Canadian professor teaching Chinese Literature? Assistant Professor Mark McConaghy of the Department of Chinese Literature tells us about his experience in Taiwan
A foreigner teaching Chinese Literature in a Chinese-speaking country? Why not! Assistant Professor Mark McConaghy of the Department of Chinese Literature, NSYSU, comes from Canada. His main research fields are modern Chinese and Taiwanese literature, contemporary Chinese intellectual discourse, and Chinese to English translation. Assistant Professor McConaghy joined the NSYSU staff two years ago. He said that the University gives the professors considerable academic freedom and room for self-development. He values the campus environment: “I have a great sense of comfort here”.
Assistant Professor McConaghy studied Chinese in Beijing and later served as a visiting scholar at the Institute of Chinese Language and Philosophy, Academia Sinica. As a child, he would often go to Chinatown with his parents and visit the local Chinese culture center, as well as a neighborhood video store where he would rent the latest films from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. This is how he developed an interest in Chinese language and culture. McConaghy left home to study at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, where he majored in Film and Television Production. “I learned technical skills at film school, but I was yearning for more intellectual engagement.” By his third year at NYU, recalling his earlier interest in Chinese culture, he took a course in Chinese Literature. A light turned on. He set out on a path towards serious language learning and, later, research in modern Chinese literature and sinology.
Upon returning to Toronto, Canada, he studied for a doctoral degree, and, upon the recommendation of a professor, came to Academia Sinica to conduct research. He fell in love with Taiwan- the island’s diverse cultures and the warmth of its people made the visit an unforgettable experience. This is how he started studying Taiwanese literature. After the exchange, he returned to Canada and obtained his degree and made his decision to conduct research in Taiwan: “What better place to research Taiwanese literature than in Taiwan!”
Assistant Professor McConaghy admires Taiwan’s rich religious and folk cultures. He sees the island as a linguistically diverse meeting place for different ethnic groups interacting with mutual respect, which makes it a place to be treasured. He also considers NSYSU a university that not only values academic freedom but also international exchange. Despite the university’s location on the southern tip of the island, he does not see it as estranged from the academic world in Taipei or in Western countries. There are many opportunities to interact with overseas scholars, organize events across departments, and encourage academic growth among students and teachers. In Assistant Professor McConaghy’s view, NSYSU is just like Kaohsiung - a place with great potential and vitality.
Assistant Professor McConaghy studied Chinese in Beijing and later served as a visiting scholar at the Institute of Chinese Language and Philosophy, Academia Sinica. As a child, he would often go to Chinatown with his parents and visit the local Chinese culture center, as well as a neighborhood video store where he would rent the latest films from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. This is how he developed an interest in Chinese language and culture. McConaghy left home to study at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, where he majored in Film and Television Production. “I learned technical skills at film school, but I was yearning for more intellectual engagement.” By his third year at NYU, recalling his earlier interest in Chinese culture, he took a course in Chinese Literature. A light turned on. He set out on a path towards serious language learning and, later, research in modern Chinese literature and sinology.
Upon returning to Toronto, Canada, he studied for a doctoral degree, and, upon the recommendation of a professor, came to Academia Sinica to conduct research. He fell in love with Taiwan- the island’s diverse cultures and the warmth of its people made the visit an unforgettable experience. This is how he started studying Taiwanese literature. After the exchange, he returned to Canada and obtained his degree and made his decision to conduct research in Taiwan: “What better place to research Taiwanese literature than in Taiwan!”
Assistant Professor McConaghy admires Taiwan’s rich religious and folk cultures. He sees the island as a linguistically diverse meeting place for different ethnic groups interacting with mutual respect, which makes it a place to be treasured. He also considers NSYSU a university that not only values academic freedom but also international exchange. Despite the university’s location on the southern tip of the island, he does not see it as estranged from the academic world in Taipei or in Western countries. There are many opportunities to interact with overseas scholars, organize events across departments, and encourage academic growth among students and teachers. In Assistant Professor McConaghy’s view, NSYSU is just like Kaohsiung - a place with great potential and vitality.
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