Transculturating the modern : Zhang Ruogu\u27s literary life in 1930s Shanghai

Zhang Ruogu 張若谷(1905-1967), now known primarily as an urban writer,2 began his literary career by translating and commenting on French literature in newspapers and journals and subsequently published several urban stories. He was also an active advocate of urban life and played an important role in the introduction of the ideas of the French-style café gathering and European cultural trends. Zhang Ruogu’s literary activities, his admiration of French literature and culture, and his works inspired by the French literary works that he admired or translated, are the focus of investigation of this paper. From Paris to Shanghai and from 19th-century French literature to urban stories of Shanghai of the 1930s, these literary trends and works advanced through a process of translation and interpretation. What occurred during this translation and interpretation process? How does this examination aid us in understanding Zhang Ruogu’s own work and modern Chinese literature? This paper addresses Zhang Ruogu’s translations, adaptations and interpretations of French literature as well as his own literary works

The Transculturation of American Poetry in China, 1917-1937

This paper offers a critical overview of the reception of American poetry in China from 1917 to 1937. Drawing on Maria Tymoczko’s theory of transculturation, it shows how in order to meet local poetic and ideological demands, America’s New Poetry Movement, Left poetry, and Black poetry were “performed” in (relay) translations by Chinese authors. Understudied to date, these texts reveal a fascinating literary and political process in which American poetry and Chinese poetry were mutually shaped through translation

Transculturation of Visual Signs: A Case Analysis of the Swastika

This study explores how the meaning of visual signs changes through the process of transculturation applied to the key Nazi symbol, the swastika. A historical case study of forty-two Nazi and pre-Nazi stamps is conducted to analyze key factors in the process of creating meaning. The study finds that timing, control, history, and universalism are key factors for the transculturation of the swastika. A preliminary model of transculturation is presented. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed

Plans to Live on a Reservation Following College Among American Indian Students: An Examination of Transculturation Theory

This paper focuses on American Indian college students and uses transculturation theory to examine factors related to self-reported plans to live on a reservation following completion of college. Transculturation theory assumes a strong cultural identity is fundamental to academic success. The author uses the basic premise of this perspective to consider an extension to its assumptions. Findings indicate that an implied assumption of the transculturation perspective is that American Indians closely aligned with traditional culture tend to seek careers in which they serve Native communities and more likely plan to live on a reservation after college

The Transcultural Edge

Critical writing about transculturation has a long history in Latin American studies, and more recently the concept has been used to analyse the effects of globalization. This article takes as its point of departure the Latin American genealogy of the idea, and brings it together with the ecological notion of ‘edge’ intended as a transition area between different systems. By bringing transculturation and edge together this paper seeks to understand transculturation as a process in which human and non-human entities participate.It does so curating five cultural works written at the edge of academic practices, and spanning several countries, cultural formations and genres

"Who Are We? Where Are We?": Contact and Literary Navigation in The Maine Woods

This essay argues that Thoreau witnesses a series of clashes across the three essays collected in "The Maine Woods" and that Thoreau positions himself with a variety of contact zones, enabling him both to navigate the landscapes of northern Maine and recount his experiences to his audiences