Emergence of the Modern Self

The international research network ‘The new French Sinology’ is pleased to invite you to the second session of its bimonthly seminar entitled: ‘Emergence of the Modern Self: China as an Approach or China in the Approach, a Methodological Reflection’.

During this session, ZHOU Xiyin will present his research on the history of ideas surrounding the notion of 'self' from a perspective that is not strictly comparative, but rather transversal between China and the West. Although the term 'Self 自我' has become an almost everyday word in today's Chinese-speaking world, it is generally accepted that this complex notion is a modern invention, particularly of the West.

Holder of a PhD in Philosophy (ENS Ulm) and a PhD in Language Sciences (EHESS), ZHOU Xiyin is an associate member of the Center for Modern and Contemporary Chinese Studies (CECMC/EHESS). By combining Chinese linguistics and the philosophy of language, her research focuses on both classical and contemporary Chinese thought, aiming to unveil the intrinsic link between language, society, and thought in the Chinese world. Following the publication of her book Philosopher en chinois by Hémisphères in 2023, she is now more specifically dedicated to the study of the notion of self, conceived as a central pivot of the person in the context of modernity.

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The seminar is organised by Lun Zhang.