The Dark Century, 1946–2046: Noir, Cyberpunk, and Asian Modernity is his doctoral dissertation which explores the philosophical and artistic discourse of noir, neo-noir, and cyberpunk narratives, particularly their local expressions and insights into the impact of modernity across Southeast and East Asia from the end of World War II to a speculative future.
The dissertation is composed of two parts:
- An academic essay that analyzes these genres, arguing they share a lineage and provide a counter-hegemonic perspective on rapid development, cultural loss, economic alienation, and corrupt state power in the region.
- A work of fiction called Thirty-Six Streets, which serves as a creative artifact to prove his arguments.