The OHIO Asian Studies Program offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of the rich cultural traditions, complex political and economic histories, and diverse human security challenges of countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia.
The program emphasizes the study of economic developments, political strategies, religious diversities, and technological transformations.
As Asia continues to grow in geopolitical and economic significance, this program prepares students for success in careers such as policy and diplomacy, international business, global marketing, cultural and linguistic educators, human rights and international law, and more.
The East Asia concentration explores the modern political and economic history of East Asian countries, emphasizing comparative political economy and development, trade and financial markets, cross-cultural exchange, and the interplay between technology and society.
The Southeast Asia concentration focuses on the region's colonial and postcolonial histories, environmental and ecological challenges, cultural transactions, and political mobilizations within the framework of globalization.
The Transnational Asia concentration includes three thematic fields that span East, Southeast, and South Asia: Arts, Popular Culture and the Media; Gender, Ethnicity and Religion; and Globalization, Conflict and Social Change.
The CIS Thursday Forum is a weekly series focusing on international research, scholarship and creative activity for the OHIO community.
The Professors Rajindar and Manjulika Koshal Endowment promotes global understanding of the Indian culture, economy, history, dance, music, philosophy, medicine, science, or politics at Ohio University by supporting lecture opportunities.
Graduate and undergraduate students can find opportunities in countries including Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
OHIO faculty-led programs include:
Daniel K.C. Shao generously endowed a fund to help Ohio University students study abroad in Asia. He is one of Hong Kong's leading businessmen and earned a B.A. in Economics from Ohio University in 1972. He has served on the Alumni Board and the Foundation Board and has been a very strong supporter of OHIO's programs, particularly those in Asia.
Ohio University's Southeast Asian Studies Program was established in 1967 as one of the first of its kind in North America. It was recognized as a Department of Education National Resource Center (NRC) across decades from the 1970s to the early 2010s.
Ohio University Libraries houses one of the largest collections of research materials on Southeast Asia in the United States, including the Malaysian Resource Center, a renowned Indonesian collection, the David K. Wyatt Thai collection, the Chubu University Commemorative Japanese Collection, and the Dr. Shao You-Bao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center.
In 2012, the OHIO Asian Studies Program was established with concentrations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Transnational Asia, which includes three thematic fields: Arts, Popular Culture and the Media; Gender, Ethnicity and Religion; and Globalization, Conflict and Social Change.
OHIO is the only university in the state of Ohio offering a master’s degree in Asian Studies.
The Asian Studies Program is proud of OHIO's recent and current partnerships and collaborations with universities and organizations around the world.
Named in honor of the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Tun Abdul Razak Chair is a unique and extraordinary venture in higher education. Since its inception in 1979, the Tun Abdul Razak Chair program has made important contributions to Malaysian-American understanding. It has educated more than 2,000 Malaysian citizens, helped countless Americans acquire expertise on Malaysia and Southeast Asia, developed partnerships, and built one of the finest library collections on Malaysia in the Americas.
The Frances M. and Stephen H. Fuller Visiting Professorship in Southeast Asian Studies is an endowed professorship in the Center for International Studies at Ohio University. An Athens native and graduate of Athens High School and Ohio University, Fuller went on to earn his MBA and DBA from Harvard University, where he eventually became Associate Dean of the Harvard Business School. He also served as Vice President of General Motors and President of Worldbook.
Center for International Studies faculty have expertise in many research areas about Asia.
The Ohio University Press publishes on subjects featuring Asia, including about the history of Asia and Southeast Asia, literature, literary criticism, poetry and political science.
Indian Ocean Studies Series, edited by Richard B. Allen
Research in International Studies, Southeast Asia Series, edited by Elizabeth F. Collins
Compendium of Open Access Resources on Southeast Asia
Jeff Shane is the Southeast Asian Studies librarian.
The East Asia Collection includes two notable holdings. The Chubu University Commemorative Japanese Collection and Dr. Shao You-Bao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center.
A gift presented by Chubu University in 1993, the Chubu Collection consists of materials that support Japanese language education and the study of Japan-related topics for Ohio University students, as well as materials necessary for students from Japan and materials that foster the understanding of and friendly relations with Chubu University.
Established through a gift from Dr. Shao You-Bao in 1993, the Overseas Chinese Collection focuses on documentation and research of ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia as well as Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific.
The Southeast Asia Collection, established in 1967, is among the oldest and largest collections of research materials on Southeast Asia in North America.
Although Ohio University Libraries acquires materials on all countries of Southeast Asia, library holdings on Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei are especially strong. Since 2005, Ohio University has made great strides in expanding its library holdings on Thailand.
The Southeast Asia Collection houses a number of special sub-collections and other resources, including the Malaysian Resource Center, the Marion Alden Southeast Asia Fine Arts Collection, and the David K. Wyatt Thai Collection.
Information on the Ohio University student organizations can be found on BobcatConnect.
Asian Studies Faculty Directory
Director: Dr. Takaaki Suzuki
Asian Studies Program
Center for International Studies
Yamada International House
56 E. Union St.
Athens, Ohio 45701
740-593-9781 (tel)
740-593-1837 (fax)
Email: suzuki@ohio.edu