Sociology scholar brings students from Lingnan and the US together to address local issues

During the pandemic, which made most physical overseas exchange activities impossible, academic staff at Lingnan maintained LU’s quality education and international teaching and learning in alternative ways and with enthusiasm.

 

Last term, Prof Gizem Arat, Assistant Professor of the Department of Sociology and Social Policy (SOCSP), having joined Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) organised by the Teaching and Learning Centre, worked with California State University, Chico, one of LU’s US partners, in the “Ethnicity & Ethnic Minorities” course.

 

The project provided students with a global opportunity to discuss stereotypes in public art and how one can unpack stereotypes in the work one does.

 

Students from both universities were required to create an announcement vlog addressing local stereotypes of their choice, and to post a reflective vlog to their partners at the other institution.

 

During the classes, students gained insights and exchanged innovative ideas from different perspectives. 

Arat
Prof Gizem Arat, Assistant Professor of the Department of Sociology and Social Policy

 

“It was a great chance for my students to exchange information with US students on cultural diversity via vlogs,” says Prof Arat, adding that the collaboration also brought her new insights. “Both my US colleague and I learned more about cultural diversity in our daily lives, and that has reshaped my different sociocultural contexts.”

 

While the US colleague found Hong Kong's wet markets an interesting cultural identity context, Prof Arat was able to see how public art can work in everyday cultural diversity. With the success of the project, She plans to pursue this cross-country collaboration with her other courses.