International Journal of Literature and Arts

Special Issue

Humanity and Science: China’s Intercultural Communication with the Outside World in the New Era

  • Submission Deadline: Apr. 10, 2020
  • Status: Submission Closed
  • Lead Guest Editor: Kaiju Chen
About This Special Issue
This proposal is based on the theme and topics of the 2019 Symposium of the Chinese and American Cultural Studies Association held in April 26-28, 2019, Shantou University, China.
Currently China is experiencing quick progress in dual transformation of both civilization and culture: in terms of civilization, from traditional agricultural society into industrial, and in coastal and south-eastern developed areas, from industrial into postmodern society; and in terms of culture, from empiricism-oriented into rationalism-oriented, and in the developed areas from rationalism-oriented to information-culture oriented cultural patterns. At this critical new era of socio-cultural development stage, China, now one of the leading countries in economy, culture, and other major social aspects, is playing an important role in intercultural communication with the outside world, and virtually what are taking place in the process of communication and collaboration between Chinese culture and other cultures deserve due academic attention. Contributors are invited to address issues concerning related problems. Most papers in this special issue study topics in the terrains of literature, culture, transmission, transformation, comparative studies, and intercultural communication. Relevant studies of humanity and science in the new era are welcome, which shall broadly be categorized into (but not necessarily limited to) the following four columns: literature, literary criticism, cultural studies, and philosophy of culture.

Aims and Scope:

  1. Literature
  2. Culture
  3. Popular art
  4. Transformation
  5. Comparative studies
  6. Intercultural Communication
Lead Guest Editor
  • Kaiju Chen

    Institute of Hermeneutics, Center for Business Culture and Philosophy of Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China

Guest Editors
  • Jin Zhang

    Center for Foreign Literature and Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

  • Ming Li

    School of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

  • Zhanghong Xu

    School of English for International Business, Center for Business Culture and Philosophy of Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

  • Weichao Wang

    School of English for International Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

  • Siwei Yue

    School of English for International Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

  • Sherman Chui

    School of English for International Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, China

Published Articles
  • The Writing of History and Return of Language: Art History as An Explanation Object-On Hubert Damsich’s “A Theory of /Cloud/”

    Chai Dongdong

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 162-168
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 16, 2020
    Published: Apr. 23, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.19
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    Abstract: Giving a methodological and ontological explanation to the art history is the core thought of “a theory of /cloud/” of Hubert Damisch. It shows that there is no uniform explanation for art history. And the explanation of art history can only be placed in the framework of history. Language is the main reason for this, because it is historical, and t... Show More
  • Entangled with Traffic Signs: An Ethnographic Account of Internationals Driving in Mainland China

    Dai Hui

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 169-176
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 30, 2020
    Published: Apr. 23, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.20
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    Abstract: This study investigates the difficulty of internationals’ driving in non-English Chinese environment by reporting on their encounters and reflections in the traffic contexts. The study adopts a geosemiotic perspective and utilizes an ethnography to study foreigners’ usage of traffic signage in Guangzhou, a major and hub city of Mainland China. It c... Show More
  • Exploration of Application of Confucian Conception of Critical Thinking in the Teaching English as a Foreign Language in China

    Xuejuan Gong

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 134-141
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 11, 2020
    Published: Apr. 14, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.15
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    Abstract: Over the past years, fostering critical thinking abilities has become one of the priorities in education in China. So far, much research has been conducted to explore how to resort to Western critical thinking methods to cultivate critical thinking abilities among Chinese students. Meanwhile, among much research in incorporating Confucian education... Show More
  • Criticizing School-related Gender-based Violence: A Cultural Analysis on the Music Video Womxnly

    Jing Zhou

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 142-147
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 18, 2020
    Published: Apr. 14, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.16
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    Abstract: Gender-based violence, a deeply-rooted violence directed against a person because of their gender, remains one of the most notable human rights violations in all societies. Both women and men experience gender-based violence. It is school-related in many cases and often occurs in and around schools, so it is sometimes referred to as “school-related... Show More
  • The Digitalization of Lifestyle in a Digital Era: A Case Study of WeChat in China

    Ru Ying

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 119-126
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Apr. 08, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.13
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    Abstract: Digitalization has been identified as one of the most significant trends that change society, business, and people’s lives and has attracted academic attention from different fields. This study aims to investigate how digitalization, with the adoption of far-ranging digital technologies, has changed individuals’ lifestyles in China. WeChat was take... Show More
  • The Subversion of Identity from Princesses to Queens - A Cultural Study on Feminism in Maleficent

    Jialiang Chen

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 127-133
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Apr. 08, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.14
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    Abstract: Disney films have long been known as adapting classic fairy tales or legends from all over the world and creating distinctive princess images, among which, the development of different princess images manifests relative values in corresponding periods. Maleficent is adapted from the animated film Sleeping Beauty with similar story arrangements on t... Show More
  • On the Exportation of Soft Power in Globalization with the Exemplification of the Film Wolf warrior (II)

