NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 當代文化中的全球化議題(6080)
	(Eng.) Contemporary Culture and Globalization
Offering Dept	International Master Program in Asia and China Studies
Course Type	Elective	Credits	3	Teacher	Yu-Chuan Shen
Department	International Master Program in Asia and China Studies/Graduate	Language	English	Semester	2025-SPRING
Course Description	This course explores globalization's cultural dimensions, examining how economic, social, political, and educational shifts reverberate through contemporary artistic practices and discourses. Students will cultivate a broad yet critical understanding of the key concepts associated with globalization studies by engaging with a range of interdisciplinary scholarship- from anthropology to urban studies. Attention will be given to the idea that "globalization," while typically understood as an economic or political process, also involves the circulation of ideas, signs, symbols, and identities across expanding physical and virtual realms. Through structured analysis of cultural contexts, broadly construed, students will learn to identify and interpret the often subtle ways in which local and global forces intersect in everyday life.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	N

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
1. A critical grasp of major theoretical concepts in globalization studies, including hybridity, transnationalism, glocalization, and global cultural flows. 2. The ability to analyze diverse cultural texts—from written works and film to social media and built environments—in light of globalizing influences. 3. A refined understanding of how economic, political, cultural, and educational processes intersect and how these intersections shape individual and collective identities in the contemporary world. 4. Skills to critically engage with academic discourse and contribute original insight on globalization's contested meanings and manifestations in different cultural contexts.			Lecturing Discussion Other topic Discussion/Production Networking/Distance Education Visit Exercises	Written Presentation Attendance Oral Presentation Assignment Study Outcome Quiz Other
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 Introduction to Globalization and Culture We begin by discussing the historical trajectory of globalization, tracing its evolution from early modern networks of exchange to contemporary transnational flows. Students will be introduced to the study of globalization as a contested field, highlighting tensions among economic, political, and cultural perspectives. Week 2 Conceptual Foundations and Debates Continuing from the introductory discussion, this session focuses on the foundational theories and debates that have shaped the field of globalization studies, including world-systems analysis and critiques of neoliberal economics. We will consider how scholars in different disciplines approach the study of globalization. Week 3 Cultural Flows and the Imagination This week, we look closely at how cultural products, ideas, and identities circulate across national and ethnic boundaries. We will discuss Arjun Appadurai’s notion of “scapes” and the role of imagination as a central component of cultural globalization. Week 4 Identity and Hybridity Our examination turns to concepts of identity formation under globalization, featuring discussions of hybridity and the construction of new cultural expressions. We will also consider critiques of these theories, which argue that globalization sometimes homogenizes rather than diversifies local cultures. Week 5 Global Cities and Urban Cultures This session addresses urban spaces as critical sites of global cultural interaction. By focusing on Saskia Sassen’s concept of the “global city,” we will discuss how financial, technological, and migratory flows produce complex cultural formations in metropolitan centers. Week 6 Media, Technology, and Transnational Communities We delve into the role of mass media and digital technologies in shaping transnational communities and identities. Particular emphasis is placed on the ways social media platforms and streaming services enable simultaneous global and local engagement. Week 7 Nationalism and the Global Context In an age of rising nationalism, we explore how globalizing forces intersect with nationalist ideologies. This unit highlights the tensions between transnational flows of people, goods, and information, and renewed assertions of sovereignty, border control, and cultural homogeneity. Week 8 Midterm Reflections and Workshop This session is reserved for collaborative presentations and midterm reflections. Students will share emerging insights from their ongoing research projects, engage in peer feedback, and refine their analytical frameworks based on the collective dialogue. Week 9 Cultural Policy and Global Governance We pivot toward the influence of global institutions—such as UNESCO or the WTO—on local cultures and policies. Through case studies, we will discuss how cultural heritage is preserved, commodified, or contested in a global market. Week 10 Migration and Diaspora This week’s topic centers on human mobility—both voluntary and involuntary—and the ways in which diasporic communities shape and are shaped by global cultural flows. We will examine the politics of belonging, citizenship, and cultural maintenance across borders. Week 11 Consumer Culture and Transnational Capitalism Focusing on consumerism, brand cultures, and the proliferation of commodity chains, we consider how transnational corporations influence cultural production and consumption patterns. Discussion will also address ethical dilemmas around labor, sustainability, and cultural homogenization. Week 12 Popular Culture in the Age of Global Media Building on earlier conversations about media technology, we analyze how popular cultural forms—music, film, television, social media “influencers”—circulate globally. Particular emphasis will be on Asian pop culture’s increasing global influence, especially K-pop, J-pop, and Taiwanese cinema. Week 13 Gender, Race, and Global Inequalities We devote this session to examining how gender and race function within globalizing processes, paying particular attention to labor migrations, global care chains, and the intersections of race, class, and gender in transnational contexts. Week 14 Cultural Resistance and Counter-Narratives Exploring social movements and protest cultures, we will discuss how local communities resist or reconfigure dominant global discourses. This session looks at activism, alternative economies, and subcultural expressions that challenge global power structures. Week 15 Globalization, Urban Inequality, and Gentrification Returning to the urban context, our focus is on gentrification and the uneven distribution of wealth within global cities. We will draw on case studies of urban redevelopment projects to consider who benefits—and who is displaced—by these transformations. Week 16 Education in a Globalized Era We examine how global forces shape educational systems, policies, and practices. Focusing on the internationalization of higher education, we will consider how universities navigate cross-border collaborations, institutional rankings, and the commodification of knowledge. Week 17 Student Research Presentations In this penultimate session, students present the findings of their semester-long research projects. Each presentation will be followed by a faculty-led commentary and a peer discussion aimed at synthesizing theoretical and methodological approaches. Week 18 Conclusion and Future Directions We conclude by reflecting on emerging trends in globalization, including the rise of regional integration, digital currencies, and climate change governance. The discussion will cover prospects for future scholarship, fostering a forward-looking perspective on the study of culture and globalization.
