Pop Culture in Taiwan
Course Description
Summary
In this course, a selection of audio, video, and print media on pop music, food, fashion, and social media, among other aspects of popular culture In Taiwan and China, will serve as a source of authentic input for the study. Students will explore the role of pop culture in shaping modern Taiwanese and Chinese societies through in-class discussions while developing their competencies in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Chinese. Students will even create their pop culture pieces!
Students will explore concepts such as how popular culture affects and is affected by the very different political systems between China and Taiwan; what was the effect of China's opening (and now closing) on popular culture there; how have the pop cultures of Japan and Korea and western consumer culture influenced pop culture in Taiwan and China.
A course pack of various Mandarin Chinese language materials pertaining to pop culture in Taiwan and China will be provided.
Learning Outcomes
- By end of term, students will be able to understand, discuss and critique various aspects of Taiwanese and Chinese popular culture,
analyze the ideas and the concepts from the perspectives of the popular cultures, raise valid and rational questions regarding the popular cultures and analyze and discuss these questions in Chinese
conduct independent research and form ideas and opinions based on their research and logically state and express their thoughts coherently and cohesively in Chinese.
Prerequisites
At least 3 term Chinese at College level.
Please contact the faculty member : glin@bennington.edu