Chairperson: / Dr Nadya Supian
Description of Centre: / The Centre for Modern Languages and Literature seeks to study and develop knowledge of the application of modern languages in society, media and discourse. It also aims to develop Malaysian literary works aimed at furthering our cultural and linguistic heritage.
Its mission is to:
• Conduct applied research in high impact projects
• Share research and other forms of knowledge across disciplines and education systems
• Extend, exchange, and apply this knowledge in the wider society and local community
• Develop research and enterprise partnerships with other institutions and communities
• Engage in collaborative links with other institutions of higher learning and think-tanks to produce academic studies that will be of value to nation-building
Research area: / • Language Acquisition
• Sociolinguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Language and Identity
• Language and Media
• Cross-cultural communication
• Language and gender
• Youth culture and language
• Malaysian-Singaporean Literature in English
• 20th Century British/American Drama
• Postcolonial Literatures
• Sci-fi and Fantasy Literature
• Creative Writing
• Contemporary /Modern Literature
• The role of English: Challenges of Globalization
• Language and Globalization
• Communication in the Workplace
1. Activities in 2015
Summary of activities
List of all activities from January till December 2015 (in chronological order).
No. / Date / Event / Venue1. / 4- 5 February 2015 / Conference Presentation on “'Letting it Go- Melting the Freeze:A Look at Language Use in Frozen” by Dr Swagata Sinha Roy (FCI) / ISeLT (International Seminar on Language Teaching)
UKM Bangi
2. / 11 February 2015 / Talk on “Developing a Research Culture for Social Sciences in Universities” by Associate Professor Dr. Noraini Ibrahim from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) / FCI PC Gallery Petaling Jaya Campus
(Collaboration with DML, FCI)
3. / 16-17 March 2015 / Conference Presentation on “Exploring language learner identities: A Malaysian perspective” by Nadya Supian (FCI), Muhamed Elyas Mohamed Nor (FCI) & Diyana Nawar Kasimon / International Conference on Language, Education and Innovation (ICLEI), Kuala Lumpur
4. / 6 April 2015 / Talk on “Writing and Publishing Fiction in Malaysia” by Paul Gnanaselvam (FAS) / FAS Kampar Collaboration with DLL (FAS, Kampar)
5. / 15 April 2015 / Talk titled “Publishing Research in Reputable Journals” by Dr Moses Samuel, a Senior Research Fellow at Universiti Malaya (UM) / FCI Petaling Jaya Campus
(Collaboration with DML, FCI)
6. / 28-29 May 2015 / Workshop on “Classroom Management” by Dr Carmen Nge (FCI) / Chung Hwa High School, Seremban, Through UTAR CEE
7. / 2-3 June 2015 / Conference presentation on “Japanese Transnational Entrepreneurs in Bangkok” by Kenji Kaneko, Post-Doctoral Research Scholar (FCI) / Thailand.2nd International Conference on Multidisciplinary Innovation for Sustainability and Growth (MISG).
8. / 8-9 August 2015 / Consultancy on 11th Malaysia Festival of Mind by Foong Soon Seng (FAS) / Tun Ling Liong Sik Hall, UTAR
9. / 8 September 2015 / Moderator for Forum on “"Lelaki Harapan Dunia" - conversation with the director, Liew Seng Tat” with Dr Carmen Nge, (FCI) as Moderator / MPH, UTAR Sg Long
(Collaboration with Dept of Media, FCI)
10. / 29-30 September 2015 / Conference presentation on “'Exploring the Healing Spaces in Janet Frame's Faces in the Water: An Ecofeminist Analysis” by Foong Soon Seng (FAS) / SoLLs.INTEC.15 International Conference, UKM, Bangi
11. / 10-11 October 2015 / Conference Presentation on “Mad or Spiritual? The Search for Inner Awareness and Personal Integration in Margaret Atwood's Surfacing” by Foong Soon Seng (FAS) / International Conference on Languages (ICL 2015),
Seri Pacific Hotel, KL
12. / 15 October 2015 / Colloquium Presentation on “Madness and Identity: An Ecofeminist Reading of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar” by Foong Soon Seng (FAS) / Journeys of/toward Identity-A Colloquium, Universiti Malaya
13. / 3 November / Consultancy on “Developing Websites Using Google Sites” by Angeline Wong Wei Wei (FCI) / School of Language Studies and Linguistics, UKM
14. / 2-4 November 2015 / Conference Presentation on “Reflective Thinking on Teaching Among Teacher Trainees” by Joanna Tan Tjin Ai, (FAS) / 6th International Language Learning Conference 2015, E & O Hotel, Penang
