Asian Studies Seminar Series: Ferran de Vargas In brief Date - 27 November 2024Venue - Room LG.08, 40 George SquareSpeaker - Dr Ferran de Vargas (University of Edinburgh)Title - Film and Theory in the Political Reconstruction of Post-War Japan About the eventIn the first decades after World War II, one of the most important questions in Japan was what could be done to prevent authoritarian powers from leading the people into another disastrous conflict. This question implied the need to understand the antidemocratic past in order to build a new future of freedom and social justice.This talk first explores how different interpretations from three great left-wing ideological spheres arose from the endeavour to address this key issue. Orthodox Marxism focused on the economic structure of Japan in terms of the oppressive relations of production between social classes. Liberal progressivism focused instead on the social-cultural superstructure, especially regarding the allegedly irrational relationship between the individual and the collective. Finally, the New Left tended to see the subjective feeling of social alienation generated by the rapid development of capitalist modernity as the core of the problem. After presenting the most representative theories of these ideological spheres, the talk will address how post-war Japanese cinema, through the example of specific films, conveyed these debates beyond intellectual circles to the general public.About the speakerDr Ferran de Vargas is a UKRI Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh. His main research interest is the study of political ideologies, democratic processes, and aesthetic movements in East Asia, with a special focus on transwar Japan.Dr De Vargas has been researching left-wing movements, Marxist theory, and the intersection of politics with cultural productions such as cinema in Japan, publishing his research results in journals such as positions: asia critique, Modern Asian Studies, Japan Forum, Film-Philosophy and Arts. He is currently working on Japanese left-wing political theories and cultural representations of fascism.How to attendThis event is free to attend and open to all. No registration is required, simply turn up on the day.This talk is in partnership with the Japan Foundation.Are you interested in studying with us?We are the only university in Scotland to offer full undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in both Chinese and Japanese, as well as postgraduate programmes in Korean Studies and East Asian Studies. Find out more about Asian Studies at Edinburgh Nov 27 2024 16.00 - 18.00 Asian Studies Seminar Series: Ferran de Vargas An in-person talk by Dr Ferran de Vargas (University of Edinburgh) titled 'Film and Theory in the Political Reconstruction of Post-War Japan' and in partnership with the Japan Foundation. Room LG.08 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9JX Find the venue: 40 George Square
Asian Studies Seminar Series: Ferran de Vargas In brief Date - 27 November 2024Venue - Room LG.08, 40 George SquareSpeaker - Dr Ferran de Vargas (University of Edinburgh)Title - Film and Theory in the Political Reconstruction of Post-War Japan About the eventIn the first decades after World War II, one of the most important questions in Japan was what could be done to prevent authoritarian powers from leading the people into another disastrous conflict. This question implied the need to understand the antidemocratic past in order to build a new future of freedom and social justice.This talk first explores how different interpretations from three great left-wing ideological spheres arose from the endeavour to address this key issue. Orthodox Marxism focused on the economic structure of Japan in terms of the oppressive relations of production between social classes. Liberal progressivism focused instead on the social-cultural superstructure, especially regarding the allegedly irrational relationship between the individual and the collective. Finally, the New Left tended to see the subjective feeling of social alienation generated by the rapid development of capitalist modernity as the core of the problem. After presenting the most representative theories of these ideological spheres, the talk will address how post-war Japanese cinema, through the example of specific films, conveyed these debates beyond intellectual circles to the general public.About the speakerDr Ferran de Vargas is a UKRI Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh. His main research interest is the study of political ideologies, democratic processes, and aesthetic movements in East Asia, with a special focus on transwar Japan.Dr De Vargas has been researching left-wing movements, Marxist theory, and the intersection of politics with cultural productions such as cinema in Japan, publishing his research results in journals such as positions: asia critique, Modern Asian Studies, Japan Forum, Film-Philosophy and Arts. He is currently working on Japanese left-wing political theories and cultural representations of fascism.How to attendThis event is free to attend and open to all. No registration is required, simply turn up on the day.This talk is in partnership with the Japan Foundation.Are you interested in studying with us?We are the only university in Scotland to offer full undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in both Chinese and Japanese, as well as postgraduate programmes in Korean Studies and East Asian Studies. Find out more about Asian Studies at Edinburgh Nov 27 2024 16.00 - 18.00 Asian Studies Seminar Series: Ferran de Vargas An in-person talk by Dr Ferran de Vargas (University of Edinburgh) titled 'Film and Theory in the Political Reconstruction of Post-War Japan' and in partnership with the Japan Foundation. Room LG.08 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9JX Find the venue: 40 George Square
Nov 27 2024 16.00 - 18.00 Asian Studies Seminar Series: Ferran de Vargas An in-person talk by Dr Ferran de Vargas (University of Edinburgh) titled 'Film and Theory in the Political Reconstruction of Post-War Japan' and in partnership with the Japan Foundation.
