Asian American Studies B.A.

The Department of Asian American Studies was one of the very first autonomous academic departments in the United States completely devoted to the study of Asian Americans. The department was founded by Professor Sucheng Chan, a pioneer in our field. Over the years, the department has consistently offered students the opportunity to study and understand the experiences of Asian Americans, particularly their histories, communities, and cultures. Our students learn to evaluate the existing literature on Asian American communities, to analyze a variety of perspectives on Asian Americans, to conduct original research, and to engage in community-based work. Professors in the department offer courses informed by approaches from the traditional disciplines, including history, sociology, law, education, psychology, and literature, as well as from interdisciplinary scholarship in women’s studies, law and society, public policy, global studies, social movements, cultural studies, and film and media studies.

Although the department offers a wide range of courses through multiple approaches, we share a common commitment to progressive scholarship of the highest caliber. We also share a commitment to engaging directly issues of inequality, both in United States history and in our own time. To that end, the lower-division courses offer a thorough introduction to Asian American history and culture, including how migration resistance, culture, and globalization have profoundly shaped Asian American life in the United States. The upper-division courses further explore Asian American contributions to literature, art, culture, film, and performance, in addition to Asian American struggles for political, economic, and social equality, opportunity, and fairness. These courses also highlight contemporary issues facing Asian American communities, issues that require leadership and meaningful intervention.