Agenda

Feminisms, Ethnic Identities, and Ecological Awareness in Contemporary China: A Literary and Sociological Perspective
8-9 May 2025

This international workshop aims to foster a broader reflection on contemporary Chinese society by exploring the intersecting domains of feminism, environmental awareness, and ethnic groups in China through a multidisciplinary approach that combines literature, cinema, law, and ethnic studies. It will also involve a deeper investigation into the works of Chinese writer Chi Zijian 迟子建 , viewed through the lens of her multifaceted engagement. A prolific and well-known author in China, Chi Zijian offers profound insights into the lives of Chinese women, the survival of ethnic groups in her home province of Heilongjiang, and the ecological challenges arising from urbanisation policies that threaten these ways of life and marginalise their worldviews. This sociological and anthropological perspective calls for a literary analysis intertwined with multidisciplinary research to illuminate the diverse facets of China that intersect with these themes. As highlighted by Nan Z. Da and Wang Zheng in their article Feminist Sinologies: An Introduction (2015), this workshop underscores the importance of employing analytical tools from gender studies within Chinese studies. Such approaches are pivotal to understanding contemporary Chinese society and the complex power dynamics that operate within it. Drawing inspiration from the work of Chinese author Chi Zijian, this workshop provides participants with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of her work, especially in Italy, where only a limited selection of her fiction has been translated and published. The workshop also features Chinese writer Chen Qiufan 陈楸帆 as a discussant in the final roundtable. He will provide an insightful literary perspective on the themes of the workshop, all seen through his unique lens as one of the most prominent science-fiction writers in China. While part of the workshop will focus on Chi Zijian and her works, other presentations will explore topics such as women’s literature and/or translation studies, ethnic group studies, and issues related to climate and ecology—all approached from a gender studies perspective. These themes encourage the integration of human and social sciences, including anthropology, sociology, and law, emphasizing the value of interdisciplinary approaches in fostering a deeper understanding of Chinese society and strengthening French-Italian research collaborations in this field.

The workshop, organised by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Aix-Marseille University, is supported by the Université Franco-Italienne (Label scientifique UFI 2025), as well as by Ca’ Foscari’s Department of Asian and African Studies (DSAAM) and Archive of Women and Migrant Writers (ASSM).

The programme is attached.