Evaluation
Class readings form the cornerstone of this seminar. Each week, students will closely engage with excerpts of theoretical texts that align with the central theme for that session. Some weeks may also involve additional cultural materials—such as novels, films, or documentaries—to deepen interdisciplinary insight. Students should come prepared to discuss these readings and cultural texts in class, drawing connections between theoretical frameworks and real-world cultural phenomena. Active attendance and thoughtful participation are essential to cultivating a rigorous intellectual community. Regular class attendance is therefore expected, as is consistent engagement in small-group and plenary discussions. Students who contribute informed commentary and constructive feedback demonstrate their grasp of the course materials and enhance the collective learning experience. This participatory component constitutes 30% of the final grade. Presentations, totaling 30% of the course evaluation, allow students to curate relevant cultural texts in response to the weekly theoretical readings. In the weeks designated for presentations, each student will bring a short text, video clip, or other cultural artifact that illustrates or complicates the theories under discussion. Accompanying each artifact should be a concise curatorial note of approximately 300–500 words to explain the chosen text’s significance and relevance to the course material. Students will then present their artifacts briefly in class, summarizing key observations, posing critical questions, and inviting further dialogue among their peers. The final research paper, accounting for 40% of the grade, is an extended project in which students articulate, develop, and refine an original argument that engages directly with the course themes. Spanning approximately 20 pages, this paper should demonstrate a thorough understanding of relevant scholarly literature and thoughtful application of theoretical and methodological tools studied throughout the semester. The final two weeks of the course are reserved for working on these papers, enabling students to receive feedback on research design, theoretical framing, and structural coherence before submitting the final version. Important Notice: Plagiarism in assignments and cheating in exams are strictly prohibited in this course. If substantial evidence confirms plagiarism in assignments or cheating in exams, the semester grade will be recorded as zero. Generative AI Ethics Statement: The instructor deems the use of generative AI inappropriate for classroom learning, as the content related to this course contains numerous inaccuracies in generative AI, which can easily affect students’ understanding of fundamental core knowledge. *Syllabus subject to change. All participants are encouraged to bring forward relevant texts, case studies, and viewpoints to enrich collaborative learning and debate.
Textbook & other References
PDFs and online papers. Some books and articles are available in the library. --- Selected References Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. University of Minnesota Press. Barber, B. R. (1996). Jihad vs. McWorld. Ballantine Books. Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture. Routledge. Castells, M. (2010). The Rise of the Network Society (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. Chua, B. H. (2012). Structure, Audience and Soft Power in East Asian Pop Culture. Hong Kong University Press. Clifford, J. (1994). “Diasporas.” Cultural Anthropology, 9(3), 302–338. Escobar, A. (2008). Territories of Difference: Place, Movements, Life, Redes. Duke University Press. Hall, S. (1996). “Introduction: Who Needs ‘Identity’?” In Hall, S. & du Gay, P. (Eds.), Questions of Cultural Identity (pp. 1–17). SAGE. Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford University Press. Harvey, D. (2012). Rebel Cities: From the Right to the City to the Urban Revolution. Verso. Held, D. & McGrew, A. (2007). Globalization/Anti-Globalization: Beyond the Great Divide (2nd ed.). Polity Press. Iwabuchi, K. (2002). Recentering Globalization: Popular Culture and Japanese Transnationalism. Duke University Press. Marginson, S. (2007). “Global University Rankings: Implications in General and for Australia.” Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29(2), 131–142. Mohanty, C. T. (2003). “Under Western Eyes Revisited.” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 28(2), 499–535. Parreñas, R. S. (2001). Servants of Globalization: Women, Migration, and Domestic Work. Stanford University Press. Ritzer, G. (2015). The McDonaldization of Society (8th ed.). SAGE. Sassen, S. (2001). The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. Smith, N. (1996). The New Urban Frontier: Gentrification and the Revanchist City. Routledge. Spring, J. (2015). Globalization of Education: An Introduction (2nd ed.). Routledge. UNESCO. (2019). UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics. UNESCO Publishing.
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
iLearning system
Office Hours
By appointment
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