Philosophy

The Coalition of English Departments in Asia (COEDA) is a joint initiative of the English literature and linguistics departments at the top universities in East Asia: Seoul National University, National University of Singapore, University of Tokyo, University of Hong Kong, and National Taiwan University. Initiated in 2018, this coalition encourages scholarly and intellectual conversations between faculty and graduate students in order to identify key areas of common concern and interest and to foster research and teaching collaboration. In 2018, COEDA launched a rotating annual conference (to be hosted by member departments), which will focus on the professional development of graduate students but also bring together faculty from each institution (see "Upcoming Conference" for details). Through regular meetings and exchange, we hope to take advantage of our unique mobility in the Asian context so as to develop long-term collaborations and produce scholarship that makes a global difference.

In short, COEDA is a mutually supportive network of scholars and students in Asia that encourages collaboration, collegiality, and intellectual exchange, especially in regards to the study and reception of literatures in English in the Asian region. More specifically, COEDA provides professional training to graduate students; offers a forum for young scholars to develop and receive feedback on their ideas; creates a pathway for disseminating and sharing information and scholarship among regional scholars; enables scholars to find collaborators for individual or group projects; and enhances our visibility in the global intellectual community.

We believe that COEDA is an exciting move forward for all member departments and their respective students, faculty, and larger communities, while it also actualizes a truly global network of scholars based in Asia. Finally, COEDA aims to enhance the visibility and standing of literary studies in Asia.