Organizer and Chair: Kate Simpson, The Asia Society
Discussants: Salih Booker, Council on Foreign Relations; Miguel Baraona, University of Texas, Austin; Vishakha N. Desai, The Asia Society; Lynette Clemetson, Newsweek
In the fall of 1997 the Asia Society began an audience diversification initiative entitled, What’s Asia Got to do with U.S.? By convening roundtable discussions across the United States with representatives of various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and with Hispanic and African American community leaders, the Asia Society has sought to direct attention to the ways in which Asia’s increasing global importance and influence on the United States relates to Americans from various backgrounds and interests. The overall purpose of these meetings has been twofold: to deepen the Asia Society’s understanding of American perceptions of Asia; and to develop programmatic relationships with groups without a previously expressed interest in Asia. As a direct outcome of these meetings, the Asia Society has developed pilot public education programs on Asia based on the recommendations made by participants at each meeting.
The Asia Society proposes to convene this roundtable in order to share the findings of the What’s Asia Got to do with U.S.? initiative and to engage educators and students of Asian Studies in this discussion of how education on Asia can be made more relevant to the interests of a broad spectrum of the American public. Discussion will focus on how Asia is perceived by some non-Asian U.S. minority communities and how pedagogy on Asian social issues can lead to increased involvement and understanding of Asia among U.S. groups not traditionally engaged with Asia.