The world does not need more goddesses! Interview Kang Tingyu: "Not every woman can become Cai English"

Many people know the name "Kang Tingyu", starting with her amazing learning experience. From Taiwan to England, from sociology to geography, she completed four master's degrees and a ph. D. In seven years, respectively, at four prestigious universities. After returning home, he successfully entered the school of Communication at the political University as an assistant professor. Although not necessarily had out, but is beyond the common People's cognition.

There was a commotion in the Internet world, and a lot of people were curious as to what a young girl would do. The scene saw Kang Tingyu himself, her tone softly, sometimes with a bit of embarrassed shame shyness, but she talked about feminism, when talking about the phenomenon of contemporary dislike of women, laugh that they are "nerd" of her, eyes but flashing light, I think that is Kang Tingyu go to today's best credentials.

The sadness behind five degrees: My life has been a long way

In the eyes of others, Kang Tingyu is a proud woman, only in 2011, she obtained a Ph. D. In geography from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and after returning to Taiwan, she successfully found a job at the political university. Even more surprising is the fact that she has scored the following five degrees in a short span of seven years: Master of Sociology at Oxford University, Master of Gender Studies at the London School of Economics, Master of Social Sciences at Taiwan University, Ph. D., University of Oxford, University of London, Queen Mary College, Media law. Others envy Kang Tingyu's ability, but for her, this by others Gold label, in fact, is not high-spirited, more like a drift of the self pursuit.

"I was envious that I had so many degrees, but in fact I was envious of the person who could have been squatting in the same ph. 」

Kang Tingyu from an early age to know that they pay attention to social justice, but in Taiwan's law department, she found that the contents of the career, not her heart, she prefers to discuss the context behind the society and philosophy. So after graduating from the law department, Kang Tingyu into the master's class in Taiwan society and dreamed of going abroad to study one day. "I like reading, but also want to engage in research work, so in Taiwan Society, read a year, have the opportunity to rush abroad."

But Kang Tingyu temporarily laid down Taiwan's schoolwork and entered the master's degree in sociology at Oxford University, where she found it was an unseen path. Kang Tingyu, who has made up his mind that he will be able to do research in the future, will not be able to get a ph. D., but only slowly from the master's degree, waiting for the not yet coming ph.

"The really good people are the kind of people who get the PhD right away, and I was really frustrated at the time, just trying to find the possibility abroad." "At the moment of uncertainty, Kang Tingyu take the youth to grind, see can grind out the shape of the imagination."

The first to Oxford: I am the most stupid person in the class

However, with apprehension and anticipation to the United Kingdom, Kang Tingyu found that the Oxford Society is the weight of quantitative diameter, which is different from her preference for qualitative research. Learn the above adaptation, let just go abroad to Kang Tingyu, "I often feel that I was the most stupid person in the class, how many books read several times or can not digest." Outside the classroom, when students discuss international politics, they are often unable to join. 」

In addition to the challenges of learning, the right-wing ethos of Oxford University, which had not had much of a Kang Tingyu in Taiwan, has allowed her to stay on the right side of the conflict, constantly adjusting to xenophobic conflicts. Kang Tingyu mentioned that he once bought fruit near the school, thinking "one pound." means to buy her "a pound", but was humiliated by the stall keeper: "This refers to the meaning of a pound, does your country not teach English?" 」

The atmosphere of the unfriendly let the then Kang Tingyu feel concerned, thinking: "When I got the degree to go." "But she did not expect this journey, there are other frustrations are still ready to send."

The difficult journey for international students: I am pessimistic but very strong

Kang Tingyu's wait still remains, after graduating from Oxford Society, she chose to apply for a Ph. D. In the London School of Economics. But it was not thought that the London School of Economics teachers asked Kang Tingyu, to study for a PhD, must first have the university qualifications, and after completing the master's thesis, and then pass the qualifying examination, to obtain the permission to continue the doctorate. In this context, Kang Tingyu is unable to go directly to the ph. D., and continues to pursue a master's degree in gender studies at the London School of Economics and Politics, which has put heavy pressure on Kang Tingyu, who are eager to qualify for a doctorate. (Extended reading: A long road to study: the ability to look directly into one's soul )

The days of graduate students will be too simple to get up, breakfast, reading, lunch, reading, dinner, bathing, reading, writing papers, anxiety, sleep, anxiety. Sometimes interspersed with libraries, supermarkets, cafes. In addition to the class, a graduate student does not need to speak at all, no class, no matter, no words. The day is as simple as a sloping line, slipping into the direction of inner weakness. The graduate years of studying abroad are especially lonely, the social network is neither deep nor fixed, life and the anchor of the soul completely tied to the study, nothing to ask.

Koyuki The loneliness of the students in "The road is difficult", Kang Tingyu also has such a fragile, "remember once in London under the snow, I accidentally slipped on the road, but also can only a person dry tears to continue efforts, in the process of studying abroad, such a moment is not uncommon." 」

Because the professor set her a very high doctoral entrance threshold, when the university students have begun to achieve something, someone in the four law firms, someone to become the company's director, but they are still struggling for the degree, do not know whether the end of tomorrow will come, can not graduate with nothing, anxious Kang Tingyu said at that time can only " Pessimistic but strong "forward.

