The Hunter College Asian American Studies Program (AASP) was established on the initiative of students and faculty in 1993. The AASP offers a range of courses to the entire Hunter College community, a Minor in Asian American Studies, and extra-curricular programs and events. The AASP contributes to the growing scholarship in the vital field of Asian American Studies and serves as a resource for New York City's Asian American communities and community-based organizations. Long before the modern age, Asian ports and cities were vital international crossroads. Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented circulation of Asian peoples and cultures throughout the world. What was formally called the Orient still struggles with the legacy of centuries of imperialism; Asia today also grapples with the impact of globalization and growing inequities in economic and human development. Yet, the nations and cultures of Asia are in the process of transformation through the struggles of democratic movements, a proliferation of creativity and ideas, emigration, immigration, and exchange at every level. As a result, Asia is global. Here in the U.S., Asian immigrants have become part of the history of the United States, redefining American culture and reconstituting American society. The AASP at Hunter College benefits from its location in a global city with unmatched cultural and intellectual resources and a diverse and dynamic Asian population. Faculty and students are ideally positioned to become actively involved in a field at the forefront of contemporary research and scholarship, and to contribute to the growth and development of Asian American communities. In addition to a broad range of courses serving all students, the AASP offers a Minor in Asian American Studies. The program draws its faculty and course offerings from traditional disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, political science, education, and literature, as well as interdisciplinary fields such as Asian area studies, American ethnic studies, women and gender studies, gay and lesbian studies, postcolonial studies, international human rights, and policy studies. The AASP grounds its curriculum and extra-curricular programs in the firm belief that the question of Asia can most adequately be addressed through an alliance of these areas and methods of study.