This international seminar provides an exchange platform for Hong Kong students from College of International Education of Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, and Kazakhstani students from KIMEP University to present their research projects and share ideas on various topics, including the layers of individual and collective consciousness, the expression of agency by individuals and groups within narratives, and how narratives reflect the cultural contexts from which they emerge, offering insights into the values, beliefs, and practices of different societies.

 

Seminar Theme: Narratives

In any narrative form, the authority of a narrator’s voice is implied. This implication raises questions about knowledge and perspective, as we consider how narratives not only convey stories but also reveal the underlying structures that govern what we think, perceive, and feel. The fixed ideological structures, characterized by a high degree of internal coherence, shape narratives that provide form and meaning while often obscuring the complexity of realities. This obfuscation can limit the range of options, reducing multifaceted issues into simplified packages that reflect ideological biases. The framing of a dominant narrative can expose biases and underlying assumptions. Fictional narratives revolve around questions of perceived “knowledge,” challenging dominant knowledge systems by presenting alternative realities and possibilities.