Teaching Asian American Literature in the Korean Context

Teaching Asian American Literature in the Korean Context

Asian American literature is arguably the most dynamic and prolific of all the voices that currently comprise the ‘multiethnic' American literary canon, and in recent years Asian American writings have become basic staple of general and literary education in colleges and universities across America. On this backdrop, this paper attempts to look at some of the main issues and problems related to teaching Asian American literature in the Korean context. The paper begins with a look at the fundamental question of "why texts such as these deserve our closer attention in the first place?" A number of key teaching strategies suggested in relevant past studies will be evaluated. Next the paper discusses problems related to text selection, focusing on the prevalent tendency among instructors to valorize Asian American texts that enjoy some measure of success in the book market. Finally, the paper investigates the issue of ‘affinity' that invariably occurs when Korean students are first exposed to Korean American works, and how it both potentially enriches and impedes the reading experience. In sum, this paper offers some practical suggestions for teachers of Asian American literature, as Asian American texts steadily but surely become permanent fixtures in our literary curriculum.