Before enrolling is this course, transnationalism was a theoretical context I had encountered previously in a graduate seminar, but never realized how it directly applied to my life outside of literature. Currently, after a dynamic semester of engagement with how interconnectivity between global contexts functions, I observe, experience, teach, and reflect on transnationalism on a daily basis, particularly in my profession as a foreign language teacher. Not only do I consider how transnational contexts posit my role as an educator in the 21^st century, but also how they can improve upon the way I teach German. For example, how can new transnational technology resources enhance the foreign language learning process? Although transnationalism is applicable to many spheres, it seems to currently occupy a front row seat in my educational life.

At the beginning of the semester, the introductory text by Appadurai Modernity at Large and his framework of various “scapes” enabled me to reframe my perception of how my work and learning environments are part of the “new global cultural economy.” Appadurai’s ethnoscapes, or the “landscape of persons who constitute the shifting world in which we live” appeared to adequately describe the diverse individuals that I work with and teach in suburban Washington DC. With citizens from around the world in my environment who may fluently speak other languages in addition to English, one question that I often found myself asking was, “How does knowledge of other languages assist with learning languages such as German?” When I posited this question to co-workers and students, especially those that spoke Spanish, French, and Russian, I found that “grammar” was the most common answer. Another discussion that arose with colleagues was different methods or traditions of teaching foreign languages and adjustments that may be needed by foreign teachers in the American cultural context. One colleague mentioned how the grammar/translation method is quite common in Eastern Europe, but is rarely used in North America. In addition, several co-workers mentioned their amazement at the change in foreign language offerings in secondary school in this particular metropolitan area. While French, and Spanish remain popular, languages such as German and Latin are slowly being replaced by Arabic, Chinese, or Korean for an anticipated need in the “global economy” of the future.

Technoscapes, or the “the global configuration of technology…which now speeds across various kinds of previously impervious boundaries” was also influential in my new line of thinking. In particular, I reflected on how virtual spaces, such as learning platforms, social media, and communication devices, have facilitated communication across borders. In today’s German language classroom, students can chat on Skype with a Swiss peer, watch a music video in German on YouTube, or take a test online. Learning possibilities with both ethnoscapes and technoscapes seem endless, and I often wonder how it will evolve further as advances are made (Appadurai 329-331).

As our seminar began to discuss transnational cinema in November, I considered how to apply this transnational framework to my teaching of German films in upper level language classes. Ezra and Roden’s definition of transnational cinema as one that arises in the “interstices between local and global” and which has the ability to “foster bonds of recognition between groups” created room for thought (Ezra & Roden 4) Shortly before Thanksgiving, in collaboration with my German colleague, we decided to show Sandra Nettelback’s 2003 Bella Martha to our fourth year German sections.

The story of a workaholic chef in Hamburg, who also engages with Italian culture, citizens, and cuisine, facilitated many examples of curricular transnationalisms. In terms of thinking locally, students made cross-cultural connections between American restaurants and cuisine with the German ones depicted in the film. In terms of thinking globally, students were able to compare and contrast German-Italian culture with German-American and/or American-Italian culture. While many cultural nuances relating to Italy were similar, others, such as work culture were vastly different. While the idea of a “workaholic” chef was not surprising to American students due to the typical American work culture, students were amazed to learn that this is rare in Germany or Italy. Thus, the negative reaction of Martha’s co-workers and acquaintances made more sense against this cultural backdrop.

Bella Martha (2002) by Sandra Nettelback

In addition, Ezra and Roden’s discussion of “Hollywoodization” came into focus, especially when several students mentioned having previously seen the American remake of Bella Martha, Scott Hick’s 2007 film No Reservations, without realizing its German origin. Within this framework, students could simultaneously compare cultural nuances of how films are made in different countries. Interestingly, in concurrence with Ezra and Roden’s analysis of American films, students noted the “universalization” of American culture, while the German film seek to evoke more “truth” in relation to German/Italian cultural contexts.

