[10th Talk] Dr. Ng Yean Leng, Dr. Fan Pik Wah, Dr. Liau Ping Leng, Dr. Florence Kuek: Research Methodology in Malaysian Chinese Literature
Upcoming Event
| Introduction | The “Bridging Ideas: Research Workshop Series” is a significant academic initiative meticulously planned and executed by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Graduate School, and the Institute of International Education of New Era University College. It aims to provide current postgraduate students with a series of highly practical and effective research methodology guides. Through systematic course design and the integration of resources from multiple fields, the workshops not only help students master core research skills but also focus on enhancing their ability to address challenges encountered during the research process. Whether it is in the stages of topic selection, application of methodologies, data analysis, or thesis writing, the workshops strive to offer comprehensive support, making their research journey smoother and more fruitful. This series serves as a vital resource to empower students and ensure their academic success. |
| Speaker | Speakers: 1. Dr. Ng Yean Leng Ph.D. in Literature from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Currently a Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in New Era University College, as well as President of The Writers Association of Chinese Medium. Her research areas include Malaysian Chinese literature, classical Chinese fiction, Chinese business culture, and overseas Chinese literature. She has edited Inheriting Century-Old Businesses: A Chinese Narrative, Malaysian Chinese Literature in Chinese Textbooks (National Secondary School Edition), Western Impressions of British Malaya, The Continuing Interpretation: A Collection of Critical Essays on Mahua Literature, has published The Moving Light. 2. Dr. Fan Pik Wah Ph.D. in Classical Chinese Literature from Peking University. Currently serves as Executive Advisor of The Writers Association of Chinese Medium. Formerly Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Chinese Studies of the University of Malaya, and former President of The Writers Association of Chinese Medium. His research focuses on classical Chinese poetry, Malaysian Chinese literature, and Chinese culture. She has published nine essay collections, including The Torchbearer, I Will Think of You on the Great Wall, and Seeing China from Peking University. Her academic publication include Malaysia Chinese Literature’s Era and Memories and A Series of Critiques on Malaysian Chinese Literature – Fan Pik WahVolume. She is also the chief editor of the Malaysian Chinese Literature Award Series and 100 Critics on Malaysian Chinese Writers. 3. Dr. Liau Ping Leng Ph.D. in Chinese Studies from the National University of Singapore. Currently an Associate Professor and Head of the Department at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Sungai Long Campus). Her research areas include modern Chinese literature, global Chinese literature, Malaysian Chinese children’s literature and culture, gender studies, and print culture. She co-edited I Think, I Write, and her publications include In Search of the “New Man”: Representations of Male Images in May Fourth Women’s Literature, “The Subtle Trajectory Between Official and Popular Spheres: The Current Situation and Myths of Malaysian Chinese Children’s Translated Readings,” “Democratizing the Perception and Practice of Desire: Gender Relations in May Fourth Women’s Literature through the Lens of Male Images,” and “On the Female Surplus in Shang Wanyun’s Fiction,” among others. 4. Dr. Florence Kuek Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Malaya. Currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies of the University of Malaya and Treasurer of The Writers Association of Chinese Medium. Recipient of the 2024 Muara Writing Prize (Malay Short Story Category) at the George Town Literary Festival. Her research areas include Malaysian Chinese literature, global Chinese literature, and education. Her publications include the translated and edited anthology Tasik Itu Bagai Cermin – Anthology of Mahua Short Stories (The Lake as a Mirror – Selected Translations of Chinese-Malaysian and Malay Short Stories), and the scholarly monograph Braving Irrationality: An Ethical Literary Criticism of Han Suyin’s Autobiography. Moderator and Discussant: Dr. Siew Wen Jia Currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of New Era University College. Her research interests include modern Chinese literature, Malaysian Chinese/Nanyang literature, and modern and contemporary literature and culture. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Chinese Studies from the University of Malaya in 2014 and her Master’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Peking University in 2017. She later joined the “Neo-Sinology Program” to pursue a Ph.D. in China and received her Doctorate in Chinese Language and Literature from Peking University in 2022. Her major academic outcomes include her doctoral dissertation “Nanyang Memories and Cross-border Networks: The Foreign Land, Imperialism and Wartime from the Returners’ Perspective,” and journal articles such as “Drifting Experience and Colonial Cracks—Centered on AI WU’s ‘Heading South’ and the ‘Travel to the Sea’ / Island in Wandering Miscellaneous Records,” and “ ‘Modern Epic’ and Anti-Japanese War in Burma-Yunnan——Centered on Du Yunxie’s Forty Poems and other essays.” |
| Topic | Research Methodology in Malaysian Chinese Literature The lecture will also explore multiple research perspectives, including literary-historical analysis, close reading of texts, and theoretical approaches related to identity and gender. Through this overview, postgraduate students are expected to gain a clearer understanding of research directions and methodological choices in Malaysian Chinese literary studies. |
| Information | Date: 6 December 2025 (Saturday) Registration: Please click the following link to register by 4 December 2025: t.ly/6M0Mm |
Lecture Postscript
On 6 December 2025, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Graduate School, and Institute of International Education of New Era University College jointly organized the tenth session of the “Bridging Ideas: Research Workshop Series” at Room 801, Level 8, Menara Nantah, with simultaneous online participation via Zoom. The workshop aimed to provide postgraduate students with systematic, practical, and critically grounded guidance on research methodology, particularly within the field of Malaysian Chinese literature.
