106-428 Media, Politics and Cultural Diaspora

Usually admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in English or cultural studies, see Honours entry.

This subject looks at the study of diaspora in a historical context from the histories of dispersion and migration, to model minority discourses, and the forces of globalisation/internationalisation. The subject emphasises the changing meanings of the space, place and position of 'home' as they relate to the politics of identity and the mobility of location. Through the interfaces of race, class, gender and sexuality, the cultural productions of diasporic communities are examined as sites of resistance and new desires of belonging. The subject asks students to focus on new technologies, such as cable and minority television, transnational cinema, and the computer network, to explore the relationship between technology and media as diasporic tools for cultural maintenance and negotiation.

Written work totalling 5000 words for 4th year, 6000 words for masters students.

A subject reader will be available.