Are you interested in learning about Asians and Pacific Islanders in America? Are you curious about one of the fastest growing racial groups in America and how they fit into America's social landscape. If so, the APAS minor is for you. The APAS minor encompasses the following topics:
- Asian Pacific America, encompassing peoples from East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands
- Social, historical, political, and economic trends, both transnational and domestic American, that impact Asian Pacific Americans
- Community-based and individually-lived Asian Pacific American experiences
- Cultural and textual production by and about Asian Pacific Americans, such as literature, film, visual and plastic arts, digital media, music, and performance
- A comparative basis for understanding American race relations
Affiliated Faculty
- Sylvia Chong, English and American Studies, APAS Director
- Mrinalini Chakravorty, English
- Shilpa Davé, American Studies and Media Studies
- Fiona Ngo, American Studies
- Patricia Nguyen, American Studies
- Sandhya Shukla, English and American Studies
Requirements
The APAS minor is composed of 18 credits (6 courses) drawn from an evolving list of classes in more than 8 departments. Please note that classes used for the minor cannot also double-count for your major.
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THEORY/COMPARATIVE: one class on EITHER theories of race and identity, OR on a comparative racial formation
SOC 3410, Race and Ethnic Relations
ANTH 2250, Nationalism, Racism, Multiculturalism
PLPT 3020 / 3030, Modern/Contemporary Political Thought
WGS 3810, Feminist Theory
AAS 1010 / 1020, Intro to African American and African Studies I / II
AMST 3300, Intro to Latinx Studies
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TRANSNATIONAL/DIASPORA: one class on modern (not ancient or classical) Asia
most classes that cover 19th/20th/21st centuries in EAST, HIEA, HISA, JPTR, CHTR, SATR, SAST, PLCP, ANTH, or SOC
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ELECTIVES: three electives drawn from a shifting set of offerings, including but not limited to:
AMST 2001, Intro to American Studies
AMST 3471 / ENGL 3791: American Cinema
AMST 3500 / MDST 3505, Asian American Media Cultures
AMST 3610: Asian American and Popular Culture
AMST 3630 / ENGL 3924, Vietnam War in Literature and Film
AMST 4500 / ENGL 4580, Race in American Places
AMST 4500 / ENGL 4580, Critical Race Theory
AMST 4500 / ENGL 4560, Post 9/11 American Literature and Culture
AMST 4559: Performing Archives, Memory, Materiality
AMST 4559: Politics of Breath
AMST 4559: Refugee Aesthetics
ENGL 4560, Contemporary Women’s Texts
ENGL 4561, Modern Love in the U.S.
MDST 3407, Racial Borders and American Cinema
Courses that can be used for the APAS minor change every semester, so please consult with the APAS director if you have any questions about previous semester's courses, or any classes not listed here.
Minor Declaration Form
Generally, we prefer that you consult with the current APAS director before you declare, to discuss your course history and course registration plans, as APAS is an interdisciplinary minor and our available course offerings differ drastically from year to year.
To officially declare the APAS minor with the Registrar, please use the general Minor Declaration Form, and follow the instructions included on this document.
Is there a Major in Asian Pacific American Studies?
At the moment, there is no major in APAS. However, almost all APAS courses count towards American Studies, which allows you to focus on a broad set of classes on race and ethnicity in the U.S. (The only APAS classes that are not part of AMST are the Transnational/Diaspora classes that focus solely on Asia.)
Contact Information
Sylvia Chong
Associate Professor, English and American Studies
Director, Asian Pacific American Studies Minor
108 Bryan Hall
P.O. Box 400121
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4121
schong@virginia.edu