East and West share traditions of mythmaking and storytelling in live performances and, during more recent human history, in films. Theatre and cinema uniquely represent conflicts of social interaction in ways that please us. We like to watch shows, to engage with stories, and even—or especially—to learn from what we see and hear. East meets West in English-language plays and films by writers and directors of Asian and Middle Eastern heritage. They dramatize the lives of 19th-century Chinese railroad laborers; WWII internment of Japanese Americans; war brides from Japan, Korea, and Vietnam; South Asian immigrants' struggles to maintain traditions despite the forces of assimilation; and prejudice and discrimination faced by those of Middle Eastern descent. Students will finish this course with a firm understanding of just how diverse are the experiences and attitudes of Asian and Middle Eastern communities in the English-speaking world. Through shorter and longer papers, exams, and oral presentations, students will summarize and analyze selected works from social and historical perspectives. Texts/films may include David Henry Hwang's Broadway adaptation of Flower Drum Song, Ang Lee's filmThe Wedding Banquet, Wakako Yamauchi's play 12-1-A, Nagisa Oshima's film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Yun-ah Hong's documentary Memory all/echo based on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's poetic book Dictee , Ralph Pena's play Flipzoids , Oliver Stone's film Heaven and Earth adapted from the memoirs of Le Ly Hayslip, Mira Nair's controversial movie Mississippi Masala , and Fatimah Tobing Rony's documentary On Cannibalism—as well as Ayub Khan-Din's play and film East Is East , Aladdin Ullah's play The Halal Brothers, Layla Dowlatshahi's playThe Waiting Room, Mustapha Akkad's film Lion of the Desert, Betty Shamieh's play Roar, and Hesham Issawi's avant-garde film T for Terrorist.