Infrastructures for ethnicity: understanding the diversification of contemporary Indonesia

Social categories need to be replicated to endure. Commentaries about social practices drive replication. Commentaries increase the number of signs emblematic of this category. In contemporary nation-states, mass education, bureaucratic processes, and mass media create large participation frameworks that facilitate replication. I term these participation frameworks ‘infrastructures for ethnicity’. This paper examines two types of infrastructures that have facilitated replication of emblems of ethnicity in Indonesia. My data is drawn from a soap opera, Internet commentaries about this soap, and news stories about clothing and culture. In looking at this data, I examine how old elements that point to ‘ethnicity’ are combined with new elements, how this new combination invites commentaries, how this process increases the semiotic density of these categories, and how all of this engenders diversity in Indonesia.     

The Veils of Clio: Dimensions of a Behavioral Narratology

This paper outlines a behavior-analysis approach to the field of narratology, the study of the narrative or story, with emphasis on nonfiction stories and the processes by which such stories distort the world they describe. Stories are described in terms of (a) a behavior-analysis adaptation of Todorov''s (1977) analysis of the plots of stories in terms of states of equilibrium/disequilibrium and (b) Grant''s (2005) analysis of the structure of stories in terms of establishing operations and escape contingencies. These two sets of concepts are applied to understanding how and why stories lead to distortions of the events they report.     

Understanding ethnic visibility through language use: the case of Taiwan Hakka

This study investigates how the ethnic visibility of Taiwan Hakka is improved through language use. The usage of a unique Hakka symbolic code <nganggiang stiff neck> is focused on. Based on data from the four Taiwan major newspapers, an analysis with text techniques shows that the code emerges along with social-political developments in Taiwan, with its meaning turning from negative to positive connotation. Its frequency is highly correlated with major political events in Taiwan, with peaks during the two or three years before presidential elections. It illustrates semiotic innovation, extending from Hakka to Hakka non-human, to non-Hakka, and to non-Hakka non-human frames. The salient image it creates increases Hakka ethnic visibility and enhances their ethnic identity. A significant implication is that minority ethnic groups can employ a unique symbolic code, empowering it with positive connotation. Through extensive language use, its representation can raise their ethnic visibility and enhance their ethnic identity.     

浅析西方文化哲学的四次转向

通过对西方(人类)文化哲学史的考察,可以发现西方哲学中有几次"转向"对人类文化哲学的建立具有重大的意义。这几次哲学"转向"逐渐废除了认识论作为第一哲学的特权,最终使得系统的现代文化哲学得以建立起来。具体而言,维柯、赫尔德、卢梭等人分别提出了哲学的"语义学转向"、"语言学转向"和"民族学转向",试图在现代哲学思想的语境下构建文化哲学,而卡西尔则在整合前人思想的基础上提出了"符号学转向",把符号思维确立为哲学的新原则,由此建立了真正意义上的人类文化哲学。     

“语言是一种符号系统”说疑议

文章简要概括了索绪尔“语言是一种符号系统”说,认为索氏那种研究语言而“不管历时态”的学说,就认识论而言乃是机械唯物主义的,就方法论而言是形而上学的,落实到实践上则是行不通的。文中立足汉语研究之现实,以典型事例印证了索氏之说的误导作用。进而对索氏理论的基石“能指和所指的联系是任意的”说进行验证,发现它的提出主要是出于理论建构的需要,但同时也不可避免地暴露了索氏理论的臆断性。文章的结论是:“语言是一种符号系统”说的观念是浮泛的,它对汉语研究的负面影响是严重的。     

自由间接话语与叙事声音

自由间接话语是小说叙事中再现人物话语的重要手段,而且常与叙事声音联系起来探讨。在现当代小说叙事模式中自由间接话语已很难根据语言学特征进行辨认,而结构主义叙事学的叙事声音理论更是难以应对复杂多变的小说叙事。叙事理论的更新与发展已成为必然。     

符号正义与公共行政 ——基于语言游戏的正义视角

公共行政是正义研究的重要领域。传统理论多采用罗尔斯、诺齐克和沃尔泽等人为正义提供的客观标准。但这些标准不仅在理论上相互冲突,而且在公共行政的实践中也常常会导致模棱两可的判断。本研究旨在提出一种符号正义的观念,来指导当代公共行政的理论与实践。这种观念认为正义并不存在中立客观的标准,而是被群体共享的信念和实践所建构。研究者只有将正义置于特定语言游戏的背景中,才能真正理解其发生和运作。因为和正义相关的不同语言游戏之间只存在家族相似性,所以公共行政必须面对相互冲突的复杂环境。符号正义的观念能够为这种公共行政问题的复杂性提供必不可少的分析框架。     

《娥并与桑洛》和《阿诗玛》篇法比较

《娥并与桑洛》和《阿诗玛》分别是傣族和彝族代表性的民间叙事长诗。二者在篇法上呈现迥异的审美风格倾向,前者优美,后者凝重。它们的篇法不只是与逻辑和认知相联系的话语规则,本身就是隐喻和象征,是对各自民族文化性格的生动写照。借助叙事学分析,更有助于我们看清这一点。     

对索绪尔符号学的几点认识

索绪尔既是结构主义语言学的创始人也是符号学的先驱,他提出所指与能指的区别标志着符号学的诞生。索绪尔认为,语言是一种符号系统,语言学无非是一种符号学。针对索绪尔的符号学谈几点认识。     

中国“写人学”的构建理据——从西方“叙事学”跨文化比较角度探讨

在西方“叙事学”日渐成为全球“显学”的今天,我们有必要构建一门本土化的中国“写人学”与之呼应。从学理上讲,中国“写人学”已经具备了与西方“叙事学”平起平坐的资格。首先,在经典文学创作传统中,西方强大的叙事冲力促成了“叙事学”的诞生和发展,而中国雄厚的写人资源也必然有利于“写人学”的降临。况且,中西小说中的叙事与写人往往分别是同生共长的,这也使得中国“写人学”拥有了与西方“叙事学”分庭抗礼的现实条件。其次,中西写人方式的异质性使得中国“写人学”拥有特行独立的本土品格,从而使之能够成为与西方“叙事学”平行的独立学科体系。再次,如果说西方“功能性”人物观催生了“叙事学”,那么,中国“本位性”人物观也自然会推动“写人学”的构建。