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Asian American Studies

Asian American Studies (AAS) provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the historical and current experiences of persons of Asian ancestry in the United States and the relevance of those experiences for understanding race and ethnicity in both national and international contexts. In using the term "Asian American," the AAS faculty recognizes that the term seeks to name a rapidly developing, complex, and heterogeneous population and that there is neither a single Asian American identity nor one "community" that comprises all Asian Americans. Asian Americans include those with ancestral ties to countries or regions in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, or the Philippines, among others. AAS brings together courses that address the social, political, historical, and cultural dimensions of Asian Americans and is an appropriate course of study for students interested in a variety of concerns related to Asian Americans, including: historical experiences, immigration, labor histories, issues of gender and sexuality, current social formations, domestic and international policy issues, intellectual, artistic and cultural contributions, relationships with other groups, and the historical construction of "Asian American" as it addresses important theoretical and practical issues.

Asian American Studies is chaired by Professor Gordon Chang (History).