Modernity, dialogue, and re-nationalization: Critical issues in the study of trans-Asian media culture connections

Asian media culture and its circulation in the region have been studied extensively over the past fifteen years. This area of research may be the most advanced in media and cultural studies. This reflects the trend of considerable development in the production capacity of media cultures, as well as the intensified mediated connections via Internet sites and social media across Asia. Toward further advancement of this area of research, this paper revisits the critical issue of transnational connections via Asian media culture and suggests further directions of research. The focus is on three issues: Asian modernities, transnational connection and dialogue, and soft power competition, re-nationalization and the suppression of cultural diversity within the nations. It will be suggested that these research areas need to be advanced within the framework of inter-Asian referencing and with an aspiration toward trans-Asian collaboration.