GHKS@UC: Fantasies of Hong Kong Disneyland

Book cover titled "Fantasies of Hong Kong Disneyland" with promotional event details.

Event Date

Location
Zoom
Cover of the book "Fantasies of Hong Kong Disneyland" featuring a castle and event details.

About the Event

Fantasies of Hong Kong Disneyland: Attempted Indigenizations of Space, Labor, and Consumption examines the attempt to transplant Disney's "happiest place on Earth" ethos to Hong Kong—with unhappy results. Focusing on the attempted localization/indigenization of this idea in a globalized transnational park, the book delves into the three-way dynamics of an American culture-corporation's intentions, Hong Kong, China's government investment and Hong Konger audience, and the Hong Kong Chinese locale. The triple actors introduce an especially complex case as two of the world's most powerful entities, the nominally Communist state of China and corporate behemoth Disney, come together for a project in the third space of Hong Kong. The situation poses special challenges for Disney's efforts to manage space, labor, and consumption to achieve local adaptation and business success. 

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About the Speakers

Woman with dark hair and a turquoise scarf smiles in a green outdoor setting.

Jenny Banh is a Keynote Speaker, curriculum developer, and professor of Asian American Studies and Anthropology. She received Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside, an M.A. in Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University, and an B.A. in Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research has focused on Asia/Asian American studies, Cultural Anthropology, and Asian/American Popular Culture. Her current research examines the barriers/bridges to Southeast Asian American students, Asian Foodways, and a Hong Kong corporation.

Shan HUANG received his PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University in 2024 and is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Centre for Cultural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research explores the intersections of urban and environmental politics, creative social action, and affect studies, with a primary focus on Hong Kong and mainland China.
Smiling young man in formal attire against a light background.