No Reservations (2007) by Scott Hicks

While Appadurai and Ezra & Roden have shaped my work environment perception and teaching methods in new ways, other transnational frameworks continually interest me and I hope to peruse them in the future when time allows. For example, last’s week discussion on the Berlin School and Halle’s article on “German Film after Germany” were intriguing and provided some teaching ideas on how to frame Germany culture, society, and politics in the 21^st century, especially after the 25^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In the article “The Encyclopedia Must Fail!” Raval discusses how Wikipedia has evolved from its inception a decade ago from an “encyclopedia that anyone could write” to an open source platform with diverse, innovative contributions. As digital culture and literacy has become the norm, traditional encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia Britannica have ceased publication, while Wikipedia has grown to include several languages, accessibility on various types of devices, and other media applications to enhance knowledge production. In her assessment of improving Wikipedia in a “post-Wikipedia” world, Raval believes that Wikipedia should further consider the diversity of its contributors, particularly relating to gender diversity and volunteer encouragement. Upon reading Raval’s commentary, I was struck how my own digital literacy in the realm of education has mirrored Wikipedia’s development, both as a teacher and student. Furthermore, my perception of how one gains access to knowledge in the 21^st century has both changed and been challenged.

As an undergraduate student in a history seminar in 2001, I distinctly remember how I first encountered Wikipedia while researching the music styles in Weimar Germany. Although I intended to conduct research in the library stacks for “concrete” information, I also hoped to do preliminary research on the internet. While the internet was in use at the time, it was certainly not the vast tool that we know and use today. Interestingly, an article accredited to “Wikipedia” offered the most thorough information on the subject. When I began compiling my bibliography to submit, neither my professor nor my MLA reference book could tell me how to cite such a digital source. As Wikipedia gained popularity in the coming years, I remember how professors deemed Wikipedia “unreliable” and discouraged its use, while peers searched for comparable digital resources, only to cite Wikipedia as one of the best. While I rarely use Wikipedia for my own academic research projects, it is refreshing to see how far it has come and far it can further evolve. I am particularly intrigued by Raval’s endeavor to compose articles that defy what is considered main-stream knowledge, as well as her discussion of how teams can collaborate on volunteer projects for Wikipedia.

Although I tend utilize Wikipedia as a student, I must confess that it’s an invaluable tool for my job as a high school teacher, particularly when I need a quick historical or cultural reference point for a theme, lesson, or unit. In addition, I recognize and realize that my own students, who have grown up as digitally literature users, peruse Wikipedia quite often for their own work. This fact that has allowed me to consider how I might better engage with digital platforms familiar to my current and future students. With the discovery of the Wikimedia Foundation’s Educator tools, I am motivated to teach with Wikipedia and its associated projects in the world language classroom.

For example, one platform that I could possibly use for an advanced German class is the Wikibook, which focuses on creating books. In our Grimm’s fairy tale unit this upcoming January, for example, students could re-write a fairy tale in German as a class. With a Wikibook, we could create a collaborative class project accessible to other German language classrooms. On the transnational scale, it could be feasible to team with an English class in German speaking classroom to offer a bilingual version. Another interesting platform could be Wikinews in German, which focuses on news reporting. In lower level classes, students could work collaboratively to ascertain headlines and current events in Germany.

When considering to teach with Wikipedia or an associated digital platform in the world language classroom, it would be essential for students to understand the global or open-source nature of the end product. With this in mind, the educator should establish concrete learning objectives, which could include, but not be limited to: creating a product with a diverse audience in mind, recognizing the global scale of Wiki-products, developing collaborative skills with peers at home and in the Wiki-sphere (which also transition to a real, globalized society), and valuing feedback and edits from a diverse audience. In turn, as a teacher, I would need to consider how best to utilize the tools provided to me as an educator, whether through continuing education, peer educator collaboration, or Wiki-tutorials available to the education community. In keeping both student and teacher objectives for the use of digital platforms in the classroom, the teacher could develop an innovative curricular tool, which is no longer deemed “unreliable.” In sum, I believe that Raval draws several valid conclusions regarding how Wikipedia can further improve regarding diversity, a perspective which has certainly inspired me to consider using Wiki-platforms in my own world language classroom.

In Flexible Citizenship, Ong describes how transnationalism has influenced and changed how she views Chinese cultural identity. As a huaqiao Chinese, or individual of Chinese descent born overseas, Ong had always espoused an ambivalent, albeit idealistic view of her ancestral homeland. While she accepted that poverty and political oppression might exist, she also envisioned a “kinder, gentler Chinese people” than those she knew in the “diaspora,” a notion that had developed on account of Western modern history and themedia (42). Upon visiting China for the first time, Ong did not feel an authentic connection as initially hoped, but rather a profound sense of “alienation”, which was promoted on both sides of her cultural divide. While her Western friends criticized her for visiting places in South China that did not meet their view of what China should be, native Chinese discriminated against how Chinese she actually appeared. As an overseas Chinese, she was expected to embrace “Western modernity” and not dress as a “college student.” (43). In essence, Ong hoped to feel welcomed home in China, but was rather viewed as a foreigner.

