Papers by Cherise S L Teo
Language in Society, Apr 1, 2018
Reviewed by Pia Thomsen (University of Southern Denmark) This is a wonderful book, with its inter... more Reviewed by Pia Thomsen (University of Southern Denmark) This is a wonderful book, with its interdisciplinary focus on children learning from each other and not from adults, as most research has focused on. The editors have gathered a group of researchers all conducting empirical studies that cover a range of languages, and all focusing on the analytical and theoretical merits of the late Shoshana Blum-Kulka's (2005a, 2005b) framework on peer talk and interaction as 'a double opportunity learning space' for children's social-pragmatic and discursive language learning processes. From my Scandinavian perspective, the volume is particularly welcome, since we currently experience polarized discussions on children's (early) learning environments in childcare centers (kindergartens) and schools. Having introduced Blum-Kulka's theory, the book covers essential themes, such as social interaction, peer relations, and friendship, as well as cognitive and linguistic development. In terms of methodology, all of the studies are interrelated in that they study children's naturally occurring talk and interactions as 'a situated process in its own right' , using a conversation analytic (CA) approach. The local perspective enriches us with sensitive insights from variable online learning processes (as opposed to psychometric norms) of both first and second language learning across countries, typologically different languages, and various institutional contexts. At a global level, it leads to interesting reflections on free play, child-adult ratio, and frequency of adult dominated learning activities in educational settings, including those where children learning a second language or children demonstrate language learning problems. Children's Peer Talk consists of four parts: (I) Introduction, (II) Children's peer talk and extended discourse, (III) Children's peer talk and second language learning, and (IV) Conclusion. Ten analytical chapters, in Parts II and III, treat different themes in first and second language learning. The age span covered is, with a few exceptions (Chapters 5 and 6), primarily young children in preschool (kindergarten). This narrow age range means that only limited generalizations about older children's learning contexts are possible; here, the presence of adult
Societies, 2014
The media are avid portrayers of gender binarism and the belief in male-female distinctions, whic... more The media are avid portrayers of gender binarism and the belief in male-female distinctions, which are mainly attributed to perceived differences of a physical nature. In this paper, we investigate representations of female kung-fu practitioners (nuxia) in films to discuss how processes of mediation and mediatization depict their femininity, so as to mitigate their appropriation of Chinese martial arts masculinity. Often, nuxias are portrayed as empowered women who are equipped to take control of their own lives and to courageously take on challenges from a variety of opponents. However, multimodal deconstruction of the various characteristics of nuxias must be placed in an Asian-specific context in order to understand the femininity specific to these characters and to move beyond Western gender ideologies displayed by the media. Perpetuating Confucian patriarchal ideals, nuxia roles constantly and consistently associate conformation to Confucian values with virtuousness and non-conformation with wickedness. We therefore can use the ideals of Confucianism as a more accurate foundation in deconstructing the identities of nuxias, which allows us to better understand the mediation and mediatization processes of ideologies associated with Chinese femininity and masculinity in martial arts films.
Journal of Language and Sexuality, 2015
This study investigates how luxury apartment housing advertisements in Singapore function as mean... more This study investigates how luxury apartment housing advertisements in Singapore function as meaning-generating institutions through visual and textual discourse. Advertisements are designed to ascribe a set of attitudes, values, and preoccupations to a group and to imbue their audiences with the idea that they belong to that group. Human models in advertisements represent idealized people and lifestyles, displaying aspirational images of men and women as consumers of products. Under the influence of Confucian patriarchal ideology, the Singapore government has promoted a narrow, heteronormative definition of family in its pro-family policies since 1987. In the advertisements for two different types of luxury apartments — one regulated by the government and the other not — we see two different ways of engaging with pro-family policies that suggest what is expected from ideal members of society in Singapore.
This study investigates how luxury apartment housing advertisements in Singapore function as mean... more This study investigates how luxury apartment housing advertisements in Singapore function as meaning-generating institutions through visual and textual discourse. Advertisements are designed to ascribe a set of attitudes, values, and preoccupations to a group and to imbue their audiences with the idea that they belong to that group. Human models in advertisements represent idealized people and lifestyles, displaying aspirational images of men and women as consumers of products. Under the influence of Confucian patriarchal ideology, the Singapore government has promoted a narrow, heteronormative definition of family in its pro-family policies since 1987. In the advertisements for two different types of luxury apartments — one regulated by the government and the other not — we see two different ways of engaging with pro-family policies that suggest what is expected from ideal members of society in Singapore.
