Summer 2008

All eyes on Asia

The world may be shrinking, but UNCG's focus is growing.

This fall, UNCG will introduce an Asian Studies major for students in International and Global Studies (IGS).

“Asia's place in the global context throughout the next century and beyond is going to be central,” said Dr. Roberto Campo, director of IGS, an interdisciplinary undergraduate special program supported by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Campo noted a recent Association of American Colleges & Universities survey of 300 employers across the United States found that global awareness in recent college graduates is a top priority.

“They want employees who can be flexible enough to deal with the changing world.”

While many people automatically think of China when they picture Asia, it's much broader than that. In broadest terms, Asia consists of some 37 countries, which includes Japan, Korea, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and even Russia (which has its own special place among IGS's five “Regional Studies” areas).

At the moment, studies will concentrate on Eastern, Southeastern and Southern Asia. Western Asia studies, focusing on the Middle East, will be developed in the future.

In addition to acquiring a proficiency in either Japanese or Chinese (Mandarin) language, students pursuing this major will examine Asia's society and politics, economics and environment, arts and literature, and belief systems and cultures.

Students will have the benefit of classes with faculty experts from across the university in areas such as:

• Geography
• Public health
• Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality Management
• Religious Studies
• History
• Political Science
• Music
• Business

The major is supported by a two-year UISFL Title VI grant. Half of the $178,000 will go toward hiring faculty to teach language. The other half will support course development; community outreach; and on-campus lectures, concerts and film series.

On Saturday, Sept. 13, to kick off the community outreach component, IGS will collaborate with the Greensboro Chinese Association to host the 2008 Moon Festival, featuring music, dancing, lectures and, of course, moon cakes. This event will be preceded by a special lecture, on Friday afternoon, considering environmental and health issues in Asia presented by internationally noted geographer, Pradyumna P. Karan of the University of Kentucky.

Look for more events as the year progresses.