Asian Studies
Contents
On these web pages you will find information about Asian Studies at UNE, the units we teach, the undergraduate and postgraduate courses which include Asian Studies, our staff and research interests, and the career opportunities Asian Studies provides. Use the links on the right "contents" to navigate your way through our web page.
The University of New England is one of the most experienced providers of Asian Studies in Australia, and has been engaged in the teaching of, and research on, Asia since the 1970s.
Over 60% of the world's population lives in Asia. Of the ten countries with the largest populations in the world, six are in Asia (China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan). India is the world's largest democracy, and Indonesia the 3rd largest. China, India and Malaysia are amongst the fastest-growing economies in the world. Japan and China are the 2nd and 4th largest economies in the world, with China predicted to overtake Germany as the 3rd largest by 2010. Asia has been described as an 'economic powerhouse', and is certainly important to Australia's prosperity now and in the future. It is also important in terms of our security and our international relationships. Asia's role in Australia's trade, culture and security is growing, and Australia will interact increasingly with the countries of Asia as a result of globalisation and our geographic location.
Asian Studies at UNE will introduce you to the societies, cultures, economies, polities and histories of Asia. A range of units are available allowing you to explore the diverse cultures of the region, important religious and philosophic traditions, major historical changes and economic developments. Our focus is on the social forces at work shaping contemporary East, Southeast and South Asia. It is a unique area of study in that it crosses disciplines, drawing upon politics, economics, sociology, cultural studies, history, philosophy, international relations, geography and linguistics. It is also flexible, providing a stimulating overview of the dynamic Asian region and Australia-Asia relations, with opportunities for in depth study of particular areas of interest.
Asian Studies can be combined with other majors such as Indonesian, Japanese or Chinese, Political and International Studies, History or Economics. For further information about these follow the 'Similar Subject Areas' links on the right of this page.
Why Study Asian Studies at UNE?
Students have found Asian Studies at UNE a stimulating and rewarding experience. Our small class sizes, and use of the latest online teaching tools, means that both on-campus and off-campus students can work closely with academic staff in ways that simply do not exist at most Australian universities. Many of our graduates have continued on to Honours and postgraduate degrees with us, while others have gained employment in both the government and private sectors.
We equip students with a sound knowledge of Asian cultures, societies, economies and polities, combined with general skills in research, analysis and communication – knowledge and skills which they need to succeed in the contemporary world. Our expert and enthusiastic academic staff employ innovative and student-centred learning approaches, whether on-campus, by distance education or online.
Our graduates are in high demand by a wide range of employers. This reflects the growing desire for an increased understanding of the societies of the Asian region, and their international roles, increased links between Australia and Asia, and the increased employment opportunities available for Asia-literate graduates.
In short, Asian Studies at UNE is not only politically and economically relevant, it also gives our students excellent opportunities to participate in Australia's growing links with the Asian region.
Staff
|
Staff |
|
| Professor Howard Brasted | hbrasted@une.edu.au |
| Prof Amarjit Kaur | akaur@une.edu.au |
| A/Prof Hugh de Ferranti | hdeferra@une.edu.au |
| A/Prof Habib Zafarullah | hzafarul@une.edu.au |
| Dr Andrew Brown | abrown2@une.edu.au |
| Dr Paul Healy | phealy@une.edu.au |
| Dr Mun-Keat Choong | mchoong@une.edu.au |
| Ms Isabel Tasker | itasker@une.edu.au |
| Dr Zifirdaus (Zi) Adnan | zadnan@une.edu.au |
| Ms Therese Burton | tburton@une.edu.au |
| Dr Shi Li | shi.li@une.edu.au |
| Dr Barbara Rugendyke | brugendy@une.edu.au |
Research
Staff involved in Asian Studies are experienced researchers with good records of scholarly publication, successful research grants and consultancies. Academic staff have played a leading role in the research and writing of South Asian history in Australia, including responsibility for the scholarly journal South Asia from 1984 to 2001, and management of the South Asian Studies Association from 1984 to 2004. Staff have served on the editorial boards of internationally recognised journals, and are active members of various professional associations. Value adding to the research strengths in the field of Asian Studies generally is the UNE Asia Pacific Centre, a vehicle for bringing together Asian experts within the university.
