On December 21st, 2019, an academic seminar on foreign literature research and Community of Shared Future for Mankind construction was held in the lecture hall of Yifu Humanities Museum of South China University of Technology. Foreign literature experts from Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Hangzhou Normal University were invited as guests of the seminar. At the same time, nearly 100 foreign literature scholars from more than 50 well-known universities in China participated in this activity and had in-depth exchanges and discussions in sub-forums.

     This seminar is sponsored by the School of Foreign Languages, the Interdisciplinary Research Center of Literature, and the Comparative Literature and Cross-cultural Studies Branch of China Foreign Literature Society. Actively responding to General Secretary Xi's call to “advocate Community of Shared Future for Mankind consciousness” since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the conference focused on the theme of foreign literature and Community of Shared Future for Mankind construction, and discussed how to implement this idea from the perspective of literature and culture, and connect with the development of academic frontiers.

Conference Scene

Opening speech by guests

     At the opening ceremony of the seminar in the morning, Fang Jundong, assistant president of South China University of Technology, and Zhong Shuneng, dean of the School of Foreign Languages, delivered speeches to congratulate the seminar on its success. At the formal meeting, professors Wang Ning, Liu Shusen, Liu Jianjun, Yin Qiping, Zhang Bing, Yang Feng and Li Yun were invited to deliver profound keynote speeches on disciplinary construction, cultural development, literature works, literature exchange and cultural theories, emphasizing the importance of humanities in globalization, defending the value of humanities, and highlighting the responsibilities that Chinese scholars should bear in the development of foreign literature disciplines.

Keynote speech delivered by experts

Keynote speech delivered by an expert

    In the afternoon, the sub-forum was held in the No.1 Teaching Building of South China University of Technology. Eight discussion groups sorted out the varies topics according to their speeches, including theoretical criticism, text analysis, identity construction, comparative literature, cultural politics, narrative expression and science fiction literature. After sharing the research results, the speakers of each group made comments one by one, giving valuable opinions, and the teachers of foreign literature in our college actively participated in the discussion and made wonderful speeches. On-site teachers and students actively put forward their own opinions and puzzles from different perspectives, which won unanimous praise from the participants. In this seminar, the participating scholars made a comprehensive display and profound analysis of their research fields, and jointly framed a grand picture of literature and shared community, which shows essential guiding significance for the development of foreign literature.

Sub-forum site

     This seminar not only presented a rich academic feast for teachers and students of our college, promoted future study and work, but also enhanced mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation among experts and scholars attending the seminar, enhanced the influence of our college in the field of foreign literature, and created a benignant atmosphere for academic exchange and learning.

(Photo/seminar volunteers)