In this research, I will analyze how Liang Qichao’s idea of nation played a role in the emergence of national identity in China in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The concept of nation in China didn’t emerge from the bottom-up spontaneously. Rather, I will argue, the emergence of Chinese national identity can largely be explained as an imported ideology pursued by Chinese elites. In the formation of the concept of nation in China, not only the contact with the West but also interactions and tensions among the East Asian countries were crucial. This research is divided into two interdependent parts. The first part deals with theoretical studies of nationalism and national identity. In the second part, by way of introducing nationalist discourses in China, I will explore historical concepts of nation and its boundaries. In this regard, the formation of Chinese national identities can result from a relation between the imported ideology and its acceptance by the people.

Light refreshments will be served.

For more information please contact: Dr. Mi-Hyun Kim at kimmh@pitt.edu or 412-624-5562