Cultural Studies in Asia

Subject 106-432 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points:	12.50
Level:	4 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:	This subject is not offered in 2009.
Time Commitment:	Contact Hours: A 2-hour seminar per week Total Time Commitment: 2 contact hours/week, 8 additional hours/week. Total of 10 hours per week.
Prerequisites:	Usually admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in Cultural Studies, English or Gender Studies.
Corequisites:	None
Recommended Background Knowledge:	None
Non Allowed Subjects:	None
Core Participation Requirements:	For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry. It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

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Subject Overview:	This subject focuses on the emergence of cultural studies as a distinct disciplinary formation in Asia over the past fifteen years, and introduces students to this new field's key approaches to analysing contemporary cultures. It introduces recent work on intra-Asian cultural flows, colonial histories, postcoloniality, neo-colonialism and cultural globalisation in the Asian region, and explores cultural studies' engagement with emergent Asian public cultures. Students will learn about current approaches to sites and practices including television drama, popular and new-wave cinemas, new social movements, popular music and urban space across locations that may include South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and India. On completion of this subject students should have an understanding of the major directions in cultural studies scholarship in Asia today.
Objectives:	be able to comprehend the emergence of Asian cultural studies as a distinct disciplinary formation over the past ten years; be able to demonstrate familiarity with key methods within this new field, including new critical and historical approaches to colonialism, post-coloniality and neo-colonialism in Asian contexts; analysis of intra-Asian cultural flows; and cultural studies' engagement with emergent Asian public cultures; appreciate key conceptual concerns within Asian cultural studies, including relations among local, national, global and regional levels of cultural organization; and the transforming meaning of 'Asia' itself in today's world.
Assessment:	A 25-minute seminar presentation 10% (due during semester), a 2000-word essay 35% (due mid-semester) and a 3000-word essay 55% (due at the end of semester). A hurdle requirement of a minimum 80% attendance (10 out of 12 seminars) required.
Prescribed Texts:	A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:	This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information:	Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:	social, ethical, and cultural understanding of self and others through detailed analysis of contemporary culture in its various local, national and transnational contexts; the reception of new ideas and the contextualisation of judgments; the adaptation of knowledge to new situations; critical analysis and synthesis through the study of competing theories of contemporary culture and their application to diverse examples; the engagement with and processing of different critical perspectives across the interdisciplinary field of cultural studies; the development of independent thought and arguments; effective written and oral communication through seminar discussions and debates; the preparation and execution of written assessment exercises; exposure to and emulation of competing genres and protocols of critical writing; information management and information literacy through the practice of library and archival research and engagement with electronic databases; teamwork, flexibility, and tolerance through group discussions in seminars; reception of new ideas and opinions; engaging and cooperating with other people from diverse backgrounds; time management and planning through managing and organizing workloads for recommended reading, seminar presentations, and assessment requirements.
Related Course(s):	Diploma in Arts (Asian Studies) Master of Arts (Asian Societies) Master of Arts Management Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Management
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations:	Anthropology and Social Theory Asian Studies Chinese Chinese Cultural Studies Cultural Studies Cultural Studies Gender Studies Gender Studies Gender Studies Indonesian Indonesian Japanese Japanese Social Theory Social Theory

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