NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 跨文化研究理論(8009)
	(Eng.) Introduction to Transcultural Studies
Offering Dept	International Doctoral Program in Taiwan and Transcultural Studies
Course Type	Required	Credits	3	Teacher	Liew Zhou Hau
Department	International Doctoral Program in Taiwan and Transcultural StudiesPh.D	Language	English	Semester	2024-FALL
Course Description	This course aims to introduce students to the study of transcultural and transnational Asia. Each week, we focus on a theme that expands on the possibilities of transculturality. We will think through spatial, geographic, and ecological examples drawn from work in Asian studies. We read across different disciplines, such as anthropology, history, and sociology to borrow insights for our critical practice. In other words, we will learn to do comparative criticism together, informed by studies and theories of transnationality and transculturality. By tracking transnational/transcultural opportunities and potentials through concepts such as place, transmission, circulations, migration, diaspora, borderlands, and the environment, we reimagine connections that are obscured by national frameworks. One part of class will be used to close-read and discuss primary texts and the other, issues raised by the secondary texts. The primary texts are cultural texts, broadly defined, which include literature, film and selected histories. The secondary texts are a mix of contextual studies and theory. Together they help to illustrate themes that are areas of active research today. Readings: We will close read the texts in class together. Attendance and participation: You are expected to attend every class and participate in class discussion. For some weeks, you are expected to lead the class by listing 2-3 questions for discussion. (20%) Presentations: Each student will take turns to present in class on a secondary text, offering a 10-minute summary of that essay’s argument and some questions it raises for our primary readings that week. The presentation must simply be a summary and a set of questions, which helps to kickstart our discussion. (20%) Midterm assignment: Short close reading of a cultural text of your choice. (25%) Final paper: Long paper on a topic relevant to the course. (35%) Note: Readings subject to change.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
This course provides opportunities for students to practice thinking transculturally, through pertinent cultural and theoretical examples.			Discussion Exercises Lecturing	Written Presentation Attendance Oral Presentation Assignment
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 9/12 Introduction to class Week 2 9/19 Who and what is the transnational subject? Tash Aw, “You Need to Look Away: Visions of Contemporary Malaysia.” International Organization for Migration (IOM), “Migrant.” Glossary on Migration Khachig Tololyan, “The Nation-State and its Others: In Lieu of a Preface.” Week 3 9/26 How do we map out “Asia”? Wong Yoon Wah, ”Banir Blues” and ”My Marginal Home” Benedict Anderson, “Census, Map, Museum.” In Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism James Scott - ”Authoritarian High Modernism” Week 4 10/3 Race, nation, and diaspora Shirley Lim, ”Monsoon History” Ien Ang, “Can One Say No to Chineseness? Pushing the Limits of the Diasporic Paradigm.” In On Not Speaking Chinese: Living Between Asia and the West Week 5 10/10 School holiday Week 6 10/17 Contact zones, colonial cities, and creolization Celina Hung Tzu-hui, “There are no Chinamen in Singapore: Creolization and Self-Fashioning of the Straits Chinese in the Colonial Contact Zone.” Shirley Lim, Among the White Moon Faces Week 7 10/24 Representation For this class, we’ll do a review of the concepts that have already been discussed. We will also discuss the concept of cultural representation briefly. Week 8 10/31 Self-directed midterm assignment In this class so far, we have explored different theories of diaspora (Tololyan, Ien Ang, Celina Hung). Pick one of the theoretical texts as a lens, in order to “read” one of the literary texts that we’ve covered (Shirley Lim, Tash Aw, Wong Yoon Wah, Wong Phui Nam). Your essay should include these elements: i) Discussion of the concept “diaspora” from the point of view of one of the theories. In other words, write your own understanding of the theory. This helps to establish a framework for a reading of the literary text. (500 words) ii) Close reading of the literary text. Discuss at least 2 key passages of the literary texts you’ve chosen. Discuss whether they agree/disagree/expand on/reinforce/supplement etc. the theory you’re writing about. (500 words) Week 9 11/7 Oceans (i) Sunil Amrith, Crossing the Bay of Bengal (pg.1-31) Amitav Ghosh, The Glass Palace, Chapter 1 Week 10 11/14 Oceans (ii) Huang Hsinya, Toward Transpacific Ecopoetics Three Indigenous Texts Syaman Rapongan, The Eyes of the Sky Week 11 11/21 Globality Anna Tsing, Friction Allan Sekula, Fish Story A Land Imagined (2018, film) Week 12 11/28 Resource frontiers Anna Tsing, Friction Asimetris (documentary) Week 13 12/5 Supply chains and transnational capitalism Allan Sekula, Fish Story Aihwa Ong, Flexible Citizenship https://research.cornell.edu/news-features/asian-societies-and-unexpected-connections https://theaseanpost.com/article/robert-kuoks-legacy-malaysia Week 14 12/12 Transnational capitalism (ii) Aihwa Ong, Flexible Citizenship Ian Teh, Confluence Week 15 12/19 The planetary and the Anthropocene ”Haunted Landscapes of the Anthropocene” Tsing et al - Introduction - Haunted Landscapes of the Anthropocene Feral Atlas, TAKE (watch the short videos) https://feralatlas.supdigital.org/modes/take Feral Atlas, TAKE essay https://feralatlas.supdigital.org/?cd=true&rr=true&cdex=true&text=isc-take&ttype=essay Optional: Horn and Bergthaller, Introduction to The Anthropocene: Key Issues for the Humanities Week 16 12/26 Student presentations and final paper workshop Week 17 1/2 Final paper consultations Week 18 1/9 Self-directed final assignment Building on one of the theoretical concepts of the second half of class, students will write a final paper that discusses how a visual text complements, challenges or interrogates the concept (1000-1500 words). This will also be based on your presentation in the previous week. In your paper, please ensure your address these three things: 1) A short summary or discussion of the concept in question. 2) A short discussion of the background of the visual text. 3) Your own analysis of the style and content of the visual text.
Evaluation
Readings: We will close read the texts in class together. Attendance and participation: You are expected to attend every class and participate in class discussion. For some weeks, you are expected to lead the class by listing 2-3 questions for discussion. (20%) Presentations: Each student will take turns to present in class on a secondary text, offering a 10-minute summary of that essay’s argument and some questions it raises for our primary readings that week. The presentation must simply be a summary and a set of questions, which helps to kickstart our discussion. (20%) Midterm assignment: Short close reading of a cultural text of your choice. (25%) Final paper: Long paper on a topic relevant to the course. (35%) Note: Readings subject to change.
Textbook & other References
PDFs and online essays. Some books available in the library.
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
Office Hours
Please make an appointment beforehand.
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs
11.Sustainable Cities and Communities   12.Responsible Consumption   13.Climate Action   14.Life Below Water   15.Life On Land include experience courses：N

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