Asian Pacific American Studies (APAS) gathers and develops research, scholarship and archival information on the long history and rich contemporary experiences, cultures and communities of Asian Pacific Americans in the Southwest.
Mission
The Asian Pacific American Studies Program (APAS) is an interdisciplinary under-graduate program that offers an undergraduate certificate and a range of courses that explore the experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Our program focuses on social, economic, and policy issues that have shaped and continue to impact Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the Southwest. APAS seeks to create an intellectual space for research and scholarship that impacts Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Arizona, the Southwest United States, nationally, and internationally. Asian Americans are the second-fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. As such, APAS is a key component in the preparation of ASU students to participate in American society, and offers support for ASU faculty developing Asian American and/or Pacific Islander components in their research and teaching.
APAS seeks to produce research that will inform policymakers, educators, and our society at large about Asian Americans and Pacific Islander communities. Although Asian American and Pacific Islander communities continue to grow nationally and beyond the borders of the western states, the lack of research about these communities—especially more recent immigrant communities including South Asian and Southeast Asian Americans—is a matter of concern for our communities and for government institutions locally and nationally.
APAS is committed to providing ASU undergraduate students with quality teaching and instruction. APAS classes address historical and contem-porary experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and what they have contributed to our society. Students who earn a certificate in APAS learn to think critically, develop clear written arguments, and to present their perspectives effectively. Students will gain a knowledge about Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences and communities in Arizona and nationally, and within a larger global context. In addition, the internship opportunity provides students with a unique opportunity to learn more about local APA organizations and communities in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
