ASIAN STUDIES
Dive into the diverse, vibrant, and evermore relevant world of Asian studies. The world’s largest population and fastest growing economy go hand-in-hand with a rich and intriguing cultural history.
Villanova Asian Studies Program offers undergraduates an opportunity to examine the world and themselves through the lens of another language and culture. The program encourages in-depth study while also promoting more general inquiry into fundamental issues, such as cultural difference and its social and political implications. The program offers them not only specialized knowledge and appreciation of a region that has had, and will undoubtedly continue to have, a profound impact on the material and spiritual wellbeing of humanity, but also prepares them to play their own roles in the often discussed “Asian Century.”
WHY ASIAN STUDIES?
Asia is home to the largest population in the world. With the vast territory and a long history, its diverse cultural traditions have greatly enriched and impacted the course of human civilization. Asian studies is an important part of Global Studies at Villanova.
Vibrant, innovative, and thriving, Asia is an incredibly active region economically, politically, and culturally. In the near future, Asia is likely to become the world’s largest economic entity, and its influence on the world’s economic and political tendency will be more profound than ever before.
With the continued development of evermore complex forms of globalization, the footprints of Asian contributions have spread all over the world. These have brought cultural transformation both in Asia and globally as well as created an entirely new environment and context for human affairs worldwide. The study of the Asian Diaspora is particularly indispensable for academic studies in the 21st century.
