Asian Studies Program

Director: 2015-16 Michael Walsh;

Program Faculty: Christopher Bjork^b (Education Department), Andrew Davison^b (Political Science Department), Hiromi Tsuchiya Dollase (Chinese and Japanese), Wenwei Du (Chinese and Japanese), Sophia Harvey (Film), Hua Hsu^a (English Department), Julie E. Hughes^b (History Department), E.H. Rick Jarow^b (Religion Department), Martha Kaplan (Anthropology Department), Haoming Liu^b (Chinese and Japanese), Yuko Matsubara (Chinese and Japanese), Seungsook Moon (Sociology Department), Himadeep Muppidi (Political Science Department), Anne Parries (Chinese and Japanese), Justin Patch (Music Department), Anne Pike-Tay (Anthropology Department), Peipei Qiu^ab (Chinese and Japanese), Nianshen Song (History), Fubing Su (Political Science Department), Michael Walsh (Religion Department), Yu Zhou (Earth Science and Geography Department).

^a On leave 2015/16, first semester

^b On leave 2015/16, second semester
^ab On leave 2015/16

The Asian Studies Program offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of Asia with courses and advising in anthropology, art history, economics, education, film, geography, history, language and literature, philosophy, political science, religion, and sociology. It promotes a global understanding of Asia that recognizes interactions between Asian societies and relationships between Asia and the rest of the world that cross and permeate national boundaries. While majors focus on a particular region of Asia (e.g., East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, or West Asia) including language study, intermediate and advanced coursework, and a senior thesis in this area, they are also expected to be familiar with some other parts of Asia through the introductory courses and some coursework outside their area of specialty. The Program offers a correlate sequence in Asian Studies and a correlate sequence in Asian American Studies.

While majors take courses on Asia offered in a wide range of disciplines, they are also expected to choose one or two disciplines in which they develop a theoretical or methodological sophistication that they apply to their study of Asia, particularly in their thesis and senior seminar work.

A student’s program of study for the major or correlate is designed in close consultation with the director and an advisor. Students should obtain an application form, which includes a statement of interest, from the program office or the Asian Studies website prior to meeting with the program director. This should be done by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year if the student plans to apply for study abroad. The director and members of the program faculty review the application and make suggestions for modifications. Any changes to a plan of study should be discussed with the advisor in advance; significant changes are reviewed by the director.

Study Abroad: Study abroad in Asia greatly enhances a student’s learning experience and understanding of Asia and is highly recommended for program majors. Advice and information on different programs are available through the Office of the Dean of Studies (International Programs), Asian Studies, and the Department of Chinese and Japanese.

Asian Studies Courses: This catalogue has two lists of courses for the Asian Studies major and correlate. First, courses offered by the program and cross-listed courses are listed by level. Second, additional approved courses are listed by name and number (these are courses on Asia offered in other departments; see department listings for course descriptions). Both lists are courses that can fulfill major and correlate requirements. Courses not on the lists, which may be appropriate to an individual student’s plan of study, are considered for approval by the director and steering committee upon request by the student major or correlate, after consultation with the advisor. Each semester the Asian Studies website posts a list of upcoming courses for use during preregistration.

Programs

Major

• Asian Studies Major

Correlate Sequences in Asian Studies

Approved Courses

• Asian Studies Department Approved Courses

Courses

Asian Studies: I. Introductory

Asian Studies: II. Intermediate

Asian Studies: III. Advanced

Asian Studies Senior Seminar

The Senior Seminar addresses topics and questions that engage several areas of Asia and Asian Studies as a discipline. Topic may change yearly. The senior seminar is a required course for Asian Studies senior majors; ordinarily it may be taken by other students as well.