Constant Core care: focus on "transnational female mobility"

University from the legal field as the starting point, Kang Tingyu and backwards across the sociology, gender studies, geography three different fields, and finally on the way home to study the media to knot. These choices may seem irrelevant, but Kang Tingyu says, "My core concerns are the same, but they are all related to each other in interdisciplinary research." 」

The core of Kang Tingyu's research has been to accept Professor Li Mingxian's guidance in Taiwan, preferring the social phenomenon under globalization, self-acceptance of her "observing human things", "transnational female movement" and " Media technology "has been the focus of her research, so in Kang Tingyu seemingly jump off the regular course of schooling, she always hold the same interest, not as the outside interpretation of the irrelevant."

after receiving his Ph. D., and with interest in media technology, Kang Tingyu from the university's legal faculty, and then obtained a master's degree in media law from Queen Mary College, University of London, the fifth and last in her seven-year career. I asked Kang Tingyu Why can I work tirelessly in the sea of knowledge? She said: "I have always loved to study, is a nerd." Being a scholar is my dream, I hope I can make myself to a more complete state. "

In the interview, I also wondered what Kang Tingyu's view of the "new immigrant spouse" group of transnational Mobile women. Kang Tingyu Seriously said that this actually embodies our traditional gender relations. In the past, we always expected men to be economically superior to women, but when Taiwanese women walked out of their homes and into the workplace, the men who were excluded from the marriage market could only seek out women who were financially dependent on them.

When it comes to the discrimination in the marriage of the new immigrant, Kang Tingyu has many regrets, "but when we say that the marriage of the foreign spouse does not have true love, only when buying and selling, how contradictory is this view of love?" We generally expect men to have the ability to carry a family, which is all about "money", but they also believe in this set of values, but this becomes the reason for exclusion. 」

On the way to feminism: we're great.

I asked Kang Tingyu why so concerned about women's issues? She smiled and said that feminism was not a figment of her mind, that she had a sense of gender from a young age, and that feminism reinforced her perception of the problem. "Just as I walk into the age of 30, women will begin to think about the issues of long-term intimacy, and feminism will be a guide." "Feminism is not dogma, as long as you have your own initiative, becoming a housewife can also be a choice."

But Kang Tingyu is also worried about the current state of feminism, which has contributed to her time in the title: "From the Madonna to the Women: the media," the United States and the new woman Lust, "because in her eyes, when feminism is just a pleasure to spend, it ignores women who don't have the power to spend, and they still struggle."

According to the Harvard Business Review, women control the 20 trillion dollar consumption decision each year in the global consumer spending, and advertisers give independent women the impression that they are marketing to sell their goods in order to make their wallets available to women who can afford to spend. in the consumerism of the supremacy of the impetus, women to read ads bought, not just merchandise, but also "new generation of women" of the self affirmation.

"I'm not suggesting that it's not worth affirming for women, but on the feminist path, we're better off, not ignoring the disadvantaged women," she said. "Kang Tingyu is always concerned about the structure of the problem, because advertising is ultimately business behavior, many ads, although seemingly strengthen women's autonomy, but let people think that this is enough, but forget the existing world, there are many problems not rely on money can be solved."

Kang Tingyu said that the identity is not to be pinned on the advertising or mass media, can also find their own strength, this is the real right to empower. On this road, she will continue to voice, "Make sure that the world's favorite, and then keep working hard, this is not very good?" 」

Good times? It's about the atmosphere, not the idol.

At the end of the interview, I asked the court Yu as the speaker of this great era, how she defined "big woman"? Kang Tingyu shook his head and said: "I never had an icon in my heart." "Looking at my puzzled expression, Kang Tingyu said this era, we do not need to create more icon, when we only celebrate the success of individuals, it is easy to overlook not everyone has the same superior conditions."

"The ideal woman is not a person, but a social atmosphere that allows women of different classes, races and social conditions to live better," she said. 」

From the resolute expression of Kang Tingyu, it is no wonder that she is still the girl who is concerned with justice, and that she will reflect on the direction of feminism, and in The great times, " from Madonna to women and men: The erotic flow of the new feminine in the media", for Kang Tingyu, There are so many difficulties in being a woman that when we preach only consumption and boast of our idols, we turn a blind eye to the real dilemma and think that the age of equality has come. (Extended reading: halfway decent feminism!) The sexual liberation of the sister Fan: "The liberation of not only lust, but also the freedom of all people")

such as Chua's English and 隋棠, Madonna, a Class of women with fame, beauty and economic ability, are often hailed as the winning group of life, being hailed as the perfect woman's model. As long as they call on women to stand up, they can improve the patriarchal structure, and thus improve the status of women. When we enviable this kind of woman with abundant capital, Kang Tingyu reminds us: "Not every woman can become Cai English." "In real life, women may not really be able to liberate, and thus improve the existing gender dilemma."

Women never have a single appearance, this road is still very long, each individual story is unique existence, those happiness and pain, physical experience, the flow of lust will not be the second person to repeat the experience. The real pluralism is opening up appearances to understand the difficult beginnings of the different women.

5/28 to the Big Women's lecture workshop , listen to Kang Tingyu talk about pluralistic practice.