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The College of Arts & Sciences
The department is the home for instruction in the languages, literatures, religions, cultures, and intellectual histories of Asian societies and is one of the few departments in America that offers instruction in social sciences, the humanities and languages across all three regions of Asia: East Asia (China, Japan and Korea), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), and South Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The Department is committed to the examination of social, political, and cultural formations that transcend traditional national and areal boundaries.
Cornell admits the Class of 2030 emphasizing real-world impact, enrolling 5,776 students from 102 countries.
At Cornell University, the diverse cohort reflects the land-grant mission and applied learning goals across multiple colleges.
Sr. Lecturer Naomi Larson (Japanese) appears on Language Resource Center podcast Speaking of Language.
Daniel Gold, a professor of Asian studies emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences, died on Feb. 16 in Ithaca. He was 78.
“Expanding Verse: Japanese Poetry at the Edge of Media" is study of work by poets who push the genre in unexpected directions.
Joshua Kam, doctoral candidate in Asian studies, was quoted in Time Magazine on the cultural significance of national cuisines.
Time Magazine, 11/21/25
“Food often came before countries. The dishes that we share often moved with people who were moving about before there were borders, before there were passports.”
In "Domestic Nationalism," Chiara Formichi argues that during the 1920s to 1950s, Indonesian women’s domestic activities contributed to nation-building as a political project.
The Einaudi Center welcomes the Southwest Asia and North Africa Program and four new program directors this fall.
Looking for summer funding! Check out the opportunities through the Department of Asian Studies! Deadline for all applications is March 25th!
Department of Asian Studies Mission Statement