The spectre of Europe: Knowledge, cultural studies and the ‘rise of Asia’

This introduction starts with an exploration of the ambiguity of the idea of Europe. In particular, two tropes – Europe-as-theory and Europe-as-power – continue to haunt knowledge production and cultural studies in Asia. How to proceed? What should cultural studies do if it is to embrace this histor...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of cultural studies 2014-02, Vol.17 (1), p.3-15
Main Authors: Chow, Yiu Fai, de Kloet, Jeroen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambiguity
Area studies
Asia
Cultural studies
Cultures and civilizations
Europe
General studies
Historical analysis
Knowledge
Modes of Production
Orientalism
Power
Social Reproduction
Sociocultural Factors
Sociology
Sociology of Culture
Sociology of knowledge
Sociology of knowledge and ethics
Sociology of knowledge and sociology of culture
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This introduction starts with an exploration of the ambiguity of the idea of Europe. In particular, two tropes – Europe-as-theory and Europe-as-power – continue to haunt knowledge production and cultural studies in Asia. How to proceed? What should cultural studies do if it is to embrace this historical conjuncture of shifting modes of knowledge and power production, how to deal with its Anglocentrism and Eurocentrism? While this special issue allies itself with attempts to unsettle Eurocentrism in knowledge production, it is not making any plea for regionally-rooted practices or theories. It argues for better understanding, dialogue and cross-fertilisation between cultural studies and area studies. The former needs the latter’s sensibility to spatial and cultural context as much as the latter needs the former’s theorisations. This introduction is an opening. It opens up not only to the ensuing articles but, more importantly, an occasion for the inevitable encounter argued for in this special issue.
ISSN:1367-5494
1460-3551
DOI:10.1177/1367549413501475