Characteristics and Research Directions
【Academic Characteristics】
Department of Sinophone Literature breaks away from the traditional mono-centered viewpoint of related departments of Chinese Literature and Taiwanese Literature, and transcends the binary conception of the orthodox and the alternative, the inside and the outside, the center and the margin. Yet, any kinds of literature and cultural resources, mediated by Sinophone language, from different societies, communities, ethnic groups, and cultural entities are included in Department of Sinophone Literature. Focusing on the multiplicity of literature and its contemporary practice, it is the core and founding idea of the Department. Accordingly, the Characteristics of the Department are as follow:
1. Mass reading and going through various ways of literary appreciation and interpretations of Sinophone Literature from the classical to the modern, and from the local to the global. Extending understanding to World Literature for the purpose of establishing the basis of Sinophone Literature to make it possible to inaugurate the dialogue with World Literature, and to become the reference of World Literature.
2. Teaching complete developing process from the classical to the modern and the contemporary Sinophone Literature (including Sinophone Literature in global context)in order to establish a broader historiography of literature.
3. Introducing contemporary influential discourses elaborated from literary criticism, cultural studies, and social science. Approaching literary studies in accordance with multidisciplinary thinking and integrated methods.
4. Setting up the courses of Creative Writing and Applied Practice. Exploring practical quality of literature; bettering student's abilities to employment; linking up the relationship between literature, self and society. Additionally setting up the courses related to a series of important contemporary cultural issues in order to help student to think through how literature engage and interpret the contemporary situations and the hidden cultural implications.
【Research Directions】
1. The Department will cooperate and exchange with other literary and humanity departments, including academic cooperation, teaching projects, courses and programs. Accordingly, we will go across the disciplinary borders for the purpose of encouraging our students to experience and to realize the multiplicity and openness of knowledge and thoughts.
2. The Department will establish an exchange platform with different disciplines in order to make the Department a linkage point in the academic network. Putting the idea of multiple-integration into practice, we will, accordingly, conduct the cross-disciplinary dialogue that arouses research innovations.
3. The Department will continue annually inviting important writers of Sinophone Literature around the world to be the resident writers, and setting up meeting and academic activities with the writers. Through symposium, speech, performance and workshop, we provide the opportunities for students to discuss with predecessors in field of literary studies and writing. These opportunities will help students to re-think more profoundly of their own works, either those of analytical research or those of creative writing.
4. For the purpose of implementing our focus on both literature and contemporary cultural practice, the Department, integrating with the courses, will help student to set up the student association of journal publishing, theatre, poetry club, literature society, or cultural service group. Accordingly, students can practice and present their literary and artistic works, and engage the cultural construction in the campus.
5. The Department will integrate the practical courses with the related industries. During the period of their studying in the Department, students will have chance to take practical courses, to implement and to present their ideas and finally to intern in the industries. Accordingly, the Department has cooperated with local communities in the east for the purpose of engaging the project of developing regional literature and preserving cultural heritage. The Department aims to advances with times and corresponds to the social/cultural situations and industrial tendencies.
