Friday, September 14, 2018 | 9AM - 6PM | Room 218, Sterling Memorial Library
Saturday, September 15, 2018 | 9AM - 6PM | Room 203, Henry R. Luce Hall
What was the material culture of Mao’s China (1949-1976)?
The first three decades of the People’s Republic of China are often perceived as a time of material privation, of Mao badges and model operas, and of a monochromatic world of identical Mao suits. In this way the Mao years are contrasted with the consumer cultures of the preceding Republican period and the post-Mao era of reform. This interdisciplinary conference brings China scholars working in the fields of architectural history, art history, cultural studies, film studies, history, and performance studies to examine the material culture in and of Mao’s China. The six panels include the themes of fabrication, building, production/consumption, circulation/utility, invention/reinvention, and performance/the body. The conference will feature two object study sessions with materials provided by the presenters.
Material Culture and Mao’s China is organized by Denise Ho (Yale University) and Jennifer Altehenger (King’s College London) and is sponsored by the Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University.
***Registration is required for this event. Please see the event page for more details: https://ceas.yale.edu/events/material-culture-and-maos-china-conference