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| Asian Studies Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asian Studies Association |
| Founded | 1950s |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Region served | Asia; North America; Europe; Oceania |
| Leader title | President |
Asian Studies Association is a scholarly society dedicated to the study and teaching of the peoples, histories, cultures, languages, and societies of Asia. The association functions as a professional network for academics, librarians, policy analysts, and cultural practitioners with interests spanning South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia. It convenes conferences, publishes journals and monographs, offers grants and fellowships, and advocates for resources and support for Asian studies in higher education and public institutions.
The organization emerged in the post‑World War II period alongside institutions such as United Nations deliberations and foundations like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, responding to renewed interest in Asia after events including the Chinese Civil War and the Korean War. Early leaders drew from scholars affiliated with universities such as Harvard University, University of Chicago, and University of Tokyo, and from archival projects tied to libraries like the Library of Congress and the British Library. During the Cold War era the association navigated debates shaped by the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and area studies funding linked to agencies including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation. In subsequent decades interactions with institutions such as Asia Society, Japan Foundation, and regional centers at University of California, Berkeley and Australian National University influenced its curricular and research priorities. Recent history reflects engagement with global events including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, and the Belt and Road Initiative.
The association’s mission emphasizes supporting scholarship on Asia, promoting language study—such as Mandarin Chinese, Japanese language, Hindi, Arabic language, and Korean language—and sustaining archival and museum collaborations with institutions like the National Museum of India and the National Palace Museum (Taiwan). Objectives include advocating for funding from bodies such as the Fulbright Program and the United States Agency for International Development, fostering interdisciplinary research across departments at universities like Columbia University and Peking University, and advancing public literacy about events including the Meiji Restoration, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Partition of India.
Membership comprises faculty from institutions such as Yale University, National University of Singapore, and Jawaharlal Nehru University; graduate students with fellowships from programs like Rhodes Scholarship and Marshall Scholarship; librarians associated with the Asia Library (University of British Columbia); and independent scholars linked to museums such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum of Korea. Governance follows a council or board structure with elected officers who have served at centers like the School of Oriental and African Studies and committees that liaise with funders such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Core programs include language pedagogy initiatives modeled after projects at the State Department and exchanges similar to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, regional study initiatives for areas like Southeast Asia and Central Asia, and curriculum development partnerships with consortia such as the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes. The association administers fellowship competitions akin to the American Council of Learned Societies fellowships, organizes seminars with archives such as the National Archives (UK) and the National Archives and Records Administration, and runs mentoring and career development tied to programs at Princeton University and University of Melbourne.
The association publishes peer‑reviewed journals, edited volumes, and working papers featuring scholarship on figures and texts like Mahatma Gandhi, Sun Yat-sen, Rabindranath Tagore, and primary sources such as the Analects and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Publications draw on area studies methodologies influenced by scholars associated with institutions including School of Oriental and African Studies and University of California, Los Angeles, and address topics linked to events such as the Opium Wars and the Vietnam War. Research grant programs have been supported historically by foundations such as the Guggenheim Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Annual and regional conferences attract presenters from universities like Seoul National University, Peking University, Lahore University of Management Sciences, and University of Hong Kong, and host panels on themes related to the Silk Road, the Sino‑Japanese War (1894–1895), and contemporary policy issues involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Events include workshops with cultural partners such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and public lectures featuring scholars with appointments at Oxford University and Cambridge University.
The association partners with international organizations including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and regional bodies like the Asian Development Bank to support public programs, teacher training, and digital humanities projects in collaboration with libraries such as the National Diet Library and archives like the Tibetan and Himalayan Library. Outreach extends to K‑12 initiatives patterned after programs at the Asia Society, public exhibitions with museums like the Smithsonian Institution, and policy briefings for lawmakers connected to committees in the United States Congress and parliaments in countries across Asia.