The Asian American Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the scholarship and experiences of Americans, Pacific Islanders, and immigrants to the United States from Asian heritage groups. The program sheds light on Asian American experiences and concerns, both historically and in contemporary society. The certificate in Asian American studies provides students with an opportunity to develop a sustained intellectual focus on Asian American racial formation, communities, and culture. The program also serves as a teaching and resource center not only for Asian Americans but for the University and Madison community as a whole.

Courses offered by the program and through other departments incorporate the perspective of a variety of disciplines: anthropology, communication arts, cultural studies, dance, education, English, ethnic studies, film, history, human development and family studies, journalism, literature, media, political science, popular culture, psychology, sociology, theatre, and visual arts. New course topics are introduced each year. Examples of past topics include: Asian American History, Asian American Literature, Asian American Women Writers, Asian Americans in the Midwest, Hmong American Studies, Contemporary Legal Issues in Asian American Communities, Mixed Race Asian Americans, Asian American Cultural Politics, Southeast Asian Americans in US Schools, Asian American Dance, Asian Americans & Media, Afro-Asian Improvisational Dance, Psychology of Hmong Americans, and community-based research and service-learning courses.  

All program courses fulfill the ethnic studies requirement and breadth requirements in the appropriate divisions.

Degrees/Majors/Certificates

People

Ian Baird (Geography)
Leslie Bow (English/Asian American Studies)
Cindy I-Fen Cheng (History/Asian American Studies)
Peggy Choy (Dance/Asian American Studies)
Michael Cullinane (Center for Southeast Asian Studies)
Alberta Gloria (Counseling Psychology)
Joan H. Fujimura (Sociology)
Lisa Ho (Asian American Studies)
Florence Hsia (History of Science)
Juliet Huynh (English)
Eden Inoway-Ronnie (Office of Provost)
Victor Jew (Asian American Studies)
Monica Kim (History/Asian American Studies)
Eileen Lagman (English)
Lori Kido Lopez (Communication Arts)
Nicole Louie (Curriculum and Instruction)
Stacey Lee (Educational Policy Studies)
Jan Miyasaki (Asian American Studies)
Beth (Bich Minh) Nguyen (English)
Pamela Oliver (Sociology)
Linda Park (Medicine and Public Health)
Kong Pheng Pha (Gender and Women Studies/Asian American Studies)
Mai See Thao (Anthropology/Asian American Studies)
Paul Tran (English/Asian American Studies)
Goodson Vue (PEOPLE Program)
Morris Young (English)
Jing Yu (School of Education/Asian American Studies)
Timothy Yu (English/Asian American Studies)