Our own shadow of the Cultural Revolution

Our own shadow of the Cultural Revolution: Transgenerational transmission and the affective foundations of contemporary Chinese society Fiction, film and art discuss the legacy of the Cultural Revolution, but how should the social sciences assess and measure the "shadow" of the Cultural Revolution in contemporary Chinese society? Instead of exploring the political and social structures of society and visible artifacts, I focus rather on the processes through which (self-) perception is sharpened and individuals` identities are constructed. How did the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) influence the individual? This project is part of the "emotional turn" in social sciences. Focusing on the recipient (individuals) and not the sender (political leaders), this study aims to develop a framework for the analysis of the impact of Chinese politics on the mind of the individual. Object relations theory is a psychodynamic theory within psychoanalysis describing the process of mental development in relation to others. The "objects" of the theory are both real others in the world of the individual, and the individual`s internalized images of others. These patterns of object relations can be altered, but often continue to exert a strong influence throughout life. My hypothesis is twofold. First, that these relational patterns build a system of affect manipulation which functioned as a form of political control during the Cultural Revolution, enabling individuals to perceive themselves in politically defined states of joy and frustration and providing sanctioned modes of bonding. I will ask how individuals struggled with the excessive demands of the political environment, what were the main objects of identification, how fear, ambivalence and conflicts were handled, and what defense mechanisms existed. Second, my research will be linked to European research projects emphasizing the significance of transmission of these relations in family narratives. I hypothesize that the "Maoist object relation" forged the personality today and that it is transferred and survives in the next generation. The affective foundations framework will make use of autobiographical texts by former Red Guards, two rounds of interviews with six pairs of family members of different generations in Wuhan, and study of their interaction with the researchers. This project introduces interview techniques and participatory research design of generational transmission developed in sociology and social psychology into the field of Chinese Studies. Problematizing what can be said in our discipline, this project explores also the role of the researcher in conducting research and writing culture and history. The Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University and the surrounding libraries offer access to the most extensive and important collection of Chinese journals, Red Guard tabloids, and films outside China. These will be invaluable for this topic. Wang Ban, William Haas Professor in Chinese Studies, has agreed to be my supervisor. He is one of the leading international experts combining psychoanalytical approaches with the analysis of Chinese literature, film, and society.