Asian American Studies Courses

Visit AAST in the University Bulletin

Requirements

The Asian American Studies minor requires six courses.

  • AAST 3000: Introduction to Asian American Studies.
  • Four AAST electives, at least three of which must carry either the AAST subject code or the AAST attribute code (the fourth may carry either the AAST subject code, the AAST attribute code, or the AASR attribute code)
  • One course numbered 3000 or above in a contiguous field of race and ethnic studies—i.e., a course with either an AFAM subject code, an AFAM attribute code, an LALS subject code, or an LALS attribute code

Course Offerings in Asian American Studies (AAST) for Fall 2023

49879 COMC 3280-R01
Dr. Qun Wang
Representing Asians in Journalism and Media (4 credits)
Wednesdays, 11:30-2:15

From traditional media to social media, from the “yellow peril” stereotype in the 19th century and the model minority discourse in the 20th century to the Atlanta shootings and the #StopAsianHate during the COVID-19 pandemic in the 21st century, the media have played and continue to play an important role in the history of Asian Americans. Media activities, whether in the processes of media production, representation, or consumption, have largely shaped how the Asian American identity is perceived and how the Asian American community is evolving. At the same time, Asian Americans have become media producers themselves, using both traditional and digital media to tell their stories. Through class materials, discussions, and projects, this course provides an opportunity for students to study the roles and practices involving various media types, such as news media, popular media, and digital media, as well as their implications for Asian Americans. Students will learn topics related to journalism, media, and Asian Americans across such fields as journalism studies, media and communication, historical research, and cultural studies, and will have the opportunity to practice different research methods. (Core attributes: PLUR. Other attributes: AAST, CELP, CMST, COMC, DTEM, JETH, JOUR, JPLH.)

50135 ENGL 3647-R01
Dr. Stephen Hong Sohn
Seeing Stories: Reading Race and Graphic Narratives (4 credits)
TF, 2:30-3:45

This course reveals how American writers of color (Asian American, Native American, African American, Latinx, etc.) have transformed the genre of the graphic narrative to speak to issues of racial difference and social inequality. How do these authors both entertain us and push us to engage in rigorous, critical interpretations of their wildly fanciful texts? Some potential course selections include: Thi Bui’s The Best We Could Do, Kyle Baker’s Nat Turner, Mira Jacob’s Good Talk, Lila Quintero Weaver’s Darkroom, and Jonathan Nelson’s The Wool of Jonesy. (Core attributes: ALC, EP3, PLUR. Other attributes: AAST, ACUP, ADVD, AMST, ASLT, ENRJ, LALS, LAHA, PJRC, PJST.)

49826 THEO 3130-R01
Dr. Ki-Eun Jang
Bible as Migration Literature: Then and Now (4 credits)
MR, 2:30-3:45

The migration experience—whether voluntary or forced—runs through biblical literature. This course approaches the Bible as migration literature, exploring its engagement with the themes of immigration, emigration, exile, multilingualism, diaspora, alien, lawful belonging and un-belonging, refugee, empire, return migration, generational conflict, and identity negotiation. In addition to pluralistic ancient Mediterranean contexts that produced the Bible and ancient Jewish and Christian experiences of migration, this course will explore modern responses to and engagements with the Bible by migrant communities across the globe in the formation and 2 reformation of global Christianity. Special attention will be given to topics in racial and ethnic minority migrant communities in America—such as receptions of the Bible in contesting immigration and building and maintaining contemporary migrant faith communities. (Core attributes: EP3, GLBL, STXT. Other attributes: AASR.)