The media are avid portrayers of gender binarism and the belief in male-female distinctions, whic... more The media are avid portrayers of gender binarism and the belief in male-female distinctions, which are mainly attributed to perceived differences of a physical nature. In this paper, we investigate representations of female kung-fu practitioners (nuxia) in films to discuss how processes of mediation and mediatization depict their femininity, so as to mitigate their appropriation of Chinese martial arts masculinity. Often, nuxias are portrayed as empowered women who are equipped to take control of their own lives and to courageously take on challenges from a variety of opponents. However, multimodal deconstruction of the various characteristics of nuxias must be placed in an Asian-specific context in order to understand the femininity specific to these characters and to move beyond Western gender ideologies displayed by the media. Perpetuating Confucian patriarchal ideals, nuxia roles constantly and consistently associate conformation to Confucian values with virtuousness and non-conformation with wickedness. We therefore can use the ideals of Confucianism as a more accurate foundation in deconstructing the identities of nuxias, which allows us to better understand the mediation and mediatization processes of ideologies associated with Chinese femininity and masculinity in martial arts films.
In Singapore, the question ‘Do you want to buy a flat with me?’ is understood as a marriage propo... more In Singapore, the question ‘Do you want to buy a flat with me?’ is understood as a marriage proposal. While not everyone proposes in such a manner, this question has come to index a proposal. In this paper, I seek to explain, through a critical discourse analysis of public housing policies and advertisements in Singapore, how public housing has become so synonymous with heteronormativity that it led to such discourse. My research provides a linguistic perspective on
Oswin's (2010) argument that a broader definition of ‘queer’ is needed as respectable domesticity in Singapore does not only exclude sexual minorities but also the singles, divorcees and
widows/widowers. I will show how this range of non-heteronormative others are systematically erased and thus, made ‘queer’ through the deconstruction of discourses surrounding public housing in Singapore. The combination of pro-family housing policies and linguistic and visual representations which weave familial relationships into spaces in public housing estates normalize the idea of public housing as a heteronormative family right. Thus, with public housing being considered ‘affordable’ (around S$81,000 to S$400,000) as compared to private housing (over S$700,000), only the rich seems to be able to afford the queer lifestyle. Housing is a basic need and should be considered everyone’s right. It is ironic for public housing to discriminate against its own citizens who are unable to form the ideal heteronormative families. I suggest that this led to a reinforcement of the message that purchase of new flats is associated with heterosexual couples getting married.
As often discussed in the field of linguistic anthropology, mainstream media has been a common so... more As often discussed in the field of linguistic anthropology, mainstream media has been a common source of propagation of dichotomous gender ideologies about femininities and masculinities. Because the hegemonic ideas about suggested ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’ demonstrated in the media appear so effortlessly acceptable within cultural and historical contexts, people readily treat constant reiteration of any such ideology as commonsensical and naturalized. This study investigates female kung-fu practitioners, nüxias, in films to investigate how their femininity is mitigated with expected masculinity via mediation and mediatization. Nüxias are prototypically portrayed as empowered women who have the agency to take control of their own lives and are able to fearlessly challenge wuxias or male kung-fu practitioners. We analyze the film data from Asian, namely, Confucian perspectives in order to demonstrate a multimodal deconstruction of the various characterologies of nüxias. By observing different types of nüxias in kung-fu films, this study attempts to understand Chinese specific hegemonic ideologies associated with femininity and masculinity in media.
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Papers by Cherise S L Teo
Oswin's (2010) argument that a broader definition of ‘queer’ is needed as respectable domesticity in Singapore does not only exclude sexual minorities but also the singles, divorcees and
widows/widowers. I will show how this range of non-heteronormative others are systematically erased and thus, made ‘queer’ through the deconstruction of discourses surrounding public housing in Singapore. The combination of pro-family housing policies and linguistic and visual representations which weave familial relationships into spaces in public housing estates normalize the idea of public housing as a heteronormative family right. Thus, with public housing being considered ‘affordable’ (around S$81,000 to S$400,000) as compared to private housing (over S$700,000), only the rich seems to be able to afford the queer lifestyle. Housing is a basic need and should be considered everyone’s right. It is ironic for public housing to discriminate against its own citizens who are unable to form the ideal heteronormative families. I suggest that this led to a reinforcement of the message that purchase of new flats is associated with heterosexual couples getting married.
Oswin's (2010) argument that a broader definition of ‘queer’ is needed as respectable domesticity in Singapore does not only exclude sexual minorities but also the singles, divorcees and
widows/widowers. I will show how this range of non-heteronormative others are systematically erased and thus, made ‘queer’ through the deconstruction of discourses surrounding public housing in Singapore. The combination of pro-family housing policies and linguistic and visual representations which weave familial relationships into spaces in public housing estates normalize the idea of public housing as a heteronormative family right. Thus, with public housing being considered ‘affordable’ (around S$81,000 to S$400,000) as compared to private housing (over S$700,000), only the rich seems to be able to afford the queer lifestyle. Housing is a basic need and should be considered everyone’s right. It is ironic for public housing to discriminate against its own citizens who are unable to form the ideal heteronormative families. I suggest that this led to a reinforcement of the message that purchase of new flats is associated with heterosexual couples getting married.