Spring 2024

Being and Becoming Chinese (Or Not)

Listed in: Asian Languages and Civilizations, as ASLC-210

Faculty

Lei Ying (Section 01)

Description

What does it mean to be “Chinese,” when the term stands at once as a marker of nationality, ethnicity, language and culture? Through the lens of literature and film, this course looks into the rich histories and cultural diversities of Chinese communities beyond the borders of the People’s Republic of China and in different parts of the world. The stories and films the course features are grouped around three geographical foci: Hong Kong and Taiwan, Southeast Asia (in particular, Singapore and Malaysia), and the United States. This course unpacks the complexity of the Chinese experience in a global world order shaped by colonialism, migration, and transnational exchange. At the same time, we delve into the pains and joys, discoveries and dilemmas of the individual artists who negotiate multiple boundaries—geopolitical, ethnic, cultural, linguistic—in search of a literary citizenship.

Spring semester. Professor Ying.

How to handle overenrollment: null

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: an emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, group work, in-class quizzes or exams, visual analysis

ASLC 210 - LEC

Section 01
M 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM FOHA 120
W 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM FOHA 120

Offerings

Other years: Offered in Spring 2025