Seminars & Short Courses
Modern Chinese Women Writers
In this seminar, we will read selected short stories to introduce four modern Chinese women writers: Xiao Hong, Ding Ling, Eileen Chang, and Wang Anyi. Class meetings will include a lecture component that situates the text in modern Chinese cultural history as well as a discussion component in which participants will be invited to share their insights and interpretations of the story. The seminar aims to familiarize participants with twentieth-century Chinese history—with a focus on understanding evolving perspectives on gender, power, and “womanhood”—through literature. Besides equipping educators with the context necessary to introduce Chinese women writers in their classrooms, the class also offers an opportunity for individuals to expand their cultural horizons and diversify their libraries by reading in translation. Class will meet once per week for two hours.