China entdecken, China erleben, China begreifen: Junge Wissenschaftler:innen reden von eigenen Erfahrungen

Concept and moderation:
Dr Wang Yi, Director, International Office, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

Speaker:
Dr. Hongwei Bao, University of Nottingham

This talk introduces queer media activism in contemporary China. The past thirty years has seen the formation of sexual identities and communities in Mainland China; it has also seen a proliferation of media produced and consumed by LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) people. These media forms consist of leaflets, zines, pagers, websites, and dating apps. Their media practices include oral history documentaries, internet radio and webcasts, film and cultural festivals, and DIY video-making workshops. What do these media forms and practices tell us about the LGBTQ identities, communities and cultures in contemporary China? What insights can we gain about identity, politics, and social change? This talk draws on the author’s new book Queer Media in China (Routledge, 2021) to highlight the role of community media in identity formation, community building and the articulation of a postsocialist queer politics.

Dr. Hongwei Bao is Associate Professor in Media Studies at the University of Nottingham, UK, where he also directs the Centre for Contemporary East Asian Cultural Studies. He holds a PhD in Gender and Cultural Studies from the University of Sydney, Australia. His research primarily focuses on queer media and culture in contemporary China. He is the author of Queer Comrades: Gay Identity and Tongzhi Activism in Postsocialist China (NIAS, Press, 2018), Queer China: Lesbian and Gay Literature and Visual Culture under Postcolonialism (Routledge, 2020) and Queer Media in China (Routledge, 2021).

The event will be held in English and takes place on Zoom online platform.