15. / 11
November 2015 / UTAR R&D Colloquium 2015 Presentation on “Feminism in Fantasy Fiction: A Game of Thrones” by Dr Nadya Supian (FCI) / KB104 UTAR
(Organised by IPSR)
16. / 11
November 2015 / UTAR R&D Colloquium 2015 Presentation on “Sexism in Malaysian Folktales” by Gheeta a/p Chandran (FAS) / KB104 UTAR
(Organised by IPSR)
17. / Oct – Dec 2015 / Consultancy on “English Enhancement Coaching for Professionals” by Mr Maxwell Sim (FCI) / Through UTAR CEE
18. / 4 – 6 December / Consultancy on L.E.A.D Camp 2015 by Foong Soon Seng (FAS) / FAS (PR Dept)
2. WRITE UP ON MAJOR EVENTS
a) Talk on Research Culture Development in Social Sciences (Collaboration with
DML, FCI)
Dr. Noraini during the talk
Associate Professor Dr. Noraini Ibrahim from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) gave a talk on Developing a Research Culture for Social Sciences in Universities in an event organised by UTAR Department of Modern Languages (DML) in collaboration with the Centre for Modern Languages and Literature (CMLL) on 11 February 2015 in its Petaling Jaya Campus.
“To what extent does research contribute to our society and country, and how do we create a culture of research in universities?” asked Dr. Noraini, currently an Associate Professor at the School of Language Studies and Linguistics in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities in UKM. She spoke to nearly 40 engrossed members of the audience, including DML Head Yogesvary Alahakone, research coordinator Surita Mogan, CMLL Chairperson Dr. Nadya Supian, and also UTAR Faculty of Creative Industries Deputy Dean (Student Development and Industrial Training) David Tneh.
Dr. Noraini went on to explain the types of research grants which are available for those who are seeking to become researchers. These grants include the Fundamental, and Prototype Research Grant Scheme (FRGS & PRGS) by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) grants, the Sumitomo Foundation grants, and Horizon 2020 grants under the European Union.
Citing a quote by prominent British literary theorist Terry Eagleton “The humanities should constitute the core of any university worth the name.” Dr. Noriani explained that research in the social sciences such as psychology, human geography, law, cultural studies, economics, sociology, and linguistics is crucial in increasing the human capital output of a nation. “That is why we need to encourage young researchers. In conducting research, it is vital to first prepare a current literature review and the methodologies applied must be clearly spelt out. You need to find research partners who can contribute and instructions must be read carefully.” She explains before concluding her talk. Lastly, Dr. Noraini emphasised that researchers have to strive to make a difference in the lives of the people whom they engage with.
The crowd listening attentively
Dr. Noraini receiving a token of appreciation from Yogesvary / Dr. Nadya thanking Dr. Noraini before presenting her with a mementohttps://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fcatid=16&fcontentid=17263
b) Talk on Talk on writing and publishing fiction in Malaysia Collaboration with
DLL (FAS, Kampar)
Paul addressing the crowd with a copy of his book,Latha’s Christmas and Other Stories
A talk on writing and publishing fiction in Malaysia was given by UTAR Faculty of Arts and Social Science lecturer, Paul Gnanaselvam at UTAR Perak Campus on 6 April 2015. The talk was organised by UTAR Department of Languages and Linguistics and the Centre for Modern Languages and Literatures.
Paul’s foray into fiction writing began in 2006. “Then, I was a lecturer in a private college in Kuala Lumpur. My colleagues in the college persuaded me to take up fiction writing. I have since fallen in love with the beautiful genre,” said Paul, who used to write articles for newspapers and e-magazines. The Ipoh native spent 14 years in Kuala Lumpur before becoming a lecturer in UTAR Kampar.
To date, Paul has published short stories and poems in e-magazines Dusun and Anaksastra, anthologies Write Out Loud, Urban Odysseys, Body2Body, Lost in Putrajaya, KL Noir: Yellow and the biannual journals Asiatic and the Lakeview Journal of Arts and Literature. He is also the author of Latha’s Christmas and Other Stories (2013).
