An online lecture by Dr. Jenny Clegg based on her book Fu Manchu and the Yellow Peril: The Making of a Racist Myth”.

Details

It was not uncommon in the past when Chinese people were often portrayed in media and films as a closed, mysterious community, master-minded behind the scenes by cruel gangsters and drug barons. This book confounds these stereotypes and exposes the systematic nature of racist ideology through a critical analysis of the myth of the "Yellow Peril", epitomized by the character of Fu Manchu, the stereotypical Oriental master-villain popularized in fiction and film of the 1920s. The myth is contrasted with the real lives of the Chinese communities in Britain and the contextualized historical relations between Britain and China. The persistence of the underlying themes and images in popular culture has implications for the present-day Chinese in Britain.

The Speaker

Jenny Clegg is a Senior Lecturer in International Studies, and a China specialist, at the University of Central Lancashire. She first visited China in the 1970s and has followed developments closely ever since. Jenny is also active in the peace movement.

Venue: Online via Zoom

Admission: No charge, please register your attendance in advance

Booking: Please email membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk in advance to register your attendance