Bullying, Trauma, and spiritual Practice: A Study on Globalization in Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being

Journal of Publishing and Criticism

JPC, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp.45-52

Print ISSN: 3107-0892; Online ISSN: 3107-0906

Journal homepage: https://www.jpcjournal.com

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64058/jpc260105btspg

霸凌、创伤与修行：论《不存在的女孩》中的全球化书写

潘敏芳（Pan Minfang）

摘要：当代著名日裔美国作家露丝尾关在小说《不存在的女孩》中通过书写霸凌文化、系统暴力等多种暴力形式表达了暴力、邪恶的无所不在，它导致了现代社会个人生活的创伤体验。对于如何面对社会中普遍存在的暴力和恶，尾关推介了禅宗哲学。在全球化语境下，尾关以公共知识分子的身份将东方智慧引入到西方语境，表达了她对暴力的批评和和平的祈愿。

关键词：露丝尾关；《不存在的女孩》；暴力；禅宗；全球化

作者简介：潘敏芳，广东工业大学副教授，研究方向为美国亚裔文学，电邮：panminfang@gdut.edu.cn.

Title: Bullying, Trauma, and spiritual Practice: A Study on Globalization in Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being

Abstract: In her novel A Tale for the Time Being, the renowned contemporary Japanese-American author Ruth Ozeki explores various manifestations of violence, including bullying culture and systemic violence, to illustrate the ubiquity of violence, and the resultant trauma experienced by individuals in modern society. To address the pervasive nature of violence, Ozeki advocates for Zen philosophy as a means of coping and healing. Within the context of globalization, Ozeki assumes the role of a public intellectual, introducing Eastern wisdom into the Western discourse to articulate her critique of violence and her aspiration for peace.

Keywords: Ruth Ozeki; A Tale for the Time Being; Violence; Zen Buddhism; globalization

Author Biography: Pan Minfang, an associate professor at School of International Studies, Guangdong University of Technology. Research areas: Asian American Literature. E-mail: panminfang@gdut.edu.cn.