Mission Statement
The Asian studies program at Muhlenberg College offers students the opportunity for multidisciplinary study of South and East Asia, integrating the perspectives of fields across the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. Asian countries and cultures play an increasingly influential role both in international affairs and in our own local communities. Through coursework and independent study at Muhlenberg, as well as through direct and active engagement with people and ideas from these regions via co-curricular activities and study abroad experiences, students gain a more nuanced understanding of the contributions of Asian cultures.
Learning Goals
- To enter into a concentrated program of study of various regions of Asia, including its diasporic communities
- To engage multiple disciplines in the study of Asia, including Religion Studies, History, Media and Communications, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, and Literature, and to develop methodological skills in specific disciplines
- To develop critical tools for comparative analysis of Asian systems of thought, culture, and power across regions and historically across periods
- To sharpen academic reading, writing, and speaking skills through study of Asia