Paul takes pride in reading and writing stories about Indian diaspora across the world. He said, “The more I write, the more I learn about my identity as a Malaysian Indian as well as my position in the global community. I want to tell the world what this diaspora means to us.”
After giving an overview of the publishing industry in Malaysia, Paul said, “It has taken us some time to delve into fiction writing due to a lack of funding and support from the publishers.”
He then elaborated on the challenges of fiction writing in Malaysia. “We have a low readership culture compared to the West. On average, Malaysians read about one and a half page per year. We also have a limited market for English fiction in Malaysia, and what hits top chart in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will usually determine the market trends in Asia,” said Paul.
He continued, “Publishing is not a profit making industry in Malaysia. People stay away from it except for publishers, retailers and book store owners. A lot of retailers do not promote your book overseas unless you have been endorsed by the New York Times or have won a Commonwealth writing prize. It is also very costly to export your book overseas.”
However, Paul said that aspiring writers should remain optimistic due to a rise in the number of independent publishers in Malaysia recently. These include Silverfish, Buku FIXI, Rabak Lit and Singapore’s Book Actually. The main aim of these publishers is to become a platform for the alternate voices of young Malaysians.
Offering his advice to aspiring writers, Paul said that one should read extensively as it enriches the mind. He added, “When you read, you will understand about people, expand your vocabulary and gain more insights and perspectives which are very useful in writing.”
Paul said that apart from reading, one needs to be a good listener if they want to write well. He is personally able to listen to two or more stories and create a new character out of the stories. He also envisages about his characters, their opinions and feelings in almost everything he sees and does.
He added, “There are no theories on how to write well. All you need is practice, and more practice. Try to scribble something on a paper for at least half an hour every day. The amount of time, effort and dedication that you put into writing will determine how well the outcome of your writing is.”
Paul also called on aspiring writers to be creative and original in their writing. He enthused, “Write from inside out. Do not adopt somebody else’s voice. The world wants to know about you, who you are, where you come from, what you think and plan to do. Your experiences are what make you unique and diverse as an individual.”
Speaking from his own experience, Paul said that writing is not an easy journey but one that is full of hiccups and disappointment. He stressed, “Writers have to live with rejection and fight self-doubt. You need to surround yourself with people who inspire you, but most importantly, you need to believe in yourself and be proud of your calling. Do not think of money and fame if you want to be a fiction writer.”
In addition, Paul said that a good writer must constantly edit their work, be patient and live their dreams and stay away from plagiarism which is a serious offence in the publishing industry.
After ending his talk, Paul read out some of his works and engaged the crowd in an interactive Q&A session.
Paul (front) enchanting the crowd with his talk on fiction writing and publishing in Malaysia
https://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fcatid=16&fcontentid=22474
c) Talk on Publishing Research (Collaboration with DML, FCI)
Dr Moses (front) sharing his expertise on research and publication
Dr Moses Samuel, a Senior Research Fellow at Universiti Malaya (UM) gave an informative talk titled ‘Publishing Research in Reputable Journals’ at the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), UTAR Petaling Jaya Campus on 15 April 2015. The talk was organised by the Department of Modern Languages (DML) in collaboration with the Centre for Modern Languages and Literature (CMLL).
Dr Moses is very well-versed in research and publication and he was a Professor and Deputy Dean at the UM Faculty of Education prior to his retirement. The talk was attended by Head of DML Yogeswary a/p Alahakone, Chairperson of CMLL Dr Nadya Supian, Head of Academic Committee Wee Kim Peck, lecturers from DML, FCI, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and staff from other organisations.
Dr Moses began his talk by giving an overview of the historical context of research and academic publishing, the importance of research in Malaysian universities and how research is connected to teaching. He believes that knowledge production is important in an academic’s life and that doing research is part of the process. His talk was tailored to meet the audience’s needs where he asked and addressed their concerns regarding research.
The highlight of the talk was when Dr Moses explained the characteristics of a reputable journal and how to identity predatory and how to identify predatory journals. These are two main issues affecting the academic world today. He also shared valuable tips on choosing a respectable journal, which are very important since publishing in top tier journals has become part of every university’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Dr Moses, whose mantra is ‘Getting papers published is a skill that can be learned’ also inspired the audience to be more actively involved in research and publication. He emphasised that getting papers published is not an easy journey but one that is full of disappointment. He also stressed that one has to learn to face rejection, not to give up, and be persistent.