March 28, 2024

9 thoughts on “Cornell Students ‘Demand’ an Asian-American Studies Major

  1. Uh, Chinese studies and Chinese-American studies are not to be confused. Just as, say, an Italian (in Italy) and an Italian-American (born or raised in the U.S.) are not the same.

  2. “The curriculum can be learned by befriending an Asian-American.”
    Obviously the author thought the journalism curriculum could be leaned by befriending a blogger.

  3. What career would an Asian-American studies major lead to? Would it be some professional field? What Asian parent would want their child to major in Asian-American studies? They would not want to brag about it to anyone let alone pay for it.

    1. Totally agree. Someone’s education is only something for their parents to brag about. If they can’t do that, then there is no point in learning anything.

      1. Sarcasm? Asian parents view education in aspirational terms to help the next generation succeed economically. There are lots of ways for students wanting to better understand their roots to do so without adding yet another degree program that few would major in and result in added tuition for all.

        1. Yes, sarcasm.
          1) You do realize that AAS is not only for Asian-Americans (or Asians) to learn about their own roots, right?
          2) The fact that there are lots of ways to learn about something, including some ways that aren’t open to all (such as being from an Asian-American family) does not mean it should not be taught at a university. Or does the availability of self-teaching books, automatic translators, or youtube channels about history doesn’t make each of the covered topics moot for higher education?
          3) To play into the Asian-American stereotype (which is precisely one thing that kind of class can help deconstruct instead of reinforce), a major (whose existence, by the way, does not make it compulsory for people to enroll in it) can be cumulated with one or even two other majors for both the overachievers out there and those who are smart enough to complement their professional training with a less pragmatic enrichment.
          4) How would the opening of a major increase tuition for all, exactly?
          5) The prosaic view you seem to be pushing on higher education is a saddening one. Education, as the name indicates, does not equate the mere acquisition of skills with the sole purpose of increasing one’s income. A person who graduates from Cornell without getting anything else from the experience, both on a personal level and as a member of a larger society, did waste her time and money.

          1. I read with interest the points you are making and am trying to pay no attention to your ad homineum subtext messaging. All I can say is before offering such a major I hope Cornell does a market research survey to see if this is a good move. Long term there must be a minimum enrollment for any program to justify its existence.

          2. It was not my intention to make an ad hominem attack, and if it was perceived as such, I apologize. The survey you propose is a reasonable measure, the question indeed needs to be researched.

Comments are closed.