Why is it surprising for some of us to read the pairing of “Chinese” with “pizzas” and “Italian” with “dumplings,” such as proposed in the book’s title? After all, in some regions of the two countries, Italians frequently eat dumplings, and Chinese frequently make baked, steamed, or fried flatbread with toppings or fillings. Furthermore, when dumplings are made in Italy by Chinese migrants or Chinese Italians, or when pizzas are made in China by Italian migrants, Chinese Italians, or Chinese without apparent ties with Italy, are these culinary products Chinese, Italian, Chinese-Italian, or something else? Why do we need to care for such labeling dilemmas?
This book shows how China-Italy food mobilities relayed in popular culture helped forge Chinese and Italians’ socioeconomic identities in recent decades by fundamentally shaping contemporary Chinese and Italian consumer cultures. This book addresses China-Italy food cultures against the backdrops of two epoch-making socioeconomic processes. During the 1980s, Chinese cuisine became the first non-European food widely available in Italy, thanks to the widespread presence of Chinese eateries. Only American fast food, which established itself in Italy around the same time, enjoyed comparable popularity as a destination for Italian culinary tourism. Meanwhile, in the early 1990s, together with American hamburgers and fried chicken, the American food chain Pizza Hut’s pizzas and spaghetti were the first non-Asian foods that post-Mao Chinese customers recognized as “Western.” The book proposes a critical framework that analyzes transcultural food mobilities by seriously assessing the confluence of diverse mobilities and their impact on food cultures. Ultimately, the study shows that a sophisticated interpretation of transcultural food mobilities can help address alterity and build understanding in a world of increasing political and cultural polarization.
Compuesto por la narrativa de no ficción, la escritura ecológica y la poesía, Cartografías es una carta de amor a una tierra adoptada y a los compañeros u2014humanos, caninos, arbóreos y marinosu2014 que cohabitan el mundo de la autora. Con una voz que evoca Aves migratorias de Mariana Oliver o The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating de Elisabeth Tova Bailey, Escobar ofrece una reflexión conmovedora y, por momentos, agridulce sobre la migración y la pertenencia, las relaciones humanas y naturales, la vida y la muerte, y el lenguaje y la memoria. El mundo no humano, en la lengua lírica de Escobar, no es distante ni anónimo, sino que está profundamente enraizado, específicamente, en los Andes tropicales de Colombia y, sobre todo, las costas boscosas de la Columbia Británica. Desde los líquenes hasta los leones marinos, los colibríes hasta los osos, la prosa vívida de Escobar brinda vitalidad y agencia a su entorno más-que-humano, a la vez que transmite la fragilidad de la vida. Aportación conmovedora a las letras hispano-canadienses, la poética ecofeminista de Cartografías del bosque proporciona una meditación íntima sobre la migración y nuestras relaciones con el mundo natural.
Tending the Renaissance of the World Soul: Byzantium in Italy and the Humanist Dream
Early in the fifteenth century it became painfully obvious that the scattered remains of what had once been glorious Byzantium were sitting on the edge of a historical abyss: it was simply a matter of time before the Ottoman Turks would conquer Constantinople and turn it into the capital of their rapidly expanding, increasingly powerful Empire (1453).
This course explores the extraordinary cultural legacy that Byzantium left to the world in and through its waning. We will focus in particular on the area of the Italian peninsula, where many of the most eminent Byzantine delegates to the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1437-39) ended up settling, “trans-lating” with them the heritage of their Classical, Late Antique and Christian cultures.
One of the most powerful Italian families, the Medicis, sponsored the “rebirth” of the ancient wisdom of the Greeks through a painstaking program of translations largely authored by Marsilio Ficino. But the Florentine Academy also gathered poets, philosophers, painters, musicians. Their works quickly spread throughout Italy, and from there to the rest of the Western world.
The invention of the printing press powerfully helped entertain the dream that the (re)birth of an irenic, peaceful, self-aware and holistic society was possible. The dream of such a felicitous Renaissance only lasted a few decades, engulfed as it was by Europe’s political and confessional tragedies. Even so, its legacy never died out completely, and remained the backbone of Western sapiential awareness.
It is the heritage of this “other” Renaissance which we shall try to track down — a heritage grounded in the ancient teachings of the Hermetic wisdom, advocating through the ages the “golden” possibility of achieving a timeless, truly realized human consciousness.
There are no required books to buy. Required texts are available online, or will be made available via Canvas.
Primary Texts (either in PDF or available online) include excerpts from:
— Asclepius
— Nicholas of Cusa
— Marsilio Ficino
— Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
— Erasmus
La Vibe: Francophone Sounds from Afrobeats to V-Pop
In this dynamic and immersive course, we’ll explore the rich musical soundscapes of the Francophone world, from the infectious rhythms of Afrobeats, Konpa and Rumba to the stars of la chanson française, Franco-Rap, V-Pop, and more. Through a mix of listening sessions, readings, historical deep dives, and engaging discussions, students will discover how music reflects cultural identity, social movements, and global trends across French-speaking countries. We’ll analyze lyrics (with translations), learn about different genres and their evolution, and hear from Vancouver-based musicians who will share their insights into the Francophone music scene. The course also offers a tour of UBC’s radio station CiTR. For the final assignment, students will learn to create their own radio segment showcasing a theme, genre, or artist of their choice. The best projects will be featured on CiTR’s radio show Kafou Muzik, giving students a chance to have their work broadcasted to a wider audience. Whether you’re a music lover, a culture enthusiast, or just looking to expand your playlist, this course will have you grooving from start to finish!
