The Confucian Revival and its Impact on Contemporary East Asian Societies Through the Lens of the Relation between Individual and Society

Vsebinski opis projekta

Confucianism is a widespread cultural heritage in East Asia and its revival in the early 20th century had a significant impact on redefining the cultural and ideological foundations of modern East Asian societies. Its revival, which manifests itself in the Modern New Confucian stream of thought (现代新儒学), aimed to modernize traditional Confucian ideas by incorporating Western theories while still maintaining its core values. The current is defined as the search for a synthesis between Western and traditional East Asian thought, in order to elaborate a system of ideas and values capable of resolving the social and political problems of the modern, globalized world. The intellectuals belonging to this stream of thought, have namely attempted to reconcile “Western” and “traditional Chinese” values, in order to create a theoretical model of modernization that would not be confused or equated with “Westernization”.

The current of Modern New Confucianism has been well-researched in the Sinophone sphere, including Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. However, despite its significant influence in other East Asian regions such as Korea and partly also Japan, the research on Modern Confucianism and its impact in these areas is limited. This calls for further investigation and examination of the subject to gain a comprehensive understanding of its development and impact in the wider East Asian region. Hence, the proposed project aims to provide a comprehensive examination of Modern New Confucianism by studying its theoretical approaches, ideas, and methods, as well as exploring the political, social, and ideological context of the Confucian revival and its specificities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Korea, and Japan.

Our research will first establish the global significance and intercultural framework of the subject matter and then move on to examine the general characterization of East Asian modernity and the historical and political conditions that shaped its multifaceted modernization processes. Our study will proceed from the Confucian ethics, particularly in the form of traditional “relationism," which is based on a specific form of role-ethics. This model of social ethics is rooted in the concept of the so-called “relational self”, which emphasizes the importance of relationships in shaping the individual's identity.

On this basis, we will highlight any culturally divergent issues that may arise. In this regard, we will particularly focus upon the investigation of two agendas: firstly, we aim to shed light upon the question of why and in which specific ways the relicts of traditional Confucianism influence modern East Asian societies in spite of their different political and social systems. Subsequently, we shall elaborate upon different structures of the relation between the individual and the society in all regions under observation. This examination will provide a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between the Confucian revival and the development of East Asian contemporalities.

The project team, consisting of four well-known experts in East Asian Confucianism (two Sinologists, an expert in Korean studies and one in Japanese studies) will study the interweaving of modernity and tradition in East Asia, striving for a comprehensive understanding of the modernization of Confucian heritage and its different manifestations in Korea, Japan, China Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The goal is to foster intercultural exchanges to enhance cultural, economic, and political ties with East Asia and to promote intercultural awareness and sensitivity in the context of multiple modernities. This is important given the current globalized nature of the world's crises, which require intercultural cooperation and exchange of knowledge, experiences, and ideas. Additionally, effective cross-cultural communication, a secondary outcome of this project, is crucial for Europe, with its diverse cultural, linguistic, and traditional backgrounds.

doc. dr. Tea Sernelj, red. prof. dr. Jana S.Rošker, doc. dr. Kang Byoung Yoong, asist. dr. Marko Ogrizek

Spodaj je navedena realizacija faz, navedenih v levem stolpcu. (Realizacija se opiše ob koncu vsakega leta)

1.    Leto: od 01.10.2023-30.09.2024
Realizacija:
2.    Leto: od 01.10.2024-30.09.2024
Realizacija:
3.    Leto: od 01.10.2024-30.09.2025
Realizacija:

The research will be divided into 5 research segments (RS) that denote different areas of activity: RS1 - Research in archives, fieldwork and networking; RS2 - Academic meetings and other forms of international cooperation; RS3 - Managing and reporting; RS4 – Outcomes; and RS5 – Dissemination.

The research segments will be either conducted simultaneously or in sequence, depending on the agenda. Each segment will be divided into individual tasks, including:

RS1: Archival and field work in East Asia and specialized libraries worldwide.

• Archival and field work in East Asia and in specialized libraries in Europe (and partly in the USA) is a crucial component of this research segment. This activity involves collecting, analysing, and preserving primary and secondary sources of information related to the research topic. The sources of information can include archives, manuscripts, historical documents, artefacts, and other physical and digital records.

RS2: Attendance and organization of national and international workshops, summer schools, academic forums, guest lectures, symposia, and conferences is a key component of research segment 2. These activities involve participating in and hosting events that provide opportunities for researchers to exchange ideas, share research findings, and discussing future collaboration in further projects.

• The research team members will participate in events organized by others. These events will provide us opportunities to learn about the latest developments in our field, network with other researchers, and engage with a wider audience.
• On the other hand, we will also organize and host academic events on project related themes. These events will provide us opportunities to showcase our research results, exchange with other researchers, and build relationships with key partners. The events can take various forms, including workshops, summer schools, academic forums, guest lectures, symposia, and conferences.