Just as transnational notions of cultural identity in China allow Ong to experience dismay and alienation, particularly with regards to how one is perceived by others, so does the outcome of the Islamic Revolution on the protagonist in Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir Persepolis. As we shall see with various examples, the images present in this genre further emphasize how cultural identity is expressed and conveyed to a wider global audience.

In the opening pages of Persepolis, we meet 10 year old Marji, who has recently been made to wear a veil in school. Having grown up in a modernized, Westernized Iranian society, the notion of wearing a veil seems antiquated and senseless. The opening images of Marji’s unhappy school portrait coupled with flashbacks of her class mocking the veil highlight this initial alienation.  As we progress to the second page, we see that her identity up to then had been cultivated by a secular French education espousing Western values.

Yet, with the dismissal of the “capitalist system” in favor of a “cultural revolution”, these images introduce how required gender separation and new attire for Muslim women shape Marji’s eventual perception of herself as an Iranian woman at home and abroad (particularly as she transitions between Iran and Europe). Eventually, as we learn, the enforced dress code and detachment from Western culture lead Marji to acts of cultural defiance, which are detailed throughout the novel. In one instance, the posters of Kim Wild and Iron Maiden received as gifts from her parents inspire her to wear American fashion in addition to her veil, which causes her trouble with the “Guardian of the Revolution” (Satrapi 131-133). In another example, a sequence depicting a confrontation between Marji and her school principal over further fashion infractions demonstrate the societal clash of Western influences on the dress expectations for Muslim women. The anger shown by Marji, particularly as the principal attempts to take her bracelet, and the act of Marji covering her ears when she is informed of her expulsion further highlight this (143).

Overall, with both Ong and Satrapi, we see how transnationalism enables perceived notions of cultural identity to evolve. While Ong initially feels alienated from her Chinese cultural identity upon visiting her ancestral homeland because she, as a huaqiao, does not espouse the “modern West”, Marji feels isolated in her Iranian homeland because the previous culture that she had known, has been limited. Instead of viewing these dilemmas in cultural identity as binary, however, the written and visual responses of Ong and Satrapi demonstrate diverse perspectives and challenge us to think beyond defined borders. In particular, the images of Iranian history in Satrapi’s graphic memoir which are interpreted by global audiences, the multiple translations of Satrapi’s text into different languages, and its recent film adaption further attest to this spirit.

In my own conceptualization of transnationalism, Arjun Appadurai’s emphasis on the cultural component of globalization was very persuasive. In particular, the notion that electronic media and migration play an important role in how we imagine our identity and surrounding world was very effective. Writing in the 1990s, Appadurai explains how certain migrant groups utilizing technology in new locales, such as Korean-Americans viewing the 1988 Seoul Olympics on television or Turkish guest workers in Germany watching Turkish language films, enable disruptions of traditional national identities, and create new diasporic public spheres.

This appears particularly nascent today in the 21^st century, especially with the rise of internet use, online newspapers, new forms of media such as blogging and youtube, and social media usage. If we consider the example of migrants in distant places away from their homeland, these new forums have created ambivalence in that individuals remain virtually close to their home culture, yet physically removed. We are continually left to ponder the new “imagined” sense of cultural proximity.

In my work as an German educator, for example, I have been able to reflect on Appadurai’s concept. Recently, one of my students returned from spending a rewarding exchange year in Germany, in which she lived with a host family and attended a German school. When I asked what she missed the most about Germany, she mentioned her host family, but added, “It’s not too bad, as we Skype in German almost every weekend.”  Immediately, I thought of the contrast between this student’s experience and my own 15 years prior. When I returned to the United States after spending my senior year of high school in Switzerland, I had to keep in touch with my host family and friends via snail mail or burgeoning emails. In essence, the sense of nostalgia experienced seemed less prevalent with the aid of 21^st century technologies.

On the other hand, I thought with this example how Appadurai’s ethnoscapes, technosapes, and mediascapes readily merge. At this point in time, access with a target language culture and language is readily available to educational institutions, language instructors, and students alike. Perhaps learning a foreign language today may be even more appealing than it was in the past.