联系我们： 手动添加方式: 微信>添加朋友>企业微信联系人>13262280223 或者 QQ: 1483266981
ASIA 2007: Asia Cultures and Identities
RESEARCH PROPOSAL (20%)
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Due: 18 September 2025
In this course, you have the opportunity to pursue your own interests and select a major research
question to explore in your final Research Essay (50%).
The Research Proposal assignment is a critical first step in this process, designed to help you scaEold
skill-building towards the Essay, and to encourage collaborative learning by sharing your research ideas
with your teachers and peers (if you are ‘showcasing’ your research in class).
This document has 5 sections:
STEP 1: Research question examples
STEP 2: Consultation
STEP 3: Research proposal (8 parts)
STEP 4: Showcasing your research
HINT: How to develop a strong research project
Study all parts carefully to ensure your work meets all requirements and position yourself to receive a
mark that accurately reflects the best of your abilities.
STEP 1: RESEARCH QUESTION EXAMPLES. Go through the list below to see if there’s a research
question you’d like to pursue. If you can’t find one, or if you have a specific topic or question in mind,
move on to STEP 2.
1. How do Western beauty standards, as depicted in East Asian media, impact the self-esteem and
social interactions of women in China, Japan, and/or Korea
2. In what ways does the portrayal of LGBTQIA+ identities in Thai television dramas influence the self identity development of young gay men in Thailand
3. How can school authorities in China prevent bullying Use the film “Cry me a Sad River” (Lou, 2018)
as a key reference.
4. What roles do Japanese women play in the anti-karoshi movement, and how does their activism
influence the movement’s eEectiveness
5. To what extent does being a ‘Hafu’ influence one’s cultural identity and social integration in
Japanese society, as understood through the concept of ‘othering’
6. What socio-cultural factors contribute to the rising popularity of male hosts in Japan
7. How does online gaming aEect the academic performance of Chinese teenagers, and what
strategies can educators use to mitigate these eEects
8. How do socio-cultural and aesthetic factors drive the popularity of public square dancing (guang
chang wu) in China
9. In what ways has the concept of “Diaosi” (‘losers’) in China influenced youth self-identity
10. How do the Japanese Sukeban and the Chinese Shamate diEer in their expressions of deviance
11. Reflecting on the ‘Sang Culture’ and ‘Lying Flat’ movements in China, how do these social
phenomena challenge traditional notions of success
12. How has Japan’s development of national identity contributed to the normalisation of karoshi
(death by overwork)
2
13. How has the sharing of food recipes on TikTok influenced the understanding of Asian identities
among Western media consumers
14. What are the broader implications of the global popularity of mobile otome games (maiden games)
on female gamers’ identity
15. What are the connections between Yaoi (Boy’s Love manga) and views of the LGBTQI+ community in
contemporary Japan
16. What shared values between the Freeters’ Movement in Japan and the Lying Flat Movement in China
suggest about the future of these working positions
17. How does the phenomenon of karoshi in Japan reflect Confucian values and Japanese imperialism
18. Considering the illegality of same-sex marriage in China, how does this aEect the identities and
lives of Tongqi (heterosexual women married to gay men)
19. How have Chinese female beauty standards evolved over time, and what patterns can be observed
that help predict future trends
20. To what extent does the success of Boys’ Love dramas like ‘Ossan’s Love’ reflect public acceptance
of homosexuality in contemporary Japanese society
21. How does ‘Helicopter parenting’ in China reflect traditional cultural values, and what are its impacts
on youth mental health
22. What is the connection between strict parenting styles such as ‘helicopter parent’ or ‘tiger mother’
and youth suicide rates in China
23. How has helicopter parenting aEected Chinese adolescents’ mental health and well-being, both
within and outside of China
24. How do games like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon help gamers build a sense of collective
identity
25. In what ways do the cyber-nationalist youth leagues Little Pink ( 粉紅 xiǎo fěnhóng) and the 50
Cent Party (五 党 wǔ máo dǎng) shape national discourse in China
26. How does the concept of Zhongyong (the doctrine of the golden mean) from Confucius influence
modern Chinese society
27. How do social stigmas around dialects in China influence self-identity
28. How does the representation of gender stereotypes in high school baseball club manga reflect
broader gender norms in Japanese society
29. To what extent does Vocaloid culture in Japan rely on its participatory fandom, and how can this be
explained using Participatory Culture Theory
30. How have the Chinese and/or Japanese governments influenced the spread of Hip-Hop culture in
their respective countries
31. How did Japan’s localism eEorts during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics help expand its international
cultural identity
32. How does Ezaki Bisuko’s Menhera-Chan contribute to mental health awareness in Japan
