Topic：China's Material Solidification of the Past and the Infrastructuralization of Memory 

Time：113/02/26 (Mon) 12:20-14:00

Place：Room 270812, North Wing, General Building of Colleges, NCCU

Host：Prof. Huang, Chiung-Chiu ( Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, NCCU)

Speaker：Maximilian Mayer (Junior Professor of International Relations and Global Politics of Technology University of Bonn)

Registration：https://reurl.cc/lgl636

Organized by Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, College of International Affairs

Introduction：

The interpretations and commemorations of China's extensive history, with an eye toward contemporary political ambitions and the future, have long been a subject of scholarly interest. In my upcoming lecture, I will draw upon a recent special issue to explore the curation, performance, and consumption of collective memory. Through this exploration, I aim to shed light on the dynamic relationship between the redefinition of Chinese identity, cultural modernization, and the evolving significance of heritage and memory within Chinese politics. Taking into account issues related to diversity, such as personal versus collective memory, and the influence of community-driven and state-led heritage initiatives, I will examine how the interplay between the state and society shapes local memory practices. Additionally, I will delve into the significant and widespread effects of cultural and material changes in China, including transformations and destruction, as they relate to the reconstruction of memory. Central to this discussion is the current emphasis on the politicization of heritage and the deliberate solidification of selected representations of the past. To help elucidate these trends, I will introduce the concept of "memory infrastructure," which offers a framework for understanding the interconnection of history, memory, and politics.