Introduction to Chinese American Literature (5cr)

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able- to explain reasons for the emergence of racial stereotypes in the United States- to identify and define central themes of Chinese American literature- to analyse key issues relating to the formation of Chinese American identity and transnational experience- to acquire further skills in presenting arguments orally and in writing

Content

The course first examines racial stereotypes and Orientalist representations of the Chinese and Chinese Americans in the United States; these stereotypes of the Chinese range from the figure of the Yellow Peril to the Dragon Lady and beyond. Second, the course explores texts by Chinese American writers and how these writers have adopted diverse genres and narrative strategies in their discussion of racial stereotypes, assimilation, transnationalism, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity. The texts analysed include stories by Sui Sin Far, Frank Chin, Maxine Hong Kingston, David Wong Louie, and Ted Chiang as well as early Angel Island poems by Chinese immigrants. The genres examined range from phrase books to short stories, novels, and speculative fiction.