Bert Scruggs
Associate Professor, East Asian Studies
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2003
Email: bms@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
443 HIB
Mail Code: 6000
Irvine, CA 92617
Research Interests
20th and 21st Century Chinese and Taiwanese Fiction
Research Abstract
My first monograph, Translingual Narration, is about identity and fiction in twentieth century Taiwan. In a nutshell, by analyzing class, ethnic, and gender identity in more than twenty Chinese and Japanese short stories and two Japanese documentaries produced during the Japanese colonization of the island (1895-1945) alongside Chinese translations of those Japanese works as well as Mandarin and Hokkien historical dramas and documentaries produced after 1945, I provide a nuanced understanding of a period of Taiwanese history which often is cast in the oversimplified terms of resistance and collaboration.
Building on my explorations of twentieth century Taiwanese fiction and film, my current research focuses on contemporary Taiwanese culture and fiction (primarily novels). So far I’ve looked at local culture, which I discuss in a book chapter on novels by Kan Yao-ming, Wang Chen-he, and Wu Ming-yi, “It all Starts in Hualien: Pangcah Woman; Rose, Rose, I Love You; and The Man with the Compound Eyes” and nuclear energy, which I introduce in a forthcoming journal article about dystopian novels by Sung Tse-lai and Egoyan Zheng, “The Crises of Representation in Taiwan in Ruins and Ground Zero.”
Building on my explorations of twentieth century Taiwanese fiction and film, my current research focuses on contemporary Taiwanese culture and fiction (primarily novels). So far I’ve looked at local culture, which I discuss in a book chapter on novels by Kan Yao-ming, Wang Chen-he, and Wu Ming-yi, “It all Starts in Hualien: Pangcah Woman; Rose, Rose, I Love You; and The Man with the Compound Eyes” and nuclear energy, which I introduce in a forthcoming journal article about dystopian novels by Sung Tse-lai and Egoyan Zheng, “The Crises of Representation in Taiwan in Ruins and Ground Zero.”
Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications
Books
Scruggs, B. (2015). Translingual Narration: Colonial and Postcolonial Taiwanese Fiction and Film. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
Book Chapters
Scruggs, B. (2019). “It All Starts in Hualien: Pangcah Woman; Rose, Rose, I Love You; and The Man with the Compound Eyes.” Positioning Taiwan in a Global Context: Being and Becoming, B. Chang and P. Lin (Eds.). London: Routledge, 45-60.
Scruggs, B. (2017). “Preliminary Thoughts on Feixu Taiwan (Wasteland Taiwan) and Kuroi Ame (Black Rain).” Wenhualiudong yu zhishichuanbo, S. Hong and M. Huang (Eds.). Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 375-395.
Scruggs, B. (2012). “Cultivating Taiwanese: Yen Lan-chuan and Juang Yi-tseng's Let It Be (Wumile).” Documenting Taiwan on Film: Issues and Methods in New Documentaries, S. Lin and T. Sang. (Eds.). London: Routledge, 150-185.
Journal Articles
Scruggs, B. (2014). “Landscapes and Sublime Memories: Revisiting Liang Xiaosheng's ‘A Land of Wonder and Mystery.’” Frontiers of Literary Studies in China, 8.4, 513-531.
Scruggs, B. (2013). “The Postcolonial Appearance of Colonial Taiwan: Film and Memory.” Frontiers of Literary Studies in China, 7.2, 194-213.
Scruggs, B. (2006). “Narratives of Discomfort and Ideology: Yang Kui’s Short Fiction and Postcolonial Taiwan Orthodox Boundaries.” Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique, 14.2, 427-447.
Scruggs, B. (2004). “Identity and Free Will in Colonial Taiwan Fiction: Wu Zhuoliu’s ‘The Doctor’s Mother’ and Wang Changxiong’s ‘Torrent.’” Modern Chinese Literature and Culture, 16.2, 160-183.
Translations (Chinese to English unless otherwise noted)
Scruggs, B. (2020). “Mystery Train” Translation of Y. Kan. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 45. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 41-58.
Scruggs, B. (2018). “The Mouse Serves a Guest Tea” Translation of C. Wang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 42. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press,155-180.
Scruggs, B. (2017). “Novels and Movies.” Translation of H. Pai. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 40. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press,143-152.
