Are Cultural Differences Necessarily Cultural: Problems in cross-cultural studies?

Fudan University, Photographer: Joseph Fernandez

Presenter:
Professor QU Weiguo
Curtin University, Building 209
Humanities Boardroom (209.214)
Tuesday, November 29, 3-5 pm

Abstract
In cross-cultural discussions, the notion ‘cultural difference’ tends to be taken for granted, and it serves as the basis for comparative cultural studies. However, if we care to look into the nature of the cultural differences, we will encounter a series of questions which may not have ready answers: in what sense are the differences between cultures real? Are cultural differences inherent or developmental? Does each culture have a definitive form? How pure can a culture can be?
I will examine the possible answers to these questions and discuss their consequences for cross-cultural studies, arguing that in an attempt to assert differences, cross-cultural studies have often been dehistoricized, and even overpoliticized in terms of identity politics.

Bio
QU Weiguo is Professor of English and Vice Dean, College of Foreign Languages and Literature at Fudan University. He completed his MA at East China Normal University (1987) and his MA at University of Strathclyde (1991). He was a Fulbright scholar, at Harvard University in 2004, majoring in discourse analysis, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and rhetoric. His Publications include: Introduction to discourse stylistics and Introducing argumentation.