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Sci-fi Cosmopolitanism: The Literary Reception of Western Science Fiction Novels in 1980s Hong Kong = 科幻世界主義: 1980年代香港對西方科幻小說的接受
Principal Investigator
Grant Awarding Body
Research Grants Council
Grant Type
Faculty Development Scheme
Project Code
UGC/FDS15/H09/25
Amount Awarded
HK$569,433
Funding Year
2025
Duration of the Project
24 months
Status
Ongoing
Abstract
This project critically examines the reception of Western science fiction (sci-fi) in 1980s Hong Kong, revealing how it reflected and shaped local cultural identity. It shows that Hong Kong writers were drawn to sci-fi for its critique of imperialism and its ability to create “alternative realities”, which fostered critical dialogue about political and cultural dominance. This interest aligned with emerging ideas of cosmopolitanism. This project employs theories of aesthetic reception, cultural translation and magazine studies to achieve two objectives. First, by analyzing over 200 translations and essays from key Hong Kong literary magazines, the study demonstrates how Western sci-fi was actively integrated into Hong Kong’s literary field, especially how the influential authors such as Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick were reinterpreted within the aforementioned context by the translators and editors. Second, the research illustrates how Western sci-fi challenged traditional boundaries between lowbrow and highbrow literature, contributing to the broadening of Hong Kong writers’ cultural vision. Ultimately, the project offers a deeper understanding of how Western genres influenced local literary practices and contributed to the articulation of Hong Kong’s evolving cultural identity during the 1980s.