About » Department of Cultural Studies

Department of Cultural Studies

About-Students and faculty in the campus

We are here to create and safeguard a new Cultural Studies as an intellectual intervention beyond academia.

Programmes

Founded in 1999, Cultural Studies Department is the forerunner of offering a BA degree in Cultural Studies in the Chinese-speaking world. Our Master of Cultural Studies Programme (MCS), launched in 2003, offers students from mixed academic and working backgrounds to reflect on and devise alternative ways to approach their ongoing practices. Our Research Postgraduate Programmes (M.Phil. & Ph.D) train aspiring researchers to develop in-depth inquiry into specific areas of interest.

The programmes are designed to nurture citizens with cross-disciplinary, critical and practical knowledge. Our alumni go onto career in the fields of media, community service, education, cultural tourism, performance and arts sectors, cultural administration, government, and business.

Research

We promote interdisciplinary research that foregrounds new ideas and drives societal changes. Our faculty members come from different expertise, with focuses on topics such as commons, youth cultures, gender & sexualities, migration & ethnicities, popular cultures, class & labour, arts & literature, food & environment, digital cultures, creative industries. Geographically, we are interested in Hong Kong, inter-Asia, global China.

Connecting cultural theories with civic engagement is the core of our values. We do so by fostering community partnerships and public outreaches through our affiliated research centre, the Centre for Cultural Research and Development.

Head’s Message

I joined this department at a testing time for Hong Kong, so do you, fellow colleagues and students. This can be seen as a moment of existential crisis, as we grapple with political, social, and cultural uncertainties. For those who choose to stay, this can also be a moment to reposition ourselves in the society, embark on new journeys, and seek potential ways to contribute to the community.

When we rise to real challenges, we will be more sensible to our own choices and positioning in the world.

I invite you to breathe new life into Cultural Studies with us, and join hands to grow the department as an inclusive space and an intellectual hub for Hong Kong society and beyond.

Professor Pun Ngai
Chair Professor, Head of Department