KSCB070 Popular Culture and Taiwanese Identity

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Prof. Adina Zemanek (lecturer), Mgr. Bc. Denisa Hilbertová, M.A. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. Lucie Olivová, MA, Ph.D., DSc.
Department of Chinese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Bc. Denisa Hilbertová, M.A.
Supplier department: Department of Chinese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
KSCA013 History of China II || KSCB004 History and Culture of Taiwan
English
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course will trace various kinds of national identity constructed in Taiwanese popular culture, with special emphasis on the recent years. A short introduction to Taiwan’s history and the main kinds of texts to be employed as examples throughout the course will be followed by a series of lectures dedicated to selected topics related to national identity. Each lecture will be illustrated with numerous examples, which will also serve as starting point for class discussions.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • 1. Introduction Historical background: the Dutch in Taiwan, the Qing rule, the Japanese colonial period, the Republic of China, the martial law era, democratization and Taiwanization Taiwanese cinema after the martial law era: the “New Wave” and recent years Comic books in Taiwan since the martial law era Tourist souvenirs in present-day Taiwan 2. Chinese identity during the martial law era The Kuomintang’s sinicization of city spaces (Taipei); Chinese identity as expressed in „Campus Folk Songs” (1970s) and in contemporary graphic memoirs 3. History and memory Taiwanization, “de-Chiang-Kai-shek-ification” and “subjectivity in history”, with examples from popular non-fiction books, contemporary graphic memoirs and postcards 4. Ethnicity The 本省人 benshengren (native Taiwanese) and the 外省人 waishengren (Mainlanders) in the New Wave cinema, recent films and comic books 5. Taiwanization and the 台客 Taike culture Origin and evolution of the Taike stereotype; its employment in defining Taiwan during the 1990s and in recent years; with examples from popular books, Hoklo rock, films and postcards 6. Taiwaneseness and everyday life Tim Edensor’s idea of national identity embodied in everyday life, John Urry’s concept of the “tourist gaze” and definitions of Taiwan in tourist souvenirs and comic books 7. Cultural hybridity Taiwan’s culture as unique configuration of localized global influences; with examples from films and comic books 8. Linguistic issues The use of Mandarin and Hoklo to emphasize a Chinese or local identity; linguistic hybridity in present-day Taiwan; with examples from films (“Healthy Realism”, the “New Wave”, works from recent years) and graphic memoirs 9. Generations and national identity Student political activism, the “China factor” and the 五年級 wu nianji (“fifth-grader”) generation; with examples from popular non-fiction and graphic memoirs
Teaching methods (in Czech)
Lectures, seminars
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Evaluation methods:
• class attendance is compulsory; students with over one absence (regardless of the reason) will obtain a „not passed”
• the course will be followed by a test in the form of a short essay based on visual material presented in class
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught: in blocks.
Note related to how often the course is taught: Výuka proběhne blokově v týdnu 20.-24. 2. 2017. 5 dní (po-pá), 2x denně. Přesný rozvrh bude upřesněn do poloviny ledna.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2017/KSCB070