Waiyee Loh
Associate Professor of World Literature
Singapore Fiction and Film I
(AY 2025/2026, Semester 1)
Download course syllabus here: English in the Media I syllabus.pdf
Week 1. Introduction
What is "Singapore Literature"?
Lecture slides: W1. Introduction.pptx
Week 2. A brief history of modern Singapore
Lecture slides: W2. Brief hist of SG (for students).pptx
Week 3. National identity
Reading: Thumboo, "Ulysses by the Merlion"
Lecture slides: W3. National identity (for students).pptx
PDF: Thumboo. Ulysses by the Merlion.pdf
Week 4. Nick's family: Singaporeans
Reading: Kwan, extracts from Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides: W4. Nick's family Singaporeans (for students).pptx
Week 5. Nick's family: Chinese diaspora
Reading: Kwan, extracts from Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 6. Rachel's family: Chinese Americans
Reading: Kwan, extracts from Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 7. Nick's family: "Flexible citizens"
Reading: Kwan, extracts from Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 8. Kitty Pong: Mainland Chinese
Reading: Kwan, extracts from Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 9. How "Singaporean" is Crazy Rich Asians?: Some thoughts on the novel
Reading: General Introduction to the Writing Singapore anthology
Lecture slides:
Week 10. Film screening
Reading: Chu, Crazy Rich Asians
Week 11. Representing Singapore on screen
Reading: Chu, Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 12. How "Singaporean" is Crazy Rich Asians?: Reading the reviews
Reading: selected film reviews and commentaries
Lecture slides:
PDF: W12. Guardian review of CRA.pdf
W12. Straits Times article on CRA.pdf
W12. Yahoo News review of CRA.pdf
W12. Vox commentary on CRA.pdf
Week 13. How "Singaporean" is Crazy Rich Asians?: Some thoughts on the film
Reading: Chu, Crazy Rich Asians
Lecture slides:
Week 14. Conclusion
Lecture slides:
Assignment instructions: Assignment instructions.pdf
Written assignment due