33. What role does K-pop play in shaping fandom culture and identity in Japan
34. How do identity markers within the gyaru subculture contribute to participants’ sense of autonomy
35. What significance does the decline of Visual Kei have on contemporary fashion subcultures and
gender expression among Japanese youth
36. Through what mechanisms have fans’ activities on social media reshaped the identities of Western
K-Pop fandoms
37. In what ways does the Hanfu Revival Movement influence contemporary expressions of Chinese
traditional cultural values
38. How has gaming culture in Japan transformed from a hobby into a marginalised subculture
39. To what extent is the anti-Chinese sentiment in Australia during the COVID-19 lockdowns a result of
moral panic, as analysed through the Moral Panic Theory
40. How does the ‘Xionghaizi’ phenomenon renew attention to mandatory education issues in China
41. How can Allan Moore’s theory of authenticity be applied to understand inauthenticity claims within
the Chinese hip-hop community, as expressed by the underground scene
3
42. How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of Douyin/TikTok influenced the search for self identity among Chinese youth
43. What are the psychological and cultural factors behind homophobia in China, and how does this
threaten traditional cultural values
STEP 2: CONSULTATION WITH TUTORS
If you are working on a research topic or question not listed above, you must obtain approval from
Shoko or Laura by consulting with them. Please discuss your possible project with Shoko or Laura either
during the workshop consultation or outside class by making an appointment. They can help you
develop your research question. Seek their support and approval on your research question as soon
as possible.
If your question matches one of those listed above, you don’t need to check with them or get approval.
In that case, you can skip STEP 2.
STEP 3: RESEARCH PROPOSAL – TO BE SUBMITTED
1.1 Submission
Submit your Research Proposal (the ‘plan’ for what your research project will be and some
preliminary ideas/findings) to MyUni Research Proposal Assignment Portal.
1.2 Format:
a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation (PPT), with
a video recording of your face on the first page, and
recorded speech throughout (approximately 5-7 minutes long, strictly no longer than 7
minutes.)
Save your PPT file as .pptx or .mp4 for submission. If using .pptx, make sure the total duration of
your voice recording does not exceed 7 minutes, to avoid point deductions.
Save File as Surname_givenname_(Nick name)_StudentID_ASIA2007
Please use headings (shown below in bold: Research Question, Relevance, etc.) to organise your
slides. You can add relevant images as you see fit.
1.3 Content
1) Cover-Page (no heading is necessary):
ASIA2007 Asia: Cultures & Identities
Surname_givenname_ID (Add nickname if used in class & name written in Chinese if
applicable)
2) Research Question: What research question are you trying to answer
3) Relevance: How does this topic reflect the issues covered in this course
4) Key Concepts: What are the key concepts or theories you are exploring to inform your research
themes and topics
5) Methods: What research methods will you use
4
State if your research is entirely based on synthesising academic literature or if you are
doing things like discourse analysis of a text or set of discussions around an issue, or
drawing on secondary data, for example.
Please note that collecting your own empirical data (e.g. survey and interview) is NOT
allowed, as they would require ethics approval by the University, which is impossible given
the time constraints associated with undergraduate assignment.
6) Key References: Share 2-3 key references that you have found so far or that you plan to use in
your research. Explain what they are and why they are important to your research.
Note: Reference your sources properly using Adelaide Harvard style. Do not merely state “I
found a reading about x”.
7) Analysis:
Briefly discuss how you will be analysing your chosen topic, e.g., what academic
theory/concept/s will you be applying
What is the significance of your chosen phenomenon (i.e., why does it matter) and what
might the implications be
What key points or argument will you be making in the essay
How are you interpreting your chosen phenomenon and what might your conclusion be
It is okay if you are still unclear about these aspects of the analysis, or if your direction
changes as you conduct more literature review and your understanding evolves (iterative
process!), but we would like you to try your best to clearly articulate where your analysis is
at this stage. This is a really important section (can be more than one slide) to get a good
mark!
8) AI Declaration:
IMPORTANT: In this assignment, only the use of AI-assisted EDITING is permitted (e.g.
Grammarly). AI can be used as an editor to enhance the clarity and quality of your submitted
work. This includes:
1) spelling and grammar checking and rewriting for style and conciseness
2) feedback on language, grammar structure.
To use AI-assisted TRANSLATION is NOT PERMITTED (even with Grammarly).
Any other used of Generative AI, such as AI-assisted ideas, AI-assisted creation, human
evaluation (including ChatGPT) are NOT permitted.
