What are the territorial and conceptual boundaries of Asia? How is Asia connected to the rest of the world? How have perceptions of Asia changed throughout history? What are the key themes and patterns found in Asian literary and artistic traditions, and how does an understanding of Asia enhance our understanding of cultural, social, and political processes?
The vast region labeled “Asia” is complex and diverse, and Asian peoples and institutions have greatly influenced human experience throughout the world. Asian Studies offers courses in multiple disciplines, including art and art history; business; history; international political economy; languages and literature; politics and government; philosophy; religion; and, sociology and anthropology. In addition to offering an interdisciplinary minor, Asian Studies also offers majors and minors in Chinese and Japanese through its subsidiary Asian Languages and Cultures Program.
Asian Studies students participate in a wide variety of co-curricular activities, including talks from renowned scholars, Lunar New Year celebrations, Taiko drumming, batik workshops, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy demonstrations. Students also participate in intensive language study abroad programs in China, Japan, and Taiwan, as well as faculty-led field school programs in Southeast Asia.
Asian Studies students develop skills that prepare them to live and work in different cultural contexts, including the societies of Asia. Alumni pursue graduate study or employment in a diverse range of fields, including art, business, education, history, linguistics, politics, and religious studies.
Information about scholarship and fellowship opportunities available to Asian Studies students.
The PacRim Program travels to Asia for nine months of rigorous academic work and experiential learning. We are currently recruiting students for the 2020-21 trip.
The 5th annual LIASE Southeast Asia Symposium focuses on the intersections of conservation and culture in the region, with a focus on Malaysian Borneo. See a full schedule of events.
On May 2, 2018, President Isiaah Crawford, members of the campus community, and friends of the university gathered for a special Asian Studies Celebration to announce the creation of The Suzanne Wilson Barnett Chair of Contemporary China Studies.
