptations reflect and shape Hong Kong’s cultural landscape. - The Impact of Globalization on Hong Kong Art and Culture:
Analyze how globalization has influenced artistic expressions in Hong Kong. Papers might explore how global artistic trends are localized in Hong Kong and how Hong Kong art is received and adapted in the global cultural environments. - Future Directions for the Hong Kong Diaspora and Artistic Adaptation:
Consider the future trajectories of Hong Kong diaspora communities and the ongoing evolution of artistic adaptation. Papers might address emerging trends, potential challenges, and opportunities for further research in these fields.
We aim to collect papers from the symposium for the preparation of a journal special issue or an edited volume. Abstracts of 250 words can be sent to Chris Song (chriszj.song@utoronto.ca) for the executive committee’s consideration before Sunday 25 August 2024. Please also send us a bio of no more than 50 words. Scholars whose papers have been selected will be notified by Sunday 1 September 2024.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Bernice Cheung, Faculty of Music UTSG, University of Toronto
Ting Guo, Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Tammy Lai-Ming Ho, Käte Hamburger Center CURE, Saarland University
Maria Lau, Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library, University of Toronto
Mitchell Ma, Department of Anthropology UTM, University of Toronto
Chris Song, Department of Language Studies UTSC / Department of East Asian Studies UTSG, University of Toronto
Kaki Wong, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Mary Shuk-Han Wong, Department of Chinese, Lingnan University
ORGANIZERS
Department of Language Studies, University of Toronto Scarborough
Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library, University of Toronto
Cha: An Asian Literary Journal
Support provided by the Jackman Humanities Institute Working Group on Hong Kong-Canada Connections
Posted by: Chris Song <chriszj.song@utoronto.ca>