The workshop, themed “Research Methodology in Malaysian Chinese Literature,” attracted postgraduate students, researchers, academic staff, and members of the public from both within and beyond the university. Through interdisciplinary perspectives and methodological discussions, the session sought to deepen participants’ understanding of the theoretical frameworks, textual approaches, and historical considerations relevant to Malaysian Chinese literary studies.
Four distinguished Malaysian Chinese writers and scholars were invited as speakers. They were Dr. Ng Yean Leng, Professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at New Era University College, as well as President of the Writers Association of Chinese Medium; Dr. Fan Pik Wah, Executive Advisor of the Writers Association of Chinese Medium and former Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Malaya; Dr. Liau Ping Leng, Associate Professor and Head of the Department at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Sungai Long Campus); and Dr. Florence Kuek, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Malaya. The workshop was moderated and discussed by Dr. Siew Wen Jia, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at New Era University College.
In her presentation, Dr. Ng Yean Leng emphasized that research in Malaysian Chinese literature should not be confined to a single theoretical model. She argued that scholars should begin with close observation of literary phenomena and select appropriate analytical dimensions based on specific research questions. These dimensions may include historical temporality, spatial and regional contexts, cultural and ethnic interactions, identity construction, gender perspectives, literary circulation, and narrative structures. A multi-layered approach, she noted, allows for a more flexible and comprehensive understanding of the diverse meanings embedded in Malaysian Chinese literature.
Dr. Fan Pik Wah proposed expanding research directions beyond individual authors and genres to include studies of writer groups and regional literary communities. Such an approach, she suggested, enables researchers to examine interactions among different literary communities within broader historical, social, and cultural contexts. She further stressed the importance of crossing cultural, ethnic, and regional boundaries when analyzing Malaysian Chinese literature, particularly in relation to cross-cultural exchange and literary interaction.
From a multi-perspective standpoint, Dr. Liau Ping Leng discussed the possibilities of Malaysian Chinese literary research through both internal textual analysis and external contextual approaches. She highlighted the importance of incorporating diverse materials, including modern and classical literature, translated works, and children’s literature. Dr. Liau also underscored the necessity of systematic collection and organization of historical documents and critical writings, emphasizing that a solid bibliographical foundation is essential for advancing theoretical depth and expanding research horizons.
Dr. Florence Kuek introduced new interpretive pathways by focusing on three key levels: problem awareness, research questions, and research objectives. Drawing on the works of contemporary Malaysian Chinese writers, she explored concepts such as emergent literature, diaspora and re-diaspora, and the significance of local and in-situ writing. Integrating perspectives from comparative literature and transregional studies, she further highlighted the role of translated works in broadening the scope of Malaysian Chinese literary research.
Through interactive discussions and exchanges, participants engaged actively with the speakers, fostering critical reflection and scholarly dialogue that bridged theoretical exploration and research practice. The workshop contributed meaningfully to enhancing postgraduate students’ methodological awareness and provided a solid foundation for future research in Malaysian Chinese literary studies.
