The study of Asia in the Department focuses primarily on East and Southeast Asia.  The rising economic, cultural and political power of Asia makes this area’s history particularly relevant to today’s students and perhaps their future financial prospects.  Ranging from contemporary politics to cultural history, our courses relate developments in Asia to those elsewhere.  Asianists strive to provide students with contextual background for understanding diverse Asian cultures and the contemporary issues that engage all of us in our globalized world.  With many years of experience researching and publishing in Asia, faculty members’ ties have contributed to Arizona State University’s initiatives in Asia.

Asian Specialists:

Steve MacKinnon

• HST  107 - Asian Civilizations
• HST 384 - China
• HST 456 - Vietnam War
• HST 498 - US and China
• HST 498 - Biography
• HST  598 - Special Topics: War and Revolution

James Rush

• HST  107 - Asian Civilizations
• HST  240 - Introduction to Southeast Asia
• HST 300 - Historical Methods
• HST 391 - Modern Southeast Asia
• HST 456 - The Vietnam War
• HST 498 - Studying American Imperialism: The Philippines 1898-1946

Hoyt Tillman

• HST 106 – Asian Civilizations
• HST 201 – Chinese Medicine in Global Perspective
• HST 300 – Historical Methods: Confucianism in the Song Period
• HST  383 – China (Premodern)
• HST 385 – Chinese Medicine
• HST 386 – Interpreting China’s Classics
• HST 451 - Chinese Cultural History (Classical Period)
• HST 452 - Chinese Cultural History (Imperial and Modern Periods)
• HST 515 – Historiography of China

Sybil Thornton

• HST 106 – Asian Civilizations
• HST 300 – Historical Methods: Women in Asia
• HST  310 - Film as History
• HST  387 – Japan
• HST 388 – Japan