معرفی
Eva Shan Chou is a Professor in the Department of English at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY). She has taught a wide range of courses including Great Works of Literature, Asian American Literature, Ethnic Literature, and The Modern Short Novel, with course listings extending to Spring 2025, indicating her current active status.
Professor Chou received her academic training at Harvard University, where she earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Chinese Literature, and her B.A. in English Literature. Her educational background reflects the interdisciplinary nature of her scholarly work, bridging Eastern and Western literary traditions.
Professor Chou's research spans several interconnected fields with a particular focus on Chinese literature and ballet studies. Her primary areas of expertise include Classical Chinese poetry, modern Chinese literature and cultural studies, and ballet, with special emphasis on the history of ballet in China. She has made significant contributions to the understanding of Lu Xun's work, Tu Fu's poetry, and the development of ballet within Chinese cultural contexts. Her scholarship demonstrates how Chinese literary traditions interact with global performance arts, particularly examining the adaptation of Western ballet forms within Chinese political and cultural frameworks. Recent work has increasingly focused on the intersection of ballet, politics, and cultural identity in contemporary China and Hong Kong.
Analysis of Professor Chou's recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward the study of ballet in Chinese contexts, particularly examining how political realities shape artistic expression. While maintaining her foundational work in Chinese literature, especially regarding Lu Xun and classical poets like Tu Fu, her scholarship has evolved to explore the complex relationship between state power and artistic production in China's ballet tradition. Her work examines how global ballet repertoire is adapted, transformed, and politicized within Chinese cultural institutions, with particular attention to the Communist Party's centennial celebrations, Hong Kong's political situation, and the historical development of ballet in China since the mid-20th century.
Professor Chou has received numerous prestigious awards and fellowships that support her interdisciplinary research:
- Resident Fellow, Center for Ballet and the Arts, New York University (Fall Term 2018)
- Visiting Professor, Charles University, Prague (2012)
- Visiting Scholar, University of Cambridge, Trinity College (Easter Term 2011)
- Fellowship for Japan (selected as alternate), The Fulbright Foundation (2001)
- Fellowship, Library of Congress, Kluge Center (2001)
- Fellowship, The Japan Foundation (2001)
Professor Chou has successfully secured multiple research grants, primarily through the PSC-CUNY program, supporting her work on "Ballet in China: A History" and related projects. She has also served as a peer reviewer for numerous academic institutions and publications, demonstrating her standing in multiple scholarly communities. While specific student advisees are not listed in the provided materials, her extensive course offerings in literature and Asian American studies suggest significant mentorship of undergraduate students. Professor Chou has also been actively involved in departmental and college governance, having served as Department Chair of English and in various committee roles.
Professor Chou's research has increasingly focused on establishing connections between Chinese literary traditions and ballet performance, creating what might be considered a unique scholarly niche examining the intersection of these seemingly disparate fields. Her current book project "The Quest for Chinese Ballet: A History" under contract with University of Pennsylvania Press represents the culmination of years of research in Chinese archives and performance spaces, documenting how ballet was adopted, transformed, and politicized within Chinese cultural institutions.