    Baoliang Peng

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 100-107
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 12, 2020
    Published: Apr. 08, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.11
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    Abstract: In globalization culture is capitalized and invested as a commodity. But the commodified culture not only makes money for an exporter but also disseminates its cultural values with another culture. Both the success of the film Wolf Warrior (II) at home and its failure to be a hit abroad lend weight to the argument. The pros and cons about it eviden... Show More
  • A Comparative Study of the Interpretations of Emojis in Between U.S. and Chinese Users

    Sherman Chui

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020
    Pages: 108-118
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 12, 2020
    Published: Apr. 08, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200803.12
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    Abstract: In recent years, Emojis have permeated online communications. They constantly show up in text messages, chats and emails, playing a significant role in business and daily interaction. Although designed to replace language text and to convert some universal emotions through icons, there are no rules governing people how to correctly define the senti... Show More
  • Stereotyping as a Barrier in Intercultural Marketing: An Analysis of Public Online Comments on Dolce & Gabbana’s Incident in China

    Wang Weichao , Wu Xiaoya

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 70-80
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 16, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.16
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    Abstract: This study investigates online comments on major social platforms following Dolce & Gabbana (D & G)’s promotional video Eating with Chopsticks in 2018 and the apology video released afterwards. By employing self-reference criterion (Browne, 2013), crisis communication and image restoration (Mair, Ritchie & Walters, 2016), it first analyzes D & G’s ... Show More
  • A Pragmatic Study of Apologies Posted on Weibo by Chinese Celebrities

    Xu Zhanghong , Li Yanan

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 52-61
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.14
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    Abstract: As we are living in the “Age of Apology” (Brooks, 1999), our ability to say “I’m sorry” does matter considerably, for an appropriate apology would not only express regret but also contribute to interpersonal relationship management and image restoration. Although apology as a social phenomenon has been extensively studied in the English-speaking wo... Show More
  • Problems and Solutions in Dual Educational Transformations in Contemporary China

    Chen Kaiju , Ru Ying

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 62-69
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 11, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.15
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    Abstract: The transformation of social civilization requires corresponding transformation of education. Contemporary China is undergoing a dual transformation of modernization and post modernization of educational models, each of which involves educational concepts, educational goals, disciplines and settings and a series of other factors, such as teaching m... Show More
  • Developing Primary EFL Students’ Multiliteracies Competence Through Drama Teaching: A Case Study in China

    Yuanyuan Chen

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 46-51
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.13
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    Abstract: Multiliteracies competence has emerged as an important research field, yet it remains a great challenge for primary EFL teachers in China to develop students’ multiliteracies competence. With the implementation of educational reform in K12 education in China, the importance of cultivating multiliteracies competence for primary school students has b... Show More
  • Decoding the Mystery Behind the Globalization of Chinese Time-honored Brands -- A Case Analysis of Lao Gan Ma Chili Sauce

    Wu Yanqin , Chen Kaiju

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 87-92
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.18
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    Abstract: Globalization creates a complexly interrelated arena where multiple local differences converge and compete against each other. With respect to its consequent potential impact on various local cultures, Western dominant cultures have been believed as the ultimate destiny for the modernizing cultures under this fast-changing global context, as is mor... Show More
  • Redefining “Actress”--Deconstruction of the Traditional “Actress” Image in Jia Ling’s Sketch “Titanic”

    Yan Guizhi

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 93-99
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 10, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.19
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    Abstract: In show business, female have long suffered unfair treatment and are constantly required to live up to the expectations from the society. With the passage of time, as what was already summarized by Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex, female celebrities are turned into “actress” in a certain manner. However, as a special existence in show business... Show More
  • Vernacular: Its Features, Relativity, Functions and Social Significance

    Li Ming

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 81-86
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 16, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.17
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    Abstract: In daily communication, people use different language varieties when contacting each other depending on different social contexts determined by factors such as participants, the setting and the topic. The use of different language varieties bears different functions or social significance. Generally, the more formal the language between participant... Show More
  • Rethinking the Boundary Between Human and Nonhuman: Jeanette Winterson’s The stone gods as a Transgression Experiment

    Zhang Jin , Wang Weiwei

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 33-38
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 11, 2020
    Published: Mar. 31, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.11
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    Abstract: As a world-famous writer, Jeanette Winterson, as well as her novels, have been well-known for her lesbian theme and love theme. Little attention has been paid to the theme of transgression. However, studies have shown that transgression experiment is also the key theme through all of the novels by Jeanette Winterson. In the Stone Gods, she still ke... Show More
  • From Art to Cure: The Three Stages of Theoretical Development of Ancient Chinese Painting from Pre-Qin to Qing Dynasty

    Na Luo

    Issue: Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
    Pages: 39-45
    Received: Feb. 27, 2020
    Accepted: Mar. 11, 2020
    Published: Mar. 23, 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200802.12
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    Abstract: Ancient Chinese paintings, compared with traditional Western oil paintings that featured realistic depiction, seem mysterious enough to go beyond comprehension to Westerners. It could be traced back to one of the fundamental divergences in history when ancient Chinese painters and critics took a path not taken by their Western counterparts at the t... Show More