RS3: Kick-off workshop, periodical meetings, and final meeting are key components of research segment 3. These activities provide opportunities for the research team to come together to discuss the progress of the project, share ideas, and make decisions about the direction of the research. The goal of these meetings is to ensure that the research is conducted in a coordinated and efficient manner.

• The kick-off workshop will be the first meeting of the research team, and will be held at the beginning of the project. It will provide an opportunity for the team to come together to discuss the objectives, methodology, and timeline of the project, as well as to establish a plan for the research under the guidance of the project leader.
• Periodical meetings will be regular meetings held by the research team, usually at the beginning of each research period. These meetings will provide an opportunity for the team to discuss their progress, share findings, and plan future activities.
• The final meeting will be held at the end of the project and will provide an opportunity for the research team to come together to review the results of the project and to plan future activities. The final meeting is also an opportunity to honour the accomplishments of the project and to reflect on the lessons learned.

RS4: The activities will result in project outputs. These will include:

• Research articles and special issues in high impact factor academic journals. The results of the research will be published in prominent academic journals in relevant fields such as East Asia - An International Quarterly, Comparative Philosophy, Asian and African Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Philosophy, Dao - A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Religions, Contemporary Chinese Literature and Thought Today, The Journal of Korean Studies, Journal of Japanese Studies, etc.
• Monographs and edited volumes, published by reputable international academic publishers, such as Springer, Routledge, Bloomsbury Academic, Brill, Hong Kong Chinese University Press, SUNY, University of Hawaii Press, etc. The research team is also committed to sharing their findings and contributions in Slovenian language through the publication of an anthology and a monograph. Both works will be published by the esteemed University of Ljubljana Press, providing a platform for their research to reach a wider Slovenian audience.

RS5: Parallel to our research work, the project team members will continuously share and distribute the findings, conclusions, and implications of a research study to a wider audience with the goal of maximizing the impact and influence of the research, and to ensure that the results can be used to inform decision making and contribute to the advancement of knowledge. The dissemination of our project results will encompass various strategies to reach a broad audience and increase the effect of the research. These activities will include:

• Website: A dedicated website will be created to provide an overview of the project, its objectives, methodology, and results. The website will also serve as a platform for sharing research outputs and updates on the project's progress.
• E-newsletters: Regular e-newsletters will be sent to academic associations, universities, and research institution working in the project-related topics, to keep them informed of the project's progress and the latest research results.
• Presentations: Presentations will be given at various public events to share the research findings and engage with a wider audience.
• Cultural dissemination: The results of the project will be disseminated to the general public through cultural events and exhibitions, as well as through media outlets such as radio interviews, news websites and magazines.
• New educational materials: The project will result in the creation of new educational materials, such as textbooks, teaching aids, and e-learning resources, to support the transfer of knowledge and ensure that the results can be used in a practical context.

• 2024. 1. Pregledni znanstveni članek: ROŠKER, Jana S. Research on the Confucian revival in Slovenia. Asian studies. [Print ed.]. 2024, vol. 12 (28), iss. 1, str. 287–304. ISSN 2232-5131.  https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/16183/15267, https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=154132 ,  DOI: 10.4312/as.2024.12.1.287-304. [COBISS.SI-ID 182610179], [SNIP] ; financer: AARS, Raziskovalni program, AJK, Azijski jeziki in kulture, P6-0243; ARIS, J6-50202, Konfucijanski preporod in njegov vpliv na sodobne vzhodnoazijske družbe skozi prizmo odnosa med individuumom in družbo Kategorija: 1A1 (Z, A'', A', A1/2); uvrstitev: Scopus (h), Scopus (d), MBP (DOAJ, ERIHPLUS, ESCI);

DECEMBER 2024 

Slovenski opis:  
Vabljeno gostujoče predavanje tujega profesorja: Vodja projekta Tea Sernelj je v sodelovanju z članoma projektne skupine Jano Rošker in Marka Ogrizka na Univerzi v Ljubljani organizirala gostujoče predavanje profesorja Heinerja Roetza iz Rurske Unvierze v Bochumu. Predavanje, ki je bilo 11.12.2023 v Zbornični dvorani Univerze v Ljubljani, je kritično obravnavalo interpretacijo Japersove teorije osnega obdobja s strani Eisenstadtove Teorijo mnogoterih modernosti. Predavatelj je izpostavil pomen transkulturnih transformacij v Vzhodni Aziji, predvsem na razpotju med tradicijo in moderno dobo. Pokazal je, da je tradicionalno konfucijanstvo razvilo idejo kritičnega subjekta že v osnem obdobju, t.j. v šestem stoletju pred našim štetjem. Ta ideja se je ohranila v konfucijanski filozofiji vse do danes in predstavlja vitalni vidik konfucijanstva, ki ga velja ohraniti in razvijati tudi v bodočnosti, kajti v tem okviru nosi v sebi velik potencial za obogatitev in kritično prevetritev nove globalne etike. Predavanje je bilo tesno povezano s temeljnimi vsebinskimi cilji projekta, saj je predavatelj jasno in znanstveno utemeljeno pokazal, da je konfucijanski preporod v današnji Vzhodni Aziji pomemben dejavnik za razvoj demokratičnih sistemov ne zgolj v omenjenih regijah, temveč tudi v drugih sodobnih družbah.  

