The Asian Studies Program is an essential part of Vanderbilt University’s effort to diversify its curriculum. The program currently offers various courses that cover topics related to East Asia (mainly China and Japan) and South Asia (mainly India). Other Asian regions such as Korea and Southeast Asia are also covered. The affiliated faculty members promote better understanding of Asia and its relations with the rest of the world through their research and teaching. The students who major in Asian studies are encouraged to register for courses in multiple disciplines in order to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on Asia.
While maintaining its traditional strength in China and Japan, Asian Studies is committed to diversifying its faculty and curricular offerings to address the ever-increasing importance of other Asian regions. We have faculty that work in South Asian religious thought, South Asian art, and Vietnamese and South Asian literature. We are currently conducting two searches for new faculty members. The History Department is searching for a historian of South Asia at the level of assistant professor; and the Asian Studies Program in currently searching for a senior Asianist (open region). With the addition of these new faculty members, the program will strengthen its implementation of a more comprehensive Asian studies curriculum at Vanderbilt University.