Exploring Asian Drama/Theatre Education: From Interculturality, Localization to Asia as Method

Abstract

To call for a paradigmatic shift from the Western-centric mode of knowledge production, Kuan-hsing Chen (2006, 2010), a Taiwanese cultural studies scholar, has formulated the theoretical framework “Asia as Method”. The framework aims not only at studying Asia and applying Asian theoretical frames to resist Western ones, but also at transforming the imbalanced power between the West and the East in knowledge production. The ultimate goal of the proposed framework is to decolonize, deimperialize and de-cold war Asia. Chen advocates Asia as the subject of analysis, as such, reorienting the East as the centre. At the same time, he calls for our understanding and recognition of the diversity, heterogeneity and hybridity of what we call “Asia”. In this respect, Chen warrants our attention to the hybridization and assimilation that Western colonization has imprinted in Asia. Then the questions follow would be: Is it possible for Asia to cut the legacies of their colonizers off from itself, or should it do so? How could Asia work with those legacies? These are questions that Asian cultural studies scholars have to address.