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Abstract In order to investigate how Asian film, as the “mirror” of the Asian economy and ideology, was involved in a political and economic power game and interpreted by researchers in the international arena, andto clarify?the evolution of related concepts and academic discourses,this study presents a systematic literature review on Asian cinema research from 2010 to 2020, adopting the knowledge domain and bibliometric methods, and reveals that ‘searching for Asia’ has become a common preoccupation among Chinese and international scholars.
Bibliometric research indicates that, firstly, Asian cinema research continues to grow, and the three major stages of cinema research correspond to several timings in the rise of the Chinese and Asian cinema industry. Second, regarding the subject of cinema research, primary contributions have been made by scholars in Chinese cinema/Chinese-language cinema studies, and international scholars from countries as diverse as Australia, India, Japan and South Korea. Third, regarding the construction of academic clusters, there is a lack of cooperation that cuts across the China-international academic divide. Although several relatively stable academic networks have been formed, the?deep interaction between Chinese and international?academics across nations has not been?found. As for the research area, Chinese authors focus on cinema and art, while the counterpart international research does not overemphasize the ontology of cinema studies or the claim that cinema should be studied based on cinema theories, which highlights its features as multi-interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies.
It reveals, through the deep investigation of the literature, that research engagement proceeds along an axis, known as the construction of the subjectivity of Asian cinema, which runs through the research path of Chinese scholars. In contrast, the work of their international counterparts proceeds along an axis that moves from the imagination of the other exotic wonders to a game of cultures based on a global power structure. The academic discourse system shows an evolution from the original “center-periphery” structure to a “multicultural game” structure. The popular Asian boom and film industry wonders are important reasons for the change of the academic discourse, while the construction of flowing historical discourse based on traveling theory proposed by Said will become the new direction of the academic discourse within this area.
On top of the above findings,the frontier hot-spots of Asian film research are summarized in the paper, including the research on the theoretical connotation and academic framework of Asian film, emerging film stars and directors, Asian film genres, and research on Asian film industry boom. This study also anticipates renewed agenda for Asian cinema research, which includes its fission and rebirth in the post-pandemic era, the revival and novel interpretation of old concepts, and the fusion of academic clusters and multiple disciplines. Specifically, scholars from East Asia will continue to play a central role in the construction of their identity.
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Published: 10 May 2022
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