Asian American Studies Culture Studies course

AAST-A300 Topics in Asian American Studies (3 cr.) CSA
Topic: Being Asian Americans: Challenges of Identity and Adjustment
Instructor: Joel Wong; TR 4 – 5:15 p.m.; Ballantine Hall 229

This is an introductory survey course that addresses issues of Asian American ethnicity, culture, and race as they relate to mental health, psychopathology, and psychotherapy. The theoretical underpinnings of this course are drawn primarily from cross-cultural, clinical, and counseling psychology, although frequent references would be made to the socio-political context of mental health issues.

The course comprises three major sections:
• a critical review of models of psychopathology and the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual IV (the "bible" of mental disorders);
• the interplay of Asian American cultural, racial and mental health variables; and
• the relevance of psychotherapeutic models and other mental health services to Asian American populations.

The pedagogical approach is guided by the assumption that the ability to reflect critically on issues intelligently will undergird students' future effectiveness as culturally sensitive professionals serving the needs of multicultural populations. This course will be particularly relevant to students interested in the helping professions, e.g., social work, teaching, counseling, psychology, and psychiatry.

The above course will count towards the Undergraduate Minor in Asian American Studies