University of Minnesota
Asian American Studies
aast@umn.edu
612-625-4813


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About the Program

Asian American Studies faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students are committed to exploring the histories, cultures, communities, experiences, and contemporary issues of Asian Americans.

Our mission is to foster interdisciplinary research and creative activity in Asian American Studies; excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching; and collaborative community outreach.

We offer an undergraduate minor in Asian American Studies as well as undergraduate and graduate courses.

Why Asian Americans?

According to the most recent U.S. Census, Asian Americans, including long-time residents and newcomers, are the fastest growing racial/minority population in the United States and now make up about half of the people immigrating to the United States. Their histories, cultures, and experiences are crucial to understanding both historical and contemporary formations of American race relations, citizenship, identities, and values.

Asian America at the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota offers a particularly exciting site for studying the interdisciplinary field of Asian American studies.

  • Minnesota's Asian American population has increased by 130% since the 1990s.
  • The Twin Cities now have the greatest concentration of Asian Americans in the United States interior and the largest concentration of Hmong Americans in an urban area.
  • The Asian American undergraduate population at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus is over 10% of the total student body.
  • Our Asian American Studies Program recognizes both the uniqueness of Minnesota's Asian American populations and their commonalities with each other and with other Asian American communities across the nation.
  • Our curriculum, research projects, and outreach work are all shaped by community interests and concerns.
  • With our locale, community resources, and faculty, we are helping create new models of teaching Asian American history, politics, literature, and cultures.
Josephine Lee

Professor Josephine Lee has just been named President of The Association for Asian American Studies, the professional organization for the field of Asian American Studies. The organization advances the highest professional standard of excellence in teaching and research in the field of Asian American Studies, sponsors professional activities and scholarly exchange among teachers, researchers, and students, and represents the interests and welfare of Asian American Studies and Asian Americans.