Asian and Middle Eastern Studies students and faculty facing the Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies

We are committed to the study of cultures, media, and languages of Asia and the Middle East in preparing the next generation of scholars and professionals to influence the world.

Aerial view of West Bank and downtown Minneapolis

Declare

Summer Program

Recent News

2025 Fraser Fellows Keep the Passion for Human Rights Alive

This summer, Libby Nemitz (CLA ‘26) and Dante Rocío (CLA ‘26) gained hands-on human rights experience at The Advocates for Human Rights.

GerShun Avilez addresses faculty and staff in McNamara Alumni Center.

Welcome to CLA: New Faculty for the 2025–26 Academic Year

Please join us in welcoming several new faculty and instructors to the College of Liberal Arts community.

Media Studies Workshop (Fall 2025)

Please join us for this semester's Media Studies Workshop, a forum dedicated to ongoing research in film, media, and audio-visual cultures.

Evan standing in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China.

From CLA to China

What started as a mysterious photo album in a Minnesota collectibles shop launched Evan Kail (BA ’12) into global headlines.

Yuichiro Onishi stands in front of Pillsbury Hall

Community as a Co-Creator

Associate Professor Yuichiro Onishi has been appointed director of the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub.

Upcoming Events

Classifying the Human: Framing and Visualizing Race in Imperial Japan Flyer

Online

December 15, 2025

AMES Colloquium: "Classifying the Human: Framing and Visualizing Race in Imperial Japan"

The AMES Colloquium is a forum for academic research on Asia and/or the Middle East.