Crazy Rich Asians: What's Next? A Critical Discussion

The 2018 box-office hit directed by Jon Chu has captivated, frustrated, and led to questions for many audiences. What has Crazy Rich Asians meant for different communities both in the U.S. and abroad -- whether Asian, Asian/American, Chinese, Chinese/American, Singaporean, Southeast Asian, and non-Asian/American? What undercurrents of global aspirations, oppression, and cultural molds flow along with and beneath the ornate visuals and lavishly beautiful storyline? What do each of the characters represent, and how can each of them serve as an allegory for different motifs and metaphors present in contemporary societies? 

The East Asian Studies DUG, Ethnic Studies DUG, Brown University Merlions and Brown Southeast Asian Studies Initiative (SEASI) proudly present this panel and critical discussion. Four distinguished presenters will discuss the film from their respective personal and scholarly perspectives for the first 40 minutes. Following the panel, audience members and students will be invited to share their own opinions and reactions to the movie, in engagement with our panelists. We hope this space will serve as an open discussion about the film and how different communities move forward after this breakthrough media event. 

List 110, Thursday October 11 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. 

This panel will feature:

• Professor Bob Lee (American/Ethnic Studies, studies Asian America)
• Professor Ellie Choi (East Asian Studies, studies contemporary media in Korea)
• Mark Tseng-Putterman (American Studies, studies Asian America, contributed to The Atlantic)
• Ruby Thiagarajan (Public Humanities, co-founder of Mynah Magazine, Singaporean periodical).​