For the last five decades, the development of "Asia-literate" students has been a key objective in Australian education policy. The contentions surrounding this educational goal have been well documented by academic literatures, policy documents and media commentary. This paper seeks to redress the absence of student voices in these…

The author designed a midterm podcast assignment to give her students in "Modern East Asian Civilizations," an entry-level survey course, the opportunity to articulate their own understanding of East Asian artifacts, the ways in which objects are seen and imbued with meaning, and what those meanings imply.

Since 1969, over 60 Australian government and non-government policies, documents, committees, working parties and organisations have explored the need to "know Asia". In schools, this engagement is conceptualised as "Asia literacy" and disseminated in the emerging Australian Curriculum through the cross-curriculum priority…

Asia today is the center of tremendous growth. With the continued rise of China and the influential roles of Japan and South Korea in international affairs, it is no wonder that the 21st century has been dubbed the Asian century. Outside of these influential political actors, one also see the growing political significance of Southeast Asia in…

Drawing on a recent collaborative and interdisciplinary study of East Asian Images of Japan, this article discusses contemporary Chinese portrayals of Japan, their political context, and their significance for Sino-Japanese relations. It questions some widely-held assumptions concerning the extent of "thought control" in an authoritarian…

China's dramatic economic rise has tended to overshadow other wider perspectives on the developing China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) relationship, including in higher education. The article examines contemporary relations between China and ASEAN, set against the longer term development of cultural and trade relations. It is…

In recent years, there has been much talk in the media and the academic world about the "rise of China," as if China were a young country. Because the People's Republic of China (PRC) celebrated its sixtieth birthday only last October--and because the PRC was not admitted into the United Nations until 1971 and did not become a member of…

This unit, intended for secondary students, provides a general introduction to Tibetan history and culture. The unit consists of this written text and a slide program. This text could be used alone as a source of background informational reading. The major objective of the unit is to give preliminary explanations encouraging further research on…

This publication is a viewer's guide for a 1979 CBS summer television series on Asia. It is also designed to be used independently of the TV series. The TV series included a mixture of lectures and interviews, complemented by examples of Asian art, music, and dance. The guide supplements each of the thirty programs in the series with maps,…

Discusses the development of Pilipino American studies based on the author's personal teaching experiences at UCLA. Recommends content for a comprehensive course and emphasizes the need for sensitive teachers. (LHW)

This unit, intended for use with secondary students, presents background information on the Chinese economy. The subject warrants serious consideration because Sino-American trade has grown remarkable in the last decade and economic events occurring in China have the capacity to affect events in this country. The unit contains a six part narrative…

Presents a broad overview of instruction about Asia in European schools. Identifies problems that limit the amount and quality of instruction, including the limitations of teachers, unchanging course syllabi, and inadequate textbooks. Provides suggestions for improving instruction. (JDH)

Presents a brief discussion of the Chinese language, its relevance to social studies students in the United States, methods of teaching and learning Chinese, romanization systems developed to help westerners pronounce and read phonetically, picture writing, and a directory of resource agencies and materials. (Author/DB)

Courses in Vietnam War history should incorporate Vietnamese, French, and English literary response to the war as complements to the history texts. Possibilities include an account of the French colonial experience, a required text in translation from the viewpoint of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Vietnamese expatriate texts. (MSE)

Through the use of novels, the author presents teaching techniques and suggestions for incorporating cultural awareness with historical background in an Asian studies survey course at the college level. (JR)