Studying Asian and Middle East Studies at Kenyon
Asian and Middle East Studies is both a concentration and a joint major, working in consort with another department. Students integrate coursework across disciplines, including anthropology, art history, history, language, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies and sociology. The department also sponsors films, invites speakers to the College, and promotes other social and cultural events to stimulate campus awareness of the societies of East Asia, India and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Islamicate world.
“Taking courses in the department really opened my eyes to how interconnected social, political, economic and environmental issues are in Asia.”
Featured Courses
Introduction to Asian and Middle East Studies
This first-year seminar situates the study of Asia and the Middle East in the context of the global humanities. As a sampler of the rich diversity of Asian and Islamicate humanities, the course explores various sources from different places and periods, from the medieval Middle East to contemporary Chinese science fiction.
The Silk Road
As an extensive system of economic and cultural exchange, the Silk Road is an early example of what today we call globalization. This course surveys its history from prehistoric times to the present. You’ll learn to think critically about Asia and appreciate the rich heritages that have contributed to our world.
Islam’s Diverse Paths
The religion of Islam is a diverse tradition that includes more than a billion adherents across the globe and dominates a region stretching from Morocco to Indonesia. Study the development of Islam and Islamic institutions from the time of the Prophet Muhammad through the emergence of the Sufi tradition in the late medieval period.
Asians In/Through Pop Culture
Juxtaposing racial representations of Asians and Asian Americans produced from the dominant mainstream with how Asian peoples have chosen to represent themselves to the rest of the world, this course challenges students to view popular culture as a critical mode of production with racial, ethnic, political and economic ramifications.
Study Abroad Opportunities
The department encourages study abroad and endorses a variety of programs in Asia and the Middle East. Pictured: Cayla Anderson '18 walks with Colleen Moore '18 at the Ayyanar Temple in Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio 43022