Artist Talk and Mini-Performances by:
Joseph Sarenhes – artist of Guinean and Aboriginal origin (Huron-Wendat Nation) from Quebec City, Radio Canada Revelation 2023-24 (Hip Hop, Rock, R&B) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Safj0WHI2O0
Focusing on the main challenges involved in intercultural communication, this course provides a basic introduction to foundations, principles, practical strategies, and methods of translation from English to French for a variety of literary, general, specialized, professional, and creative purposes. We will explore the strategies and tools translators use when faced with challenging linguistic and cultural differences as well as the artistic, ethical, and political implications of different approaches to translation. The course is divided into several parts, each part corresponding to a field of translation such as the translation of literary, legal, economic, commercial, technical, medical, and political texts, as well as subtitle translation. The course will culminate with a final project accompanied by an essay that introduces the chosen text, analyze some of its linguistic and/or literary features, situate it with respect to its cultural context and target audience, and explain translation choices. Class will be conducted in a combination of French and English.
FREN 103 reviews the fundamentals of the French language through an active practice that encourages interactive communication, intercultural knowledge, and real-world engagement with course materials. Throughout the semester, students grow their abilities to listen to, discuss, read and write about everyday activities, in the present, past, and future, within the context of common tasks, situations, and daily routines. Classes are conducted in French, with some English as needed for explanation.
Master the fundamentals of the Italian language in an intensive course designed for motivated learners, those with knowledge of another Romance language, or those with previous experience in Italian. Aligned with CEFR level A1 objectives.
Depuis le début des années 2000, la littérature et le cinéma autochtones au Québec connaissent un essor important. Dans leurs textes littéraires et œuvres cinématographiques, les créatrices et créateurs issus des Premiers Peuples mettent en avant des demandes de justice, de guérison et de récupération des savoirs autochtones. Si notre époque actuelle continue d’être marquée par le colonialisme de peuplement, la création et l’art de raconter (le storytelling), peuvent-ils constituer des interventions qui dérangent les systèmes qui oppriment ? Pour bien y répondre, nous nous pencherons sur les débats historiques et contemporains sur la langue, la race, la souveraineté et l’exploitation des ressources naturelles au Québec, afin de contextualiser la production des arts narratifs autochtones et de mieux comprendre les épistémologies qui les sous-tendent. La sélection d’œuvres d’écrivain·es et de cinéastes de différentes nations (Innu, Wendat, Cris, Mohawk, Abénaquis, Anishnaabe et Inuit), qui s’expriment dans différents genres littéraires (histoire orale, récit de vie, autofiction, théâtre, nouvelle, poésie) et cinématographiques (archives visuelles, documentaire, long métrage, court métrage, nouveaux médias), mettra en lumière la grande diversité des arts narratifs autochtones au Québec.
Mapping Gendered Spaces in Hispanic Literature and Culture
This course will explore ways in which gendered spaces are constructed, negotiated, and contested in Latin American women’s literature and cultural production. From Indigenous cosmologies and colonial encounters to struggles for independence, rise of modernisms, and contemporary feminist, queer, and decolonial voices, we will trace how women writers have inscribed their experiences into the cultural and political landscapes of their times. Questions to be examined: How have gendered narratives locate space and place under conditions of patriarchy, colonialism, and state violence? What forms of resistance and reimagination emerge from multiple settings? How do gendered spaces intersect with race, class, and sexuality in shaping cultural memory and identity? In this course, students will develop critical tools to analyze literature and culture through intersectional, feminist, and spatial frameworks. They will gain a historical and theoretical understanding of gendered representation in Hispanic cultural contexts.
The image of the Godfather as embodied by actors Marlon Brando and Al Pacino from the 1972 American movie is iconic in contemporary popular culture. An enduring association of the mafia with Italy permeates Western culture. Both Italians and non-Italians have impassioned responses to this prevailing cultural stereotype. Individual opinions and feelings also exist on different Italian-origin organized crime: the Cosa Nostra, Camorra, ‘Ndrangheta, Banda della Magliana, and others. The mafia is an integral part of Italian culture.
Cinema has fundamentally shaped our knowledge and emotions about the Italy-mafia association. As a cinematic genre, the mafia movie was developed in both American and Italian film industries, and it addresses both the perceived glamor of mafioso bosses and the unsung heroism of anti-mafia activists. Screen culture about the Italian (anti-)mafia is complex and nuanced and open to diverse interpretations.
The guiding question of the course is not whether these filmic representations accurately depict the mafia and their contestations. Rather, we unravel the representational complexities, intentions, and agendas of the movies and of the mafia movie genre. To this end, we will conduct film analysis to understand how a movie works technically and aesthetically. We will also learn to contextualize such a film analysis within the socio-historical and cultural coordinates of the productions or narratives of the films.
The course helps students gradually build up an interpretive capacity for approaching Italian mafia movies. Lectures on contexts, in-class discussions and activities specific to individual movies, improvised oral presentations that relate critical insights to personal stories, and film reviews or essays that formally argue in defense of a standpoint will be pursued progressively. Whether you know much or little about the Italian mafia and its cinematic representations, you will gain sophistication about its wide circulation in popular culture through this course.
