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Johns Hopkins to establish minor in South Asian studies
The minor in South Asian studies will make students feel a “little more recognized and represented by the school,” a student leader said
The student government association at JHU is working to establish a South Asian Studies minor / Instagram -- @jhusga
Two student leaders within the 111th John Hopkins Student Government Association (SGA) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) are leading an initiative to establish a South Asian studies minor in the university.
The minor will consist of 14 to 20 credits and offer a selection of courses in history, geopolitics, sociology, and theology, a post in the university’s newsletter said.
Senators Srigouri Oruganty and Shruti Tyagi came up with the idea to establish the minor last semester. They observed that the university offered ethnic studies but lacked representation for South Asians.
Currently, ethnic studies offered by JHU include Africana Studies, East Asian Studies, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Caribbean and Latinx Studies, and Near Eastern Studies.
“We do have minors for a lot of different ethnic groups and backgrounds, but it was missing for South Asian Studies, and we felt that we want to patch up that gap in the curriculum — get more representation of South Asians here,” Oruganty told the newsletter in an interview.
Tyagi mirrored Oruganty’s sentiment, noting that most similarly ranked educational institutes offered a South Asian Studies program. She affirmed that the new minor was essential for amplifying the diversity of academic programs at JHU.
Focus of the minor
The minor will focus on all of South Asia only, and no specific regions will be picked for the courses. It will represent diverse cultures across the geographical belt, bringing together topics such as art, geopolitics, religion, history, public health, and climate change.
Senators expressed hope that students can customize this minor to their interests through the array of vantage points on offer. “It would mean a lot for people to see [their background] reflected in the course curriculum and to feel a little more recognized and represented by the school,” Tyagi told the newsletter.
Currently, the SGA is taking suggestions from students regarding the proposed minor. “Help diversify the minors offered at Hopkins by filling out the survey linked in our bio!” read an Instagram post.
US colleges with South Asian studies major or minor
Brown University, Cornell University, Emory University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Davis, University of Chicago, and University of Michigan, among others.
Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Stanford University offer other programs in South Asian studies.
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