The Nealis Program in Asian Studies
The Nealis Program in Asian Studies at Saint Joseph’s University is an interdisciplinary program that offers students a variety of academic and co-curricular opportunities to explore the cultures and languages of Asia from the Persian Gulf to the Philippines. Students study Asia in their classes—offered in a variety of departments; with independent research; by learning languages; on study abroad programs in China, Japan and Korea; through exposure to the Asian arts in the Maguire Museum; and by attending special events like films, concerts, artist residencies, and seasonal celebrations.
The Nealis Program takes a broad view of Asia as the region from the Persian Gulf to the Philippines, including the present states of China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union.
When Heaven Meets Earth
Statues of the gods remain among the most ubiquitous material objects in the vibrant temple culture of modern-day Taiwan. Called spirit images (shenxiang 神像), these statues serve as loci of divine presence and power, visual gateways to the gods whom they represent. In Fall 2023, the Nealis Program in Asian Studies has invited to Saint Joseph’s University a prominent statue carver from the northwestern city of Lukang, Chen Zongwei 陳宗蔚, to stay on our Hawk Hill Campus for two weeks as artist-in-residence. He and two of his assistants will hold two concurrent art exhibitions.