Slavoj Žižek’s Reception in China: From Academic Discourse to Popular Culture
Abstract
Since gaining prominence in the West as a post-Marxist with the publication of The Sublime Object of Ideology in 1989, Slavoj Žižek has achieved widespread recognition both in the West and in China. Despite some controversy, his status as a world-class thinker is well-established. The phenomenon known as Žižek Fever shows no signs of abating in either the West or China. When Žižek’s theories travel to China, they often manifest differently due to the unique characteristics of China’s contemporary political environment, academic trends, ideologies, and value orientations. Žižek enjoys different positions within China’s philosophical and humanities circles, as well as among the general public outside the academic community. As a symptom, which reflects the truth of the subject’s desire, Žižek’s reception in China reveal specific truths of China itself.
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