"合法化"论争与认同焦虑——以文论"失语症"和新诗"西化"说为个案

合法性是韦伯社会学理论的一个关键概念,把合法性概念引入文化理论话语及其论争的分析,有助于揭示这些话语及其论争复杂的文化意义。晚近有关中国现代文学理论和汉语新诗的理论话语中出现了一些值得关注的说法,尤其是以下两种代表性的理论:中国现代当文论“失语症”说,汉语新诗“西化”说。这两种理论的提出实际上是对中国现代文化和文学的合法性提出了质疑,同时,表露出一种对现代文化认同的深切焦虑。这种焦虑近代以来一再出现,它反映了中国社会文化现代化转型过程中无法回避的文化认同问题。通过对“重新传统化”与“本体安全”关系的分析,可以展现回归传统与文化认同的当代建构的复杂关系。正确的做法应该是,在坚持文化多元主义价值观的基础上,倡导一种开放的、发展的文化认同观。

Legitimacy Debates and Identity Crisis——In the Case of "Aphasia" in Chinese Modern Literary Theory and "Westernization" of Chinese Modern Poetry

Legitimization is a key notion in the sociological theories of Max Weber, who initiated the concept in the discourses of cultural theories and the analyses of their debates, thus helpful in making clear the cultural significance of the discourses and the debates. Some recent discourses of Chinese modern literary theories and of Chinese modern poetry are worthy of our examination. Both "Aphasia" in Chinese modern literary theory and "Westernization" of Chinese modern poetry are virtually challenges to the legitimacy of Chinese modern culture and literature, for they seem to be greatly westernized and deviate from their tradition. These discourses are expressions of an anxiety in cultural identity, which is inevitable in a thorough transformation from traditional culture to modern one. By means of analyzing the relations between re-traditionalization and ontological security, the author tries to make clear a complicated relation between back-to-tradition and contemporary construction of Chinese cultural identity, critically reflects on the misunderstanding of cultural identity and claims that identity on the basis of multi-cultural values is always open to changes.