Book Launch: Sheets of Scattered Sand

Book Launch: Sheets of Scattered Sand: Cantonese Protestants and the Secular Dream of the Pacific Rim

Description:

The "Pacific Rim" is often seen as a dated term to describe transpacific aspirations to integrate the Asia-Pacific and the Americas. In this talk, Justin Tse speaks about his new book, Sheets of Scattered Sand and how it traces how one "Pacific Rim" set of communities, Cantonese-speaking Protestant Christians, engaged the dream of the Pacific Rim prior to 2012. While describing themselves as ideologically disunited, Cantonese Protestants attempted to present themselves as democratic actors whose activities on same-sex marriage, democracy movements, and zoning laws were both legible and bewildering to Pacific Rim civil societies. This talk is part of Tse’s book launch and should be of interest to scholars, practitioners, and members of the public interested in transpacific civil societies.

About the Speaker

Justin Tse is Assistant Professor of Religion and Culture (Education) at Singapore Management University’s College of Integrative Studies. He is author of Sheets of Scattered Sand: Cantonese Protestants and the Secular Dream of the Pacific Rim (University of Notre Dame Press, 2024) and lead editor of Theological Reflections on the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement (Palgrave, 2016).

Venue and Accessibility

This in-person event takes place at the SFU’s Harbour Centre campus (HC 7000). It is easily accessible by transit and near SkyTrain. The campus is wheelchair accessible and has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Gender neutral washrooms are also available.

Host or Publisher SFU Urban Studies