Lecture by Dr Zhang Beiyu in the tenth talk of the “Tan Lark Sye Lecture Series”
The 11th session of the "Tan Lark Sye Lecture Series," organized by the Institute of International Education, New Era University College (IIE, NEUC) and the Tan Lark Sye Institute, was held on 21th September 2022. The guest speakers for this event was Dr. Zhang Beiyu from the School of International Relations and the Research Institute of Overseas Chinese and Chinese Studies at Jinan University. It was attended by more than 170 people.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Zhang, holds a Master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore and a Ph.D. in History. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the School of International Relations and the Research Institute of Overseas Chinese and Chinese Studies at Jinan University. Her primary research interests include the cultural history of overseas Chinese, cultural heritage, and the role of music, opera, and dance in Cold War cultural diplomacy. Dr. Zhang was previously a visiting scholar at Leiden University in the Netherlands and a Category A postdoctoral researcher under the Macau University Hengqin Talent Program.
This lecture was titled “Beyond stages: Chinese Theatre Troupes Touring the Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Aisa.” Dr. Zhang emphasized that through these touring theatre troupes, the dynamic, contingent, and contextual interactions between the homeland and the diaspora are revealed. She also highlighted that in terms of Chinese identity, localization and Chineseness are not necessarily oppositional but rather coexist and continuously shape the identity of the Chinese diaspora. The event was moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Lew Siew Boon from NEUC. Participants actively engaged with Dr. Zhang, discussing the dissemination of theatre genres in diaspora communities and issues surrounding Chinese identity.
