University of Hong Kong

This course examines the world of the bustling and controversial theaters of the Anglo-Atlantic Eighteenth Century. Taking a dramaturgical approach to a number of dramatic texts produced in this important period in the history of popular entertainment, this course will examine key developments in literary innovation such as character development and the rise of interiority from within the context of new theatrical technology, the rise of new forms of media, the growing power of government censorship, an emerging imperial identity, nationalism, and increased social mobility. We will also focus on the rise of celebrity culture in the period and examine the development of popular obsession with “stars” within the broader social contexts of shifting gender norms, new regimes of sexual expression, and the rise of consumer culture. We will also examine plays alongside other forms of texts such as published gossip, celebrity memoirs, newspaper advertisements, playbills, and acting manuals, making use of existing databases hosted at the Folger, Huntington, and the British Libraries. This course also aims to serve as a general introduction on how to read literary texts historically, and how the study of literature can benefit from an interdisciplinary approach.

This course examines how GIS is used to address and analyze pressing health problems from the geographical perspective. It covers such topics as theoretical and practical issues, simple disease mapping, disease pattern analysis, and environmental association through spatia modeling techniques. 

This course provides an interdisciplinary and critical analysis of the impact of globalization on Hong Kong culture. It demonstrates how postcolonial Hong Kong culture can offer new ways to understand the relation between the colonial past and the present world order of global modernity. The course introduces key concepts and theories of globalization by focusing on cultural analyses and critical responses to globalization. Particular emphasis is placed on the creative media, transnational culture industries, and global cultural phenomena relevant to everyday Hong Kong experience. This includes the analysis and critique of Hong Kong's image and role as depicted in the popular press, the Internet, film, literature, theater, the built environment, the visual arts and cultural production and consumption. The global-local cultural dynamics that drive Hong Kong into the future are also explored. Assessment: midterm exam, essay, workshop, tour report, participation, discussion, presentations.

This course examines anticolonial and decolonial thought. It will study and analyze primary texts by key anticolonial thinkers from South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

This course examines food systems and environments around the world. Topics covered include global food production and trade, agribusiness, food culture and politics, genetic engineering and organic food, food security and sovereignty, healthy dietary habits, sustainable food policy, Hong Kong and Chinese food culture, and the future of food. 

This course examines subtitling in the context of Hong Kong's media and entertainment industry. Students will learn about the technical and creative aspects of subtitling, as well as the ethical and cultural considerations that are involved in this field. The course also includes practical assignments and workshops that allow students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios. With consistent case-based analysis of contemporary audiovisual contents, platforms and creators, this course will showcase the latest convergence between professional and fan-based subtitling in the age of streaming. It is designated to prepare the students for their future accreditation by the AVT Pro certificate – the first and only professional accreditation for audiovisual translation.