Southeast Asian 175 Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia: “Cultural Histories, Migrating Identities “

Southeast Asian 175 Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia: “Cultural Histories, Migrating Identities “

This Upper Division seminar will explore the cultural, economic, social, political and religious history of Chinese diaspora in 19th to 21st century Southeast Asia. Our focus is the shifting contexts of migration, representation and strategies of cultural identification/survival. We will explore colonial, nationalist and state projects in Southeast Asia and in China, to categorize “Overseas” Chinese, and examine cultural flows, religious and educational associations and institutions, print media, and material culture. We will examine changing patterns in, perceptions of, and persecution of, Chinese residents in colonial and postcolonial Southeast Asia, with a comparative focus on Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. This is a discussion based seminar: students will lead discussions in class and will develop a research topic for their capstone project and participate in an end of semester research symposium.