UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 37, Page 6
July 7, 1994
Student interest increases in East Asian studies

     Delaware students are showing increased interest in East Asia,
according to David Pong, chairperson of the Department of History and
coordinator of the East Asian Studies Program.
     It's a good sign, too, he said, since American citizens should
have a knowledge of that area because it is a powerful economic force
and has some of the oldest living and practicing traditions in the
world.
     Because the East Asian Studies Program is young, it does not have
an independent faculty, but relies on other departments to offer
courses, Pong said.
     About five years ago, he said, the linguistics department began
offering on a regular basis linguistic studies of East Asian
languages. Japanese and Chinese became very popular with students who
were hoping to improve their chances of finding a better job by
speaking a second language. That interest eventually lead to the
establishment of a Japanese minor.
     The courses offered are usually filled to their limits, he said.
This recent spring, more than 150 people took Japanese courses, which
are cross-listed and fulfill the University's multicultural
requirement. Last winter, the Department of Foreign Languages and
Literatures offered Winter Session study in Japan and it will do so
again next winter.
     Due to demand, a Chinese language course is returning in the
fall. "Generally, there is more interest in Japan now than in China.
Before, it was the opposite. It's a sign of the times. People are
driven by headlines in the news," said Pong, who pointed out that
Japan is currently a larger economic power.
     Recently, the program has helped sponsor speakers, including a
visiting lecturer from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, who talked
about the history of Chinese mercantilism and economy. Another
lecturer spoke on the international implications of China's
acquisition of Hong Kong in 1997. Next fall, there is a possibility of
an East Asian film series.
     Pong said such programs help get the community, as well as
faculty and students, interested in learning about East Asia. More
than 70 people attended the program's last lecture.
     Pong, who was born in Hong Kong and raised both there and in
China, came to the University in 1969 after earning a bachelor's
degree in East Asian history and a doctorate in Chinese history at the
University of London.
     Ultimately, Pong said he would like the program to gain more
visibility, enroll more students in the minor and increase the number
of people taking courses on the subject. For example, he said students
in business and other practical areas should take some courses on East
Asia because we live in a global environment.
     "We need to look farther from home," Pong said, adding that we
need both local and global knowledge. "Students here need to have a
more global perspective, and I think East Asian Studies contributes to
that."
                                                         -Gina Poltrok