A Message from the Director
Asia as a region is increasingly becoming a more potent actor in the world at large. The region’s economic influence is becoming more deeply felt, its political power more strategically crucial. Home to almost half the world’s population, source of much of the world’s consumer goods, and containing some of the world’s most ancient and enduring civilizations, Asia's current role in the politics of religion, business, diplomacy, security, communications, and popular culture is undeniably important.
Welcome to Asian Studies at Georgetown. In our small but industrious operation, we seek to meet three criteria of richness, rigor, and relevance in our study of Asia. We strive to give our students an education that is rich in scholarship, rigorous in terms of methodology, and relevant to Georgetown’s special niche in international affairs. When the program first began in over three decades ago, it was primarily an undergraduate-focused certificate. Asian Studies at Georgetown has now multiplied in size and scope servicing graduate and undergraduates and advancing a national profile and presence.
This is truly an exciting time for our program. We are in the midst of a multi-year comprehensive expansion of the curricular offerings, faculty appointments, and programmatic activities. The primary benefactor of these efforts is our growing body of students with interests in Asia. The signature undergraduate certificate in Asian Studies underwent curricular revision and is now a more rigorous and enriching experience. The new graduate certificate in Asian Studies, begun in 2008, is the only graduate certification in Asia at the University and has attracted candidates from the Law, Main, and Medical campuses! In both programs we have added flagship seminars (347 – Senior Research Seminar on Asia; and 668 – Theory and Policy in Asia) to enhance the peer group experience for students.
We have launched three new public events series on Asia at Georgetown since 2007. These are the China Speaker Series, the Theory and Policy Seminar, and the UTStarcom Distinguished Lecture Series on Asia. The China Speaker Series hosts some of the world’s top scholars on various aspects of China ranging from the role of the internet in society to the history of tobacco in the country. The Theory and Policy Seminar allows U.S. and Asian policymakers to escape the crush of daily pressures to speak candidly and off-the-record about why they pursue the policies they do and what assumptions are key to their decisions. The UTStarcom Distinguished Lecture Series aims to bring both senior scholars and “rising stars” to the Hilltop to discuss their latest research. Whether it is the Secretary-General to ASEAN or university professors discussing their latest books on energy security and China or nationalism in Japan, these programs have attracted standing-room-only audiences beyond the campus to include national media, the embassy community in Washington, and the policy community.
Asian Studies has extended its reach abroad, cooperating with universities across the Pacific in both scholarship and overseas study opportunities. Our visiting scholar program brings several researchers each year from all subregions of Asia to campus where they become part of the Georgetown community and enjoy the opportunity to study in the nation’s capital.
The expansion of Asian Studies at Georgetown will eventually yield a new Center with space to accommodate its growth. Asia continues to be the most dynamic region of the world and Georgetown will strive to meet the growing demands to understand the region’s politics, society, and culture.
Victor Cha
Director, Asian Studies