Scruggs, B. (2016). “Water Buffalo.” Translation of K. Yang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 38. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 159-166.
Scruggs, B. (2016). “Spring Sunlight Can't Be Shuttered.” Translation of K. Yang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 38. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 3-10.
Scruggs, B. (2015). “Sobbing.” Translation of C. Li. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 36. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 3-32.
Scruggs, B. (2012). “Fallen Bud.” Translation of W. Chang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 30. Santa Barbara: US-Taiwan Literature Foundation, 161-180. (Japanese to English).
Scruggs, B. (2011). “Camellias.” Translation of Y. Wu. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 27. Santa Barbara: US-Taiwan Literature Foundation, 139-168. (Japanese to English).
Scruggs, B. (2008). “Journey to Taimu Mountain.” Translation of C. Li. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 23. Santa Barbara: University of California, Santa Barbara, Center for Taiwan Studies, 67-108.
Books
Scruggs, B. (2015). Translingual Narration: Colonial and Postcolonial Taiwanese Fiction and Film. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
Book Chapters
Scruggs, B. (2019). “It All Starts in Hualien: Pangcah Woman; Rose, Rose, I Love You; and The Man with the Compound Eyes.” Positioning Taiwan in a Global Context: Being and Becoming, B. Chang and P. Lin (Eds.). London: Routledge, 45-60.
Scruggs, B. (2017). “Preliminary Thoughts on Feixu Taiwan (Wasteland Taiwan) and Kuroi Ame (Black Rain).” Wenhualiudong yu zhishichuanbo, S. Hong and M. Huang (Eds.). Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 375-395.
Scruggs, B. (2012). “Cultivating Taiwanese: Yen Lan-chuan and Juang Yi-tseng's Let It Be (Wumile).” Documenting Taiwan on Film: Issues and Methods in New Documentaries, S. Lin and T. Sang. (Eds.). London: Routledge, 150-185.
Journal Articles
Scruggs, B. (2014). “Landscapes and Sublime Memories: Revisiting Liang Xiaosheng's ‘A Land of Wonder and Mystery.’” Frontiers of Literary Studies in China, 8.4, 513-531.
Scruggs, B. (2013). “The Postcolonial Appearance of Colonial Taiwan: Film and Memory.” Frontiers of Literary Studies in China, 7.2, 194-213.
Scruggs, B. (2006). “Narratives of Discomfort and Ideology: Yang Kui’s Short Fiction and Postcolonial Taiwan Orthodox Boundaries.” Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique, 14.2, 427-447.
Scruggs, B. (2004). “Identity and Free Will in Colonial Taiwan Fiction: Wu Zhuoliu’s ‘The Doctor’s Mother’ and Wang Changxiong’s ‘Torrent.’” Modern Chinese Literature and Culture, 16.2, 160-183.
Translations (Chinese to English unless otherwise noted)
Scruggs, B. (2020). “Mystery Train” Translation of Y. Kan. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 45. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 41-58.
Scruggs, B. (2018). “The Mouse Serves a Guest Tea” Translation of C. Wang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 42. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press,155-180.
Scruggs, B. (2017). “Novels and Movies.” Translation of H. Pai. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 40. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press,143-152.
Scruggs, B. (2016). “Water Buffalo.” Translation of K. Yang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 38. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 159-166.
Scruggs, B. (2016). “Spring Sunlight Can't Be Shuttered.” Translation of K. Yang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 38. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 3-10.
Scruggs, B. (2015). “Sobbing.” Translation of C. Li. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 36. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press, 3-32.
Scruggs, B. (2012). “Fallen Bud.” Translation of W. Chang. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 30. Santa Barbara: US-Taiwan Literature Foundation, 161-180. (Japanese to English).
Scruggs, B. (2011). “Camellias.” Translation of Y. Wu. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 27. Santa Barbara: US-Taiwan Literature Foundation, 139-168. (Japanese to English).
Scruggs, B. (2008). “Journey to Taimu Mountain.” Translation of C. Li. Taiwan Literature English Translation Series, 23. Santa Barbara: University of California, Santa Barbara, Center for Taiwan Studies, 67-108.
Professional Societies
Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts
Association for Asian Studies
American Oriental Society
Association for Asian Studies
American Oriental Society
Link to this profile
Last updated
11/22/2020