URBN 275 Asian Urbanization through Cinema

Urbanization is one of the most prominent social-historical transformations that many Asian countries have experienced since the beginning of the 20th century. Today, the huge wave of intra-regional and rural-urban migration in Asia represents one of the largest human migration flows in the world. By integrating urban studies and film studies, Asian Urbanization through Cinema looks into the ongoing urbanization process as well as related demographic, economic, political, socio-cultural, and environmental changes occurring in Asian cities. This course also examines the artistic portrayal of the urban transformations in Asian contemporary cinema. The course focuses on cities in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries/regions. In addition, this course explores diasporic Asian spaces in North America, and the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality, and immigration.