Americanization of French Theory and the Rise of “Chinese Postism”

Abstract

Chinese Postism refers to Chinese versions of poststructuralism, postmodernism and postcolonialism, three major western theoretical trends prefixed with “post.” Chinese Postism is largely retranslations of English translations (and interpretations) of French theories of poststructuralism and postmodernism, as well as postcolonialism as American appropriation of French theories. Revisiting the French- American-Chinese journey of theory may help uncover the broader political and ideological changes underlying the intellectual and academic trends.