ENG 283KIsland Culture:TaiwanFilm&Fict

Catalog

Taught entirely in English, this course introduces short stories, novels, and films associated with major social, cultural, and historical events from 20th-century Taiwan. We will explore how fiction and film influence the ways that contemporary Taiwan identity has been formed, understood, imagined, disrupted, questioned, expanded, etc. Course readings will lead us to think critically about identity formation and the individual's capacity for critical self-awareness. We will pay special attention to the ways that fictional representation contributes to our understanding of family, romance, sexuality, gender, race, economic class, social antagonism, modernization, colonialism, and more. Through group dialogue, we will develop skills in interpreting these representations. Class participation is a critical component of this course. 4 credits.