The areas of research excellence and productivity cover a wide range including Asian history and economic history, the contemporary Asia-Pacific, Asian religions, child and female labour in Asia, and Asian politics.
Information on the specific research interests and expertise of Asian Studies staff is available on their individual staff web pages.
Information on postgraduate research is provided in the courses section below.
Courses
Asian Studies units are available in a wide variety of undergraduate degrees at UNE in Arts, International Studies, Commerce, Economics, Criminology, Urban and Regional Planning, Languages and so on. Most undergraduate students taking Asian Studies do so in the Bachelor of Arts, combined Bachelor of Arts degrees, the Bachelor of International Studies and the Bachelor of Languages.
400-level Asian Studies units may be included in a number of postgraduate coursework awards in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Students wishing to extend their undergraduate degree in Asian Studies, or wishing to undertake postgraduate research in Asian Studies in the future, would normally complete an Honours program.
Students wishing to undertake advanced research in Asian Studies may do so in postgraduate research degrees.
Undergraduate Degrees
Advanced Diploma in Arts
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of International Studies
Bachelor of International and Language Studies
Postgraduate Coursework
Graduate Certificate in Arts
Graduate Diploma in Humanities
Master of Arts
Honours Program
Honours programs available in Asian Studies include the Bachelor of Arts with Honours and the Bachelor of International Studies with Honours.
Honours in Asian Studies within the Bachelor of Arts is designed to serve as an advanced level of study for students wishing to extend their degree or establish a pathway to postgraduate studies. The program, of one year's full-time or two year's part-time study, consists of 50 per cent course work and 50 per cent thesis. A wide choice of thesis topics is available across the many areas of Asian Studies, such as:
• Australia-Asia relations
• the history of Asia
• contemporary Asian societies and cultures
• Asian politics
• the political economy of Asia
• Asian economies
• issues of development in Asia
• labour movements in Asia
• Asian religions
For information on the Asian Studies program in the Bachelor of Arts with Honours, contact Dr Paul Healy (phealy@une.edu.au) on +61 2 6773 3514.
For information on the Bachelor of international Studies with honours contact Dr Karin von Strokirch (kvonstro@une.edu.au) on +61 2 6773 3132.
Bachelor of Arts with Honours
Bachelor of International Studies with Honours
Postgraduate Research
The Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy are postgraduate research degrees in which students work under the supervision of one or more academic staff on a specific research topic. The academics chosen as supervisors will be members of the Asian Studies staff with the highest levels of competence and expertise in the field in which you intend to undertake research. Postgraduate research is stimulating, but challenging. Asian Studies staff aim is to make progress through these degrees as smooth and successful as possible, and have a proven track record in doing so.
For further information on postgraduate research in Asian Studies contact Dr Paul Healy (phealy@une.edu.au) on +61 2 6773 3514.
Master of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Units in Asian Studies
Asian Studies units are available at undergraduate and postgraduate coursework levels, and at Honours level.
Information on postgraduate research in Political and International Studies can be found on the Courses section of this page.
Undergraduate Units
The units offered in Asian Studies draw upon a range of disciplines including history, economics and political and international studies. Students are encouraged to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of Asia and its diversity.
CHIN211 Chinese Calligraphy
CHIN325 Contemporary Chinese Culture
CIJ210 Cultural Expression in Modern Asia
ECON345 Economy and Business in Modern Asia
ECON350 Southeast Asia: Economic and Social Change Since 1850
HIST195 Asian Pasts
HIST342 Gandhi and Non-Violent Action in the 20th Century
HIST343 Islam in the Modern World
INDN315 Contemporary Indonesian Culture
ISLM344 Islam and the West: the Clash of Civilisations?
ISLM363 Women in Islam
JAPN325 Japanese Culture through Anime, Manga and Music
LING380 The Languages of Asia
MUSI330 Asian musical Traditions
PAIS113 Power, Conflict and the Making of Modern Asia
PAIS318 Australia’s Relations with Asia
PAIS352 International Human Rights
PAIS361 Sex, Crime and Corruption in Asia
PAIS363 Family, Women and the State in Asia
PAIS380 Dragon in Chains?: Contemporary Chinese Politics
RELS381 Chinese and Japanese Religion: A History
RELS386 Buddhism: A History
RELS392 Meditation in Eastern Religions
SOCY319 Globalisation, Development and Social Change
Postgraduate Coursework Units
The following Asian Studies units are available in postgraduate coursework awards.
