Global Civilization Studies
GCS, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp.154-160
Print ISSN: 3106-0978; Online ISSN: 3106-0986
Journal homepage: https://www.gcsjournal.com
DOI： https://doi.org/10.64058/gcs260113eclcv
Exploring Chinese-Language Cinema, Visual Culture, and the Nation: A Review of Contemporary Chinese Cinema and Visual Culture: Envisioning the Nation by Sheldon H. Lu
Gao Yue
Abstract: Professor Sheldon H. Lu’s Contemporary Chinese Cinema and Visual Culture: Envisioning the Nation examines Chinese-language cinema and visual culture from the late twentieth to early twenty-first century, analyzing how contemporary Chinese film articulates cultural expression and constructs national identity within a transnational context. This review evaluates the book along three dimensions: conceptual framing, central themes, and methodological innovation. Conceptually, Lu maps the scholarly development of “Chinese-language cinema,” advancing from traditional film aesthetics to broader visual culture studies. Thematically, he engages with gender politics, spatial reconfigurations, and marginal discourses, exploring the imaginaries of individuals, cities, and the nation. Methodologically, his interdisciplinary approach offers a model for transnational film studies that balances local specificity with global engagement. While not without limitations, the book provides a fresh lens on contemporary Chinese cinema and visual culture and offers valuable insights into asserting Chinese scholarly agency in the international academic arena.
Keywords: Sheldon H. Lu; Chinese-Language Cinema; Visual Culture; Cross-Cultural Studies
Author Biography: Gao, Yue, Doctoral candidate at the College of Liberal Arts, Jinan University. Research interests: Film and Television Aesthetics. E-mail: 714796806@qq.com.
摘要：鲁晓鹏教授的新作《流动的世界想象：中国当代电影与视觉文化》聚焦20世纪末至21世纪初的华语电影与视觉文化实践，在跨国语境中探讨了中国当代电影的文化表达与认同建构。本文从概念考辨、核心议题、方法启示三个维度进行评述，以探析该书的理论贡献与学术价值。概念层面，著作梳理“华语电影”的学术脉络，实现从电影美学研究到视觉文化研究的理论跨越。议题层面，它关注性别政治、空间重构与边缘话语三重向度，探究个体、城市与国家的想象建构。方法层面，其跨学科的视野为跨国电影研究提供了兼顾本土关怀与全球对话的学术路径。尽管尚有局限，但该书为中国当代电影与视觉文化研究提供了新颖视域，亦为如何在国际学术话语中建构中国学术主体性提供了重要的启示。
关键词：鲁晓鹏；华语电影；视觉文化；跨文化研究
作者简介：高悦，暨南大学文学院博士研究生，研究方向：影视美学。电子邮箱：714796806@qq.com。
Received: 15 January 2026 / Revised: 26 Mar 2026 / Accepted: 02 Apr 2026 / Published online: 30 May 2026 / Print published: 30 June 2026.
