Boundary-Work and Discipline Construction: Boundary Strategies to Institutionalize 'Guoxue' as a Discipline and Its Failure

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  • Author(s): Yaqiong, Lin
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Chinese Education & Society. 2019 52(3-4):274-296.
  • Publication Date:
    2019
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Evaluative
    Translations
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      23
    • Subject Terms:
      Chinese; Classics (Literature); Intellectual Disciplines; Political Attitudes; Conflict; Asian Culture; Scholarship; Western Civilization; Holistic Approach; History; Philosophy; Governance; Foreign Countries; Barriers; Cultural Education
    • Subject Terms:
      China
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/10611932.2019.1667704
    • ISSN:
      1061-1932
    • Abstract:
      The construction of knowledge boundaries is an important mechanism in the formation of disciplines. This article examines and analyzes boundary strategies and difficulties in the institutionalization of "guoxue" ("national studies" or "Chinese classics") as a discipline in recent years from the perspective of boundary-work. To establish "guoxue" as a discipline, proponents of the discipline have proposed the knowledge strategies of "new guoxue" and "broad guoxue," so as to dispel potential conflict between "guoxue" and the external political environment. In addition, in the construction of the discipline, proponents have emphasized the differences between Chinese and Western scholarship, and also made analogy to Western Sinology, to highlight the necessity of constructing a holistic "discipline of 'guoxue.'" However, these strategies and efforts have not achieved the objective of building "guoxue" as a discipline. One important reason is that "guoxue" studies are, to a very great extent, embedded in Chinese literature, Chinese history, Chinese philosophy and other related disciplines. The knowledge boundaries between "guoxue" and these disciplines are fuzzy, and the construction of the discipline lacks driving force from daily research practices. The process of to build a "guoxue" discipline can contribute to reflect on the existing discipline governance system in mainland China. [Translated by Carissa Fletcher. Originally published in "Peking University Education Review," 2017, 15(4).]
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2019
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1235780