邹文律博士

Animal Imagery in Contemporary Hong Kong Fiction
This project employs the lens of "human-animal studies" to examine the portrayal of animals in contemporary Hong Kong fiction. By analysing the intricate dynamics between humans and animals in these novels, the study aims to elucidate the underlying meanings associated with animal imagery. The study will examine how authors reflect on the existing relationships between humans and animals, and how they envisage more balanced models for coexistence between the two.
Based on preliminary observations by the principal investigator, animal depictions in Hong Kong literature appear to exhibit two key dimensions. (1) The animal kingdom serves as a reflection of human society, with animal characteristics symbolising various aspects of human nature. In this context, animal writing serves as a conduit for contemplating the human spiritual condition, existential quandaries, and ultimate destiny. (2) By depicting the relationships between humans and animals, authors prompt reflection on the treatment of animals and the ethical responsibilities associated with their care. This reflection gives rise to a reimagining of the relationship between humans and animals.

Project Start Year: 2025, Principal Investigator(s): CHAU, Man Lut
SDGs Information: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 15 - Life on Land

當代華語科幻小說對人工智慧決策系統的想像 The Imagination of Intelligent Decision Making System in Contemporary Sinophone Science Fiction

隨著人工智慧結合大數據、人工神經網路，高速芯片、演算法；以人工智慧輔助人類決策早已不是科幻小說的想像，更逐步成為現實。科幻小說作家長於觀察科技發展引發的社會議題，因此越來越多作品探索人工智慧決策系統對於人類現在與未來的影響。人工智慧決策系統在科幻小說呈現為兩種模式：（1）人工智慧決策支援系統：人工智慧向人類提供建議，並由人類進行最終決策；（2）人工智慧全權決策系統：人類把決策權交付人工智慧，由它對各種影響人類社會的政策、資源調配作決定，並加以實踐。
華語科幻小說描述人工智慧決策支援系統如何通過搜集人類的數位足跡與環境數據，為人類在調適身心、保障生命等方面提供「最優解」，引導人調控「身體」機能，獲得幸福生活。然而，這些被人工智慧決策支援系統視為「最優解」的建議，實際上反映哪些當代社會的價值觀念/偏見？
部分華語科幻小說更進一步，想像人工智慧決策系統自動為人類社會面對的各種問題提供「最優解」，並加以實踐以後的世界。人工智慧從人類那兒接收了管治社會的權力與行動力。通過重新塑造人類身體，這些人工智慧決策系統把人類引領進入一個自由與幸福的新社會。在這些受人工知慧決策系統支配的社會，人類與人工智慧將會怎樣互動？人類屆時將會擁有怎樣的「身體」（人機結合而成賽伯格？人工智慧以生化人的姿態與人類互動？）？人類的「身體」將如何重新被定義？以上皆是華語科幻小說近年反覆思考的重要主題。
本研究打算透過理論闡釋文本的方式，探討華語科幻作家如何想像人工智慧決策系統深深嵌入人類社會後，引發的可能改變。

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): CHAU, Man Lut

「更新代」中國科幻小說作家的時間與空間想像 The Time and Space Imagination of the “New Generation” of contemporary Chinese science fiction writer
「更新代」中國科幻作家關注的主題紛繁，計劃主持人於是次研究計劃以「時間」和「空間」為切入點，打算借鑒科幻小說研究、文化地理學等相關理論，以文本細讀的方式對「更新代」科幻小說家筆下的各種空間與時間體驗，進行考察，以期發現作家對當代中國社會的觀察，以及未來中國/人類文明的想像。本計劃的研究成果相信能夠豐富當代中國科幻文學的研究，並為日後有關中國「更新代」科幻作家的文學研究計劃，奠下基礎。

Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): CHAU, Man Lut

後九七香港作家小說中的動物書寫研究 The Animal Writing of Post 97 Hong Kong Writers
本計劃擬借鑒生態文學研究的相關理論，特別是有關動物書寫（例如黃宗潔：《他鄉何處？城市．動物與文學》）、動物權利之研究（例如威爾．金利卡、蘇．唐納森《動物公民：動物權利的政治哲學》Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights），以文本細讀的方式探討可洛、張婉雯、李維怡、黃怡、蔣曉薇，葉曉文等作家如何通過書寫動物，反思香港人和動物在城市的生存狀態。本計劃的研究成果相信能夠豐富香港文學中有關自然生態、動物書寫的研究，並為日後此方向的文學研究計劃，奠下基礎。

Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): CHAU, Man Lut
SDGs Information: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 15 - Life on Land

Imagination of Cityscape: A Study on Post-1997 Hong Kong Young Writers
Hong Kong cityscape and the city itself have been gradually changed and transformed since the handover in 1997. A group of writers who started to publish their first book after 1997, namely the "post-1997 Hong Kong young writers", have grown up in the city since they were born. They have witnessed and experienced the changes. Their works can reflect how they feel and think towards the city. Yet, studies of this group of writers are still in its infancy. A closer look and a comprehensive study should be carried out in order to understand their structure of feelings – is it different from what is shown in the works of writers from older generation? There are three main objectives for this project. Firstly, it aims to provide a detailed analysis of how "post-1997 Hong Kong young writers" imagine the city by looking into their fiction. As much related researches are concerned with individual writers, this research intends to fill in the gap by examining their works comprehensively. Secondly, this research will analyze their structure of feelings by using the theories of space and place. It also gives voice to the writers' unique experiences and current feelings towards the city by conducting interviews. Thirdly, this project aims to provide a thorough study on this group of writers for future use, either in the writings of Hong Kong literary history or in generating more critical studies on these writers. It will also examine the possibility of using this similar framework to analyze prose and poetry. In short, upon completion of this project, we will arrive at a better understanding of (1) how the "post-1997 Hong Kong young writers" imagine the city; (2) their structure of feelings and whether it is different from writers of the older generation; and (3) how their fiction represents urban space and body space.

Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): CHAU, Man Lut 鄒文律