Lecture: Redefining Fieldwork in Contemporary China
From Dakou to D.I.Y: The Punk-rock Movement in Contemporary China

Dr. Nathanel Amar

Thursday, October 26, 2017 5 - 6:30 PM
Seminar room 1101 , 11/F Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus

This lecture will address the issue of non-official cultural production in contemporary mainland China, using the example of the punk-rock movement. The development of the punk scene was stimulated in the 1990s by the appearance of dakou CDs and tapes, sold on Chinese main cities’ black market. In a political regime that tightly controls cultural production, Chinese punks had to rely on their own strengths to produce CDs, posters or fanzine. Hence, this lecture will explain how Chinese punks used the D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) philosophy, to produce and release underground material contents.

Dr. Nathanel Amar is a Post-doctoral fellow in the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at the University of Hong Kong. His PhD was centered on Chinese underground counter-culture communities. His current research focuses on the political uses of culture and identity politics in contemporary China.

Enquiries: Ms. Zhang Xuehong (3917 7158 / xuehong@hku.hk) arts.hku.hk/research/sofhku