English description: 
Invited Guest Lecture by a Foreign Professor: the project leader Tea Sernelj, in collaboration with project team members Jana Rošker and Marko Ogrizek have organized an invited guest lecture by Professor Heiner Roetz from the Ruhr University in Bochum. The lecture, held on December 11, 2023, in the Assembly Hall of the University of Ljubljana, critically discussed the interpretation of Jaspers' theory of the axial age by Eisenstadt's Theory of Multiple Modernities. The lecturer emphasized the importance of transcultural transformations in East Asia, especially at the crossroads between tradition and the modern era. He demonstrated that traditional Confucianism developed the idea of a critical subject already in the axial age, i.e., in the sixth century BC. This idea has been maintained in Confucian philosophy to this day and represents a vital aspect of Confucianism that should be preserved and developed in the future, as it carries great potential for enriching and critically revising a new global ethic. The lecture was closely linked to the fundamental content goals of the project, as the lecturer clearly and scientifically demonstrated that the Confucian revival in today's East Asia is an important factor in the development of democratic systems not only in the mentioned regions but also in other contemporary societies. 

Plakat (vabilo)/ Poster (invitation): 

2024. 1. Pregledni znanstveni članek: ROŠKER, Jana S. Research on the Confucian revival in Slovenia. Asian studies. [Print ed.]. 2024, vol. 12 (28), iss. 1, str. 287–304. ISSN 2232-5131.  https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/16183/15267, https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=154132.

Povzetek članka:

Projektna sodelavka Jana Rošker je v mednarodni znanstveni reviji Asian Studies objavila pregled obstoječega materiala, ki tvori del osnovnih doslej opravljenih študij, na katerih bo temeljilo raziskovalno delo pričujočega projekta, katerega vodja je Tea Sernelj. Članek prikaže, da je bilo v  Sloveniji  doslej opravljenih  veliko osnovnih  pionirskih raziskav  konfucijanskega  preporoda,  zlasti  od  leta  2012 oz. 2014, ko sta bila odobrena prva dva raziskovalna projekta na sorodne teme. Člani in članice Oddelka za azijske študije na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani so odtlej kontinuirano izvajali raziskovalno delo tako v Sloveniji kot tudi v različnih kitajskih, tajvanskih in vzhodnoazijskih arhivih in knjižnicah. Te študije so privedle do vrste pomembnih publikacij v slovenščini, angleščini in celo v kitajščini, ki predstavljajo rezultate kontinuiranih  prizadevanj,  ki  se  nadaljujejo  še  danes v okviru pričujočega projekta in predstavljajo dragoceno osnovo za bolj specializirano raziskovalno delo,  ki je posvečeno širitvi modernega konfucijanstva iz Kitajske v Vzhodno Azijo.

Cilj tega preglednega članka je torej pripraviti pregled doslej opravljenih raziskav kot osnovo specializiranih raziskav v okviru pričujočega projekta. Članek povzema ključne dosežke slovenskih raziskav na širšem področju konfucijanstva nasploh, ter  zagotavlja  celovit  pregled  različnih  raziskovalnih  dejavnosti  in  publikacij  v  Sloveniji,  povezanih  s  klasičnim, pa tudi sodobnim  konfucijanstvom.  Obravnava  ne  le  raziskave  o  preporodu konfucijanstva na Kitajskem in v širši vzhodnoazijski regiji, temveč tudi nekaj pionirskih preliminarnih študij konfucianizma v drugih vzhodnoazijskih regijah in na širšem območju Vzhodne Azije.

Članek predstavlja dragocen vir informacij in nujni del osnovne materialne oz. bibliografske podlage za raziskovalno delo v okviru pričujočega projekta.  

Ključne besede: moderno novo konfucijanstvo, konfucijanski preporod, moderna kitajska filozofija, vzhodnoazijsko konfucijanstvo, kitajske študije v Sloveniji, slovenska sinologija, kitajska filozofija v Sloveniji