Transnational Asian American Literature
In this course we will explore how transnational Asian American writers have imagined the interconnections and points of correspondence between Asia and America. We will consider the histories of immigration, assimilation, and the racial and ethnic formations of Asian Americans. Topics will include race and representation, personal and collective memory, transracial and transnational identities, gender and sexuality, and contemporary issues in the work of Asian American writers moving across cultural borders. We will study cultural expressions, including memoir, novels, short stories, poetry, and new media, by authors such as Maxine Hong Kingston, Jhumpa Lahiri, John Okada, and Amy Tan. 3 hrs. lect./disc.