China：After the End of the Reform Era

Talk by Professor Carl Minzner,　　　　　　Fordham Law

Tuesday,　　　　　　April 28, 2015
4:30 PM -　　　　　　6:00 PM
Bunche Hall　　　　　　10383 

　　　　　　China’s heady accomplishments over the past four decades have been　　　　　　grounded in a set of norms and policies - political, economic, and　　　　　　ideological – established in the late 20thcentury. These are now　　　　　　unraveling.

Carl Minzner　　　　　　is a Professor of Law at Fordham Law School. His research focuses　　　　　　on Chinese law and governance, particularly judicial reform, social　　　　　　unrest, and state-society relations. He previously served as an　　　　　　Associate Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis　　　　　　and Senior Counsel for the Congressional-Executive Commission on　　　　　　China. Carl Minzner is an expert in Chinese law and governance. He　　　　　　has written extensively on these topics in both academic journals　　　　　　and the popular press, including op-eds appearing in the New York　　　　　　Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Christian　　　　　　Science Monitor. Recent academic works include China's Turn Against　　　　　　Law, in the American Journal of Comparative Law（2011）exploring　　　　　　Chinese authorities’ shift against legal reforms of the 1980s and　　　　　　1990s.

Sons, Brothers, and the "Missing Masturbator”：　　　　　　Pornography and Masculinity in China at the End of Empire

Talk by Yvon Wang, University of　　　　　　Toronto, St. George

Wednesday,　　　　　　April 29, 2015
12:00 PM -　　　　　　2:00 PM
Bunche Hall　　　　　　6275

By the 1930s, Chinese sexuality had taken a “modern turn.”　　　　　　 The state endorsed sexology, marketers used

sexy bodies to sell products, and　　　　　　periodicals frequently discussed sex. But long-run trends—whether　　　　　　in

demographics or cultural　　　　　　politics--during the late imperial period were critical precursors　　　　　　to shifts in the

20th century. This talk traces　　　　　　some of these earlier developments, specifically efforts to define　　　　　　 “licentiousness.”

Yvon Wang is an Assistant Professor of Chinese History at the　　　　　　University of Toronto, St. George. She earned her Ph.D. in 2014　　　　　　from the History Department of Stanford University. Her　　　　　　dissertation concerned explicit sexual representation in Chinese　　　　　　print commodities at the turn of the twentieth century. Other　　　　　　research interests include same-sex relations, material culture,　　　　　　and popular media--both in late imperial and twentieth-century　　　　　　China and in a broader world-historical perspective.

Refreshments　　　　　　will be served.

This talk is part of the UCLA　　　　　　History Department - Historicizing Masculinities Colloquium

“Young Soldiers, One Day We Will Change Taiwan”：　　　　　　Masculinity Politics in the Taiwan Rap Scene

Talk by Meredith Schweig, Mellon　　　　　　Postdoctoral Fellow

Thursday,　　　　　　April 30, 2015
4:00 PM -　　　　　　5:30 PM
Bunche Hall　　　　　　10383

　　　　　　Gender ideologies in the male-dominated Taiwan rap scene are often　　　　　　expressed in terms of fidelity to the cultural norms of American　　　　　　hip-hop, as well as to the notion of "keeping it real,"　　　　　　understood as an act of masculine agency characterized by　　　　　　unambiguous and sometimes confrontational expressions of pain,　　　　　　pleasure, anger, and sexual desire. Beyond citing the influence of　　　　　　American hip-hop, performers also rationalize Taiwan rap's gender　　　　　　practices in terms of a Confucian paradigm that posits women as　　　　　　reserved, refined, and introspective—qualities inimical to the　　　　　　ugliness that accompanies keeping it real. In light of these　　　　　　assumptions, Taiwan rap would not appear to advance a particularly　　　　　　progressive agenda vis-à-vis gender, as rappers have largely　　　　　　resisted the interpellation of both feminist and queer politics　　　　　　that gained traction on the island in the 1990s and 2000s.

Meredith　　　　　　Schweig is a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the　　　　　　Humanities and Hyperstudio Fellow at MIT, where she is working on a　　　　　　book about Taiwan's hip-hop scene.