Asian & Asian American Studies New Home
Asian and Asian American Studies at Providence College
Asian & Asian American Studies is an interdisciplinary minor that offers courses on Asia and Asian diasporas – particularly in the United States. Our program gives students a chance to understand the complexities of Asia’s past and present and the under-appreciated connections between Asia and their own lives. PC Asian & Asian American Studies offers classes through the departments of Art & Art History, Economics, English, Foreign Language Studies (Chinese), Global Studies, History, and Political Science.
Nearly 60% of the world’s people live in Asia. By 2050, Asian economies are expected to account for more than half of global wealth. Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. India is the world’s largest democracy. And that’s just the present. For centuries, Asian societies have produced a rich and diverse array of literature, art, religion, and philosophy. Closer to home, Asian diasporas have become a defining element in the contemporary United States. To put it simply, to understand the 21st century world, you need to understand Asia.
DEGREE PROGRAM
Minor
The Asian & Asian American studies minor is designed to allow students to study Asia and Asian diasporas from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. In addition to Asian & Asian American Studies, students can choose classes from the departments of Art & Art History, Economics, English, Foreign Language Studies (Chinese), Global Studies, History, and Political Science. Courses taken abroad can also count toward the minor requirements.
Asian & Asian American studies minors must complete eighteen (18) credit-hours (usually six classes) chosen from among approved courses. At least one course must be at the 300 or 400-level, and no more than four courses can be counted from a single department.
Students are also strongly encouraged to study an Asian language. PC offers classes in Chinese, while courses in Japanese and Korean may be taken at Brown through the RI Language Consortium. Students may also count independent studies in Asian languages toward the minor, subject to the approval of the Asian & Asian American studies director.
FACULTY
Our faculty are committed teachers and scholars who represent a range of disciplines, including Art and Art History, Economics, English, Global Studies, History, and Political Science. They’ve researched topics like religion in the People’s Republic of China, caste in contemporary India, and 19th century Japanese samurai. They’ve published in major journals, written scholarly books, and have even produced works of art and literature. They hold degrees from institutions like Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and UC Berkeley.
