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 緣起

本研究群對於中國研究的定位著重於世界性格局的分析。我們有感於顯著的全球學術關注與研究趨勢，亦冀望從台灣的研究環境與文化利基出發，提供國際學術潮流不一樣的研究視角，於2021年成立「世界化中國」（Global China）研究群。 

本研究群的關注主旨，擬跳脫既有的中國研究架構，來討論中國自身、世界對中國的影響、或中國在世界中的角色。中國對世界秩序重組所扮演的角色日益重要，而新自由主義、環境問題、科技創新、普世價值等全球尺度的角力、議題與意識形態也以不同的方式影響中國。我們以為，將這些研究面向放入「世界化中國」的分析架構下，得以突顯二十一世紀研究中國的關鍵意義。 

關於當代中國的變動，既有的研究視角雖已具備多元觀點與詮釋方式，但也有值得調整與展望的新興面向。以往人類學的中國研究曾經藉由對於親屬組織、市場體系與民間宗教等文化闡述，嘗試理解漢人社會或少數民族的特性，但這些內向型的取向已難以掌握當前中國社會在面對各種跨界力量下的適應、協商與抵抗。另一方面，全球化從未將世界形塑為一個同質性的場域，而當代中國社會也並非只是現代性與全球化的案例之一。二十一世紀中國研究更為顯著的現象是，具有世界性格局的研究主題皆難以迴避中國因素，研究中國自身也無法忽略世界性的影響。甚至，對於中國的研究與理解，也不一定得在中國進行。這樣的世界特性與中國現況促使我們思考，該如何既持續深化人類學者對於中國自身的認識與調查、又能拓寬中國研究的分析與視角格局，以為人類學的中國研究帶來持續挑戰與理論創新的可能性。 

「世界化中國」是一新興研究領域與觀點，不僅關注中國的崛起與影響，更將對中國研究的經驗與分析超越中國的領土邊界。這個新興研究領域，可能涵蓋但也跳脫既有的海外華人研究、華語/文研究。更重要的是，「世界化」中國的觀點強調研究中國的重要性，卻又挑戰中國的中心性。

About us

The Global China Research Group was established in 2021 by researchers from the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica, who study China from the perspective of China’s global connections. Working from the vantage point afforded by Taiwan’s distinct intellectual and cultural context and position, we hope to provide new perspectives on a topic of global interest. 

The main goal for this research group is re-reckon with and go beyond the existing China Studies framework that studies China primarily in and of itself, and to instead to study China in global contexts, both China in the World and The World in China. On the one hand, China plays an increasingly important role in the reorganization of world order in light of geopolitics, global capital, and transnational mobilities. On the other hand, globalizing processes and ideologies ranging from environmentalism, technoscience, to neoliberalism and contested universalisms continue to affect China in different ways.  We believe that placing these research orientations within the analytical framework of "global China" highlights the critical importance of studying China as a “global” question in the twenty-first century. 

While there are already multiple perspectives and interpretations on changes in contemporary China, there are also emerging perspectives that deserve attention.

Earlier anthropological studies of China have attempted to understand the characteristics of Han Chinese and ethnic minority societies through the cultural description of kinship organization, market systems, and popular religion, but their often localized orientation has made it difficult to grasp the adaptation, negotiation, and resistance of contemporary Chinese societies in the face of various cross-border forces. On the other hand, globalization has not made the world homogenous, and contemporary Chinese society is perhaps the most significant example. More remarkably, in the 21^st century, it is difficult to research any global topic without considering the “China factor,” and it is impossible to research any topic in China without considering global influences and connections. Furthermore, doing fieldwork on China today is not even limited to fieldwork in China. The global character of China’s contemporary situation prompts us to consider how to deepen anthropological research and the interpretation of China itself while also broadening the analytical scope and perspective of China Studies, in the process promoting possibilities for theoretical innovation. 

“Global China” is an emerging field of study, and an emerging perspective, which focuses on not only the rise and influence of China, but also extends China studies beyond “China” as conventionally understood. This emerging field of study encompasses, but also transcends existing fields of Overseas Chinese studies. More importantly, a “Global China” perspective emphasizes the importance of studying China while also challenging a Sinocentric framework.