China enforced COVID-19 lockdowns at staggerating costs. A look at China’s battles with past pandemics and the nexus of hygiene and authority helps us to explain. – by Konstantin Kladensky
English
In Qing China, ghastly stories of black magic create confusion throughout the empire. Phillip A. Kuhn investigates these events in an exceptionally captivating book. – by Konstantin Kladensky
Taiwanese vibrant cultures have a lot of unique sounds to offer. Although sounds can be heard all over the world, the level of noise here is quite different. Sounds also play considerable roles in Taiwanese society. Anna Šopíková takes us on a journey through the sounds of Taiwan. – by Anna Šopíková
Stereotypes are crude. Yet, they safeguard us from drowning in an ocean of complexity. Especially with regards to China, to peek behind the veils of stereotypes can be unsettling. But it also means to dive below the surface and to resist the temptation of oversimplification. In this sense, I would like to invite you to an act of resistance. – by Lukas Knoflach
Sinologists struggle with the question “What is China?” The political talk show “This is China” claims to know the answer. By drawing on the past, it emphasizes China’s uniqueness, and promotes the so-called “China Model” in order to boost the national confidence of the domestic audiences in the current leadership. – by Redaktion