Although permitted use of AI is limited for this assignment, you must include AI declaration in
your essay. You must declare and specify:
which tools (including tools with AI-powered features such as Grammarly),
for what purpose (editing, idea drafting, outlining, translating, proofreading, structuring,
etc. ),
in which section/paragraph, and
evaluate the extent and quality of AI-generated content you include in your final
submission.
5
If you did not utilise any AI assistance, please declare
“No AI tools or applications have been used in the making of this essay; all writing is
my own and all cited work is referenced.”
NOTE: Essays without proper referencing will automatically be flagged for further investigation
with Academic Integrity and Cadmus teams at the University, which may result in a fail.
9) Bibliography: Cite at least three sources you have used and consulted to come up with this
proposal. Correct Harvard style referencing is expected, which means in-text references as
well as a short bibliography on a separate page at the end). Page numbers must be included
with your in-text references.
Link to Adelaide Harvard referencing guide:
点击以访问 harvard-referencing-guide.pdf
STEP 4: SHOWCASE YOUR RESEARCH (Optional and availabilities limited)
If you want to share your research proposal ideas, get feedback from your peers, and possibly earn up
to a 10% bonus on your Research Proposal grade, you can apply to present your Research Proposal in
your workshop (not just showing the recorded video) for Weeks 9, 10, or 11.
When your mark for Research Proposal exceeds 91, the maximum score you can achieve with the
bonus points will be 100.
Slots are limited: a maximum of 3 students can present per workshop. Each presentation must not
exceed 10 minutes.
If interested, please visit the ASIA2007 Showcasing Research – Presentation Schedule and add your
details. The presenter will be chosen on a first-come, first-served basis, but the Course Coordinator
reserves the right to decide who will present.
Please note: This showcase presentation is optional and serves as an extra contribution to your class
learning. It does not replace the recorded presentation above, which must be submitted on MyUni by
the deadline.
HINT: HOW TO DEVELOP A STRONG RESEARCH PROJECT
Choose a Research Topic:
Focus on Culture & Identity in Asia: Your topic should relate to aspects of culture and identity
within an Asian context (e.g., Japan, China, or another Asian country).
Identify a Phenomenon: Select a real-world case or social phenomenon, such as a social
movement, a cultural group (pop culture, subculture, counterculture, etc.), social trend,
or social issue that interests you and is relevant to the course.
Explore Existing Resources: Review lectures, course readings, and the list of possible research
questions for inspiration. Start by identifying a phenomenon that sparks your curiosity.
Think about the point you’re trying to make (think analytical, not just descriptive).
6
Conduct some Preliminary Research (aka Literature Review):
General Exploration: Use online searches to gather background information on your chosen
topic. Identify both specific and general keywords to guide your research (e.g., “youth culture in
Japan,” “Chinese identity,” “postmodernism”).
Academic Research: Use academic databases like Academic Search Premier, Bibliography of
Asian Studies, and Google Scholar to find scholarly articles. Prioritise quality academic
sources that connect your topic to the course content. The inclusion of a few peer-reviewed
academic articles often helps strengthen the quality of your analysis and argumentation.
Consider narrowing down your topic once you have a clearer idea of what you’re doing.
Develop Your Research Question:
Ask Critical Questions: Consider diEerent angles, such as the origin of the phenomenon, the
identities involved, and its significance.
A good research question is not too broad, not too narrow, not too hard, not too easy.
Create a question that is researchable, analytical, and critical.
Conduct Your Analysis: (NOTE: See Lectures 4 & 5 on theories and methods)
Identify Key Concepts/Theory: Identify relevant academic concepts or theories from the course
that fit your topic. Ensure your research question incorporates key terms/concepts, and/or the
theories you plan to use.
Apply the Key Concepts/Theory: Use the chosen theory or framework to analyse your case
study. This will help you understand the phenomenon with a specific academic perspective.
Consider Cultural Context: Reflect on the wider historical and social contexts of your topic.
Consider Identity Markers: Identify and analyse how identity plays a role in your chosen
phenomenon.
Comparative Perspective: If relevant, compare your phenomenon with a similar one for
insights.
Remember: A good research project combines a real-world case with an academic concept or
theory to form a coherent and critical analysis. Your research question should clearly reflect
this integration.
Structure Your Essay:
Plan your essay’s organisation, ensuring it logically presents your analysis and answers your
research question.
‘So what ’ Consider the broader implications of your research. End the research proposal/
research essay with a statement on why it matters to pack a punch.
Enjoy Research J
ASIA 2007: Asia Cultures and Identities最先出现在KJESSAY历史案例。