文脈中的外國意念：英國中古暨文藝復興文化一側面─中古英文歷史誌中的外國意念與國族認同(2/3)

Abstract

Many scholars have argued against the validity or possibility of talking about discourse of the nation or expressions of national identity in the Middle Ages. But the useless premodern/modern divide cannot help explore the issues in view; what we should do is not to argue if there was national identity in the Middle Ages but to examine the elements of national identity and their functions in different contexts. This study not only hopes to invigorate the traditional discipline and deepen the theoretical inquiries of medieval studies without downplaying the historical and cultural specificity of an earlier age but, more importantly, opens the contemporary discussions to a different and broader context so as to help us reflect on the limitations and problems of contemporary theories. The major problems considered include the validity of talking about national identity in the proposed study, the debate of essentialism and constructivism, the complex but informative relationship between national identity and the idea of foreignness, and the role religion plays in enhancing or blocking the possibility of national identity. The theoretical review has confirmed the validity of the work done in the previous year and has also made follow-up studies possible and necessary.

許多學者論稱國族是現代的概念，不適用於中世紀相關的討論。本計劃嘗試 探討國族認同及概念在中古英國文學的相關性，研究中古英國歷史誌中所呈現的 外國意念如何型塑國族認同的想像，希望藉此開啟傳統研究新的方向，同時能深 化理論的思維，不但析論其助益也反省其可能問題。計畫第二年著重在理論的反 省與思辯，主要探討的課題包括國族論述在中世紀是否存在、本質論與建構論之 辯、國族認同與外國意念之關聯以及宗教與國族認同之關係。此一理論的反省顯 示計畫第一年的研究方向適當可行，也使得第三年的工作更為必要。