Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSU takes steps toward Asian Studies minor
By Abram Brown
Posted: 11/18/08, 1:07 AM EST Section: News
Andrea Wangsanata didn't learn much about her heritage as a child. Her mother worked a lot, and she remained in the dark about her ancestors from China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
When she arrived at Syracuse University, Wangsanata found a misunderstanding of Asian-Americans and Asian culture.
"There's constant questioning of 'you can't be American because you're Asian,'" said Wangsanata, a sophomore public relations and political science major.
She joined a campaign to start an Asian and Asian American studies program at SU. Students have been pushing for this for more than 10 years, Wangsanata said. She's now the student chair of a committee set up to make the program a reality.
The committee, set up last semester, has gained faculty support and created an official name for the proposal: Transnational Asian Studies Program.
While the program isn't official yet, two new Asia-focused courses are being piloted this semester.
One will be taught by Nancy Kang, a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Arts and Sciences. The course, ETS 182: Race and Literary Texts, will discuss Asian-American literature from all periods of U.S. history.
Sidney Greenblatt, a China specialist and self-proclaimed global nomad, will teach the other class. Greenblatt's course, CAS 200: Transnational Asian Studies, will discuss Tibet and other political issues affecting the continent.
Susan Wadley, associate dean of curriculum in Arts and Sciences and one of the faculty members on the committee working for the program, secured special funding for the two new courses.
But both the students and the faculty on the committee said there's more work to be done. The ultimate goal is to create a Transnational Asian Studies minor.
The committee hopes to officially propose the program next fall, Wadley said. If that happens, students would able to enroll in the program for the first time in Fall 2010, she said.
Greenblatt's course doesn't appear in the course catalog. It is listed on MySlice, but there is no course description, nor does Greenblatt's name appear.
When she arrived at Syracuse University, Wangsanata found a misunderstanding of Asian-Americans and Asian culture.
"There's constant questioning of 'you can't be American because you're Asian,'" said Wangsanata, a sophomore public relations and political science major.
She joined a campaign to start an Asian and Asian American studies program at SU. Students have been pushing for this for more than 10 years, Wangsanata said. She's now the student chair of a committee set up to make the program a reality.
The committee, set up last semester, has gained faculty support and created an official name for the proposal: Transnational Asian Studies Program.
While the program isn't official yet, two new Asia-focused courses are being piloted this semester.
One will be taught by Nancy Kang, a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Arts and Sciences. The course, ETS 182: Race and Literary Texts, will discuss Asian-American literature from all periods of U.S. history.
Sidney Greenblatt, a China specialist and self-proclaimed global nomad, will teach the other class. Greenblatt's course, CAS 200: Transnational Asian Studies, will discuss Tibet and other political issues affecting the continent.
Susan Wadley, associate dean of curriculum in Arts and Sciences and one of the faculty members on the committee working for the program, secured special funding for the two new courses.
But both the students and the faculty on the committee said there's more work to be done. The ultimate goal is to create a Transnational Asian Studies minor.
The committee hopes to officially propose the program next fall, Wadley said. If that happens, students would able to enroll in the program for the first time in Fall 2010, she said.
Greenblatt's course doesn't appear in the course catalog. It is listed on MySlice, but there is no course description, nor does Greenblatt's name appear.
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