activities that became quite visible in public arenas in the 1980s. The display of one's physical... more activities that became quite visible in public arenas in the 1980s. The display of one's physical body or the trend for elderly women to move in uncharacteristic movements pushed boundaries of acceptable moral behavior for women. Yet in the 1990s such "obscene" activities seem to have been routinized and normalized. As body-building is being considered as a potential Olympic sport, Chinese state officials have shown more support, with the result that participation in these events, even by women in bikinis, is gaining acceptance. In public parks, disco-dancing is a part of early morning exercise like any other organized group activity like taiji, ballroom dancing, or qigong. A more recent fad of yangge dancing, a traditional peasant form of dance with flashy costumes and loud drumming, has appeared in recent years throughout Beijing. While the evening dances appear almost spontaneously on street corners and busy intersections, and attract large crowds, the yangge troupes have gradually been appropriated into civic associations and local competitions. Such events in local neighborhoods and stadiums look strikingly similar to the opening ceremonies of an athletic meet. Although it is hoped that popular culture might be the source of more pluralistic notions of bodies in contrast to the specialized body of athletes, trie bodies of the masses are claimed just as much by state forms of ritual and display.
... In January, the United States deported some 250 stowaways back to China. ... The Hong Kongbus... more ... In January, the United States deported some 250 stowaways back to China. ... The Hong Kongbusiness elites have come to embody the forms of correspondence between economic, social ... that is a reimagining of Hong Kong through trans-Pacific entrepreneurial dynamism, with ...
the call for the unity of the umma has been always contested by the deep political factions withi... more the call for the unity of the umma has been always contested by the deep political factions within the umma on the basis of class, caste, gender, language and nationality. Given such socio-political diversity among Muslims across South Asia, the contradictions of the so-called "Muslim umma" stand exposed as there is no singular notion of belonging and identification of the Muslims in South Asia.
What fundamental changes in the state, and in the analysis of the state, have been stimulated by ... more What fundamental changes in the state, and in the analysis of the state, have been stimulated by economic globalization? In the course of interactions with global markets and regulatory agencies, so-called Asian tiger countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have created new economic possibilities, social spaces and political constellations, which in turn condition their further actions. The shifting relations between market, state, and society have resulted in the state's flexible experimentations with sovereignty. Graduated sovereignty refers to a) the different modes of governing segments of the population who relate or do not relate to global markets; and b) the different mixes of legal compromises and controls tailored to the requirements of special production zones. The Asian financial crisis further demonstrates the concept of graduation in that the market-oriented agenda can mean different things, strengthening state power and protections in certain areas, but not in others.
activities that became quite visible in public arenas in the 1980s. The display of one's physical... more activities that became quite visible in public arenas in the 1980s. The display of one's physical body or the trend for elderly women to move in uncharacteristic movements pushed boundaries of acceptable moral behavior for women. Yet in the 1990s such "obscene" activities seem to have been routinized and normalized. As body-building is being considered as a potential Olympic sport, Chinese state officials have shown more support, with the result that participation in these events, even by women in bikinis, is gaining acceptance. In public parks, disco-dancing is a part of early morning exercise like any other organized group activity like taiji, ballroom dancing, or qigong. A more recent fad of yangge dancing, a traditional peasant form of dance with flashy costumes and loud drumming, has appeared in recent years throughout Beijing. While the evening dances appear almost spontaneously on street corners and busy intersections, and attract large crowds, the yangge troupes have gradually been appropriated into civic associations and local competitions. Such events in local neighborhoods and stadiums look strikingly similar to the opening ceremonies of an athletic meet. Although it is hoped that popular culture might be the source of more pluralistic notions of bodies in contrast to the specialized body of athletes, trie bodies of the masses are claimed just as much by state forms of ritual and display.
... In January, the United States deported some 250 stowaways back to China. ... The Hong Kongbus... more ... In January, the United States deported some 250 stowaways back to China. ... The Hong Kongbusiness elites have come to embody the forms of correspondence between economic, social ... that is a reimagining of Hong Kong through trans-Pacific entrepreneurial dynamism, with ...
the call for the unity of the umma has been always contested by the deep political factions withi... more the call for the unity of the umma has been always contested by the deep political factions within the umma on the basis of class, caste, gender, language and nationality. Given such socio-political diversity among Muslims across South Asia, the contradictions of the so-called "Muslim umma" stand exposed as there is no singular notion of belonging and identification of the Muslims in South Asia.
What fundamental changes in the state, and in the analysis of the state, have been stimulated by ... more What fundamental changes in the state, and in the analysis of the state, have been stimulated by economic globalization? In the course of interactions with global markets and regulatory agencies, so-called Asian tiger countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have created new economic possibilities, social spaces and political constellations, which in turn condition their further actions. The shifting relations between market, state, and society have resulted in the state's flexible experimentations with sovereignty. Graduated sovereignty refers to a) the different modes of governing segments of the population who relate or do not relate to global markets; and b) the different mixes of legal compromises and controls tailored to the requirements of special production zones. The Asian financial crisis further demonstrates the concept of graduation in that the market-oriented agenda can mean different things, strengthening state power and protections in certain areas, but not in others.
A tidal wave of migrants and capital out of China highlights contrary claims made on liberal citi... more A tidal wave of migrants and capital out of China highlights contrary claims made on liberal cities. Liberalism's regulatory regimes, I argue, prime key Western cities to act like virtual city-states by managing these global flows. Whereas liberal citizenship emphasizes the rights of citizen-subjects, economic liberalism instigates territorialized rights for elite migrants. As urban metropolises become global platforms that support Asian flight, foreigners come to dominate city resources, thus generating mutations in citizenship. Part 1 links cities, security, and flows as a conceptual assemblage. Liberal regulatory regimes ensure citizens' security by maximizing the liquidity of value-creating activities. By facilitating global flows of elites, capital, and talents, however, liberal law undermines the entitlements of long-term residents. Part 2 tracks the Asian capital flight that seeks protections from liberal regulatory regimes by investing in the high-end real estate of cities like London, New York, San Francisco. As urban inequality widens, metropolitan authorities respond with an experimental mix of taxes that regulate the buying of property, renting, and traffic. Part 3 poses the question of emerging city-states. Because of their capacities to manage global flows from around the world, multicultural cities nurture conditions for the makings of world citizenship. But with the conjuncture of Brexit and the US-China trade war, can liberal cities sustain their role as global platforms in the face of declining arrivals and investments?
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