ABSTRACT
Asian studies developed differently at each institution, producing both successes and failures. Clearly, the development of Asian programs at private colleges has been the product of larger forces, a spiritual vision, wars, ideological conflict, and powerful commercial interests. As the twenty-first century begins, Asia is a presence at most private colleges in the United States, with nearly every college offering courses on Asia. The missionary impulse was especially strong at private colleges, and a steady stream of students went off to Asia following graduation. In fact, only a handful of American scholars with a specialized knowledge of Asia were teaching anywhere in the United States in the early 1900s. Asianists continued for some time to move easily among the academy, government, and private foundations. The Asian studies initiative was kept alive at many colleges during the late 1940s and 1950s through a combination of administrative support, faculty leadership, and external funding.
