Asian studies faculty seek community
Katie Koch
Issue date: 10/30/06 Section: News
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Though Boston University has no formal Asian studies department, a group of professors are working to unify their work through monthly collaborative meetings and a new website to be launched in the next two weeks.
According to history professor and project coordinator Eugenio Menegon, the new homepage for Asian studies -- bu.edu/asian -- will be broader than the current website for the East Asian studies interdisciplinary major, which only showcases courses offered on Asia. The new site will include information on Asian-alumni programs, academic resources and BU-affiliated institutes, including the International Center for East Asian Archaeology and Cultural History.
"We're not a formal program," Menegon said. "We're more of a faculty-initiated umbrella organization that wants to bring together all the faculty and resources of Asian studies at BU."
Asian studies have existed at BU for years, Menegon said. Not only does the College of Arts and Sciences offer courses in Asian culture, politics, economy and languages, but the School of Management and the School of Theology have Asian-focused programs of study as well.
However, according to anthropology professor Robert Weller, who teaches Asian studies, the Asian studies community at BU has only recently begun to expand.
"I would say there's been an increase [in interest] from every point of view," he said. "My courses on China get higher enrollments than they did a decade ago, more students are doing language and more faculty members are studying Asia."
According to Menegon, there are about 40 undergraduates pursuing a major or minor in East Asian studies and about 200 students following the East Asian track in international relations. Nearly 2,700 BU students study under faculty who teach Asian studies each year.
Asian studies have historically been underrepresented as an academic discipline at most area universities, including BU, Weller said. He said most BU Asian studies faculty, including himself and Menegon, work simultaneously with Harvard University's similar program.
According to history professor and project coordinator Eugenio Menegon, the new homepage for Asian studies -- bu.edu/asian -- will be broader than the current website for the East Asian studies interdisciplinary major, which only showcases courses offered on Asia. The new site will include information on Asian-alumni programs, academic resources and BU-affiliated institutes, including the International Center for East Asian Archaeology and Cultural History.
"We're not a formal program," Menegon said. "We're more of a faculty-initiated umbrella organization that wants to bring together all the faculty and resources of Asian studies at BU."
Asian studies have existed at BU for years, Menegon said. Not only does the College of Arts and Sciences offer courses in Asian culture, politics, economy and languages, but the School of Management and the School of Theology have Asian-focused programs of study as well.
However, according to anthropology professor Robert Weller, who teaches Asian studies, the Asian studies community at BU has only recently begun to expand.
"I would say there's been an increase [in interest] from every point of view," he said. "My courses on China get higher enrollments than they did a decade ago, more students are doing language and more faculty members are studying Asia."
According to Menegon, there are about 40 undergraduates pursuing a major or minor in East Asian studies and about 200 students following the East Asian track in international relations. Nearly 2,700 BU students study under faculty who teach Asian studies each year.
Asian studies have historically been underrepresented as an academic discipline at most area universities, including BU, Weller said. He said most BU Asian studies faculty, including himself and Menegon, work simultaneously with Harvard University's similar program.