CHIN425 Contemporary Chinese Culture
ECON556 Industrialisation and Development in Asia
ISLM567 Islam in Indonesia and Malaysia
ISLM571 Islam in Central Asia
ISLM573 Islam in South Asia
JAPN425 Japanese Culture through Anime, Manga and Music
LING580 The Languages of Asia
PAIS518 Australia's Relations with Asia
PAIS552 International Human Rights
PAIS561 Sex, Crime and Corruption in Asia
PAIS563 Family, Women and the State in Asia
PAIS580 Dragon in Chains?: Contemporary Chinese Politics
PAIS590 Politics in the Developing World
RELS581 Chinese and Japanese Religion: A History
RELS586 Buddhism: A History
SOCY519 Globalisation, Development and Social Change
Honours Units
Honours in Asian Studies consists of 50 per cent course work and 50 per cent thesis.
ASST401H Asian Studies Hons Coursework
The coursework component, ASST 401H, is based on a series of essays. These enable the student to explore and master key theoretical perspectives, specific concepts and important empirical trends pertaining to Asian Studies.
ASST402H Asian Studies Hons Dissertation
This unit is based on a dissertation. Students are required to research and write a dissertation on an Asian Studies topic relating to their own interests. The topic is to be developed in consultation with their supervisor. This unit allows the student to explore and analyse a significant theory, policy or trend in Asian societies in considerable depth.
For specific information on the Asian Studies Honours units contact Dr Paul Healy (phealy@une.edu.au) on +61 2 6773 3514.
Further information on the Honours program in Asian Studies can be found on the Courses section of this page.
Careers
Australia's physical proximity of Asia and growing ties to the region, both politically and economically, make this an interesting and exciting time, especially for those with cross-cultural communication skills. Knowledge of Asian politics, economies and societies is an essential skill in a number of career paths in the public service, business and teaching. Graduates who are 'Asia-literate' have good employment prospects. Opportunities exist both in Australian and internationally in a variety of fields including:
• teaching
• administration
• diplomacy
• policing
• business and trade
• journalism
• marketing
• management
• defence
• strategic analysis
• policy development
• immigration
• tourism
• aid agencies
• non-governmental organisations
• international agencies
• community and social work.
Recent graduates have been employed in all of these areas.
Partnerships, Networks and Industry Links
Resources
Asia for Educators
Asia Society
Asia-Studies Full-Text Online
Stratfor
Associations
Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA)
Chinese Studies Association of Australia (CSAA)
Japanese Studies Association of Australia (JSAA)
New Zealand Asian Studies Society (NZASIA)
South Asian Studies Association of Australia (SASA)
The Malaysia and Singapore Society
International Organisations
Asian Development Bank
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
International Labour Organisation
International Monetary Fund
Pacific Economic Cooperation Council
World Bank
Journals, Magazines and Bulletins
Asia Policy
Asia Pacific: Perspectives
China Brief
China Leadership Monitor
China Perspectives
Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies
Harvard Asia Pacific Review
HIMAL-South Asia
Indonesia Journal
Japan Focus
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs
Little India
Manushi - A Journal about Women and Society
Stanford Journal of East Asian Affairs
The Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies
Asian Studies Centres
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
Asia Institute
Asian Law Centre
Australia Asia Pacific Institute
Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies
Centre for Democratic Institutions, Asia Pacific Region (CDI)
China Studies Centre
Griffith Asia Institute
Monash Asia Institute (MAI)
Murdoch University Asia Research Centre
Philippines Australia Studies Centre (PASC)
UNE Asia Pacific Centre
Contacts
For further information about Asian Studies at UNE please contact Dr Paul Healy on + 61 2 6773 3514 or phealy@une.edu.au
 |
 |
|||
| AskUNE Search for information or ask a question 24/7. AskUNE Chat Speak to one of our advisors live via web chat. KateUNE is your link to UNE on Facebook, available to chat and answer your questions. Future Student Site Browse for information on our Future Students web pages. International Students Find course information, make an application or submit an enquiry. |
AskUNE Find answers to your questions 24/7. Contact Us Contact staff directly via AskUNE. Current Student Site Browse for information about your studies on our Current Students web pages. |