This course serves as an introduction to Asian American studies by surveying the cultural, economic, political, and social issues that shape the lived experiences and needs of contemporary Asian American communities in the US. We will examine the origins of Asian American identity -- who is included in the category, why the category was formed, and how definitions have evolved -- before reviewing key theories and frameworks that provide the critical vocabulary needed to describe, explain, and understand the diversity of Asian America. By applying these theories and frameworks to Asian American literature, pop culture, and other media, we will consider how the Asian American experience reveals the complexity of race relations in the US as well as broader histories of US imperialism, militarism, and settler colonialism. Topics may include interethnic relations, media representation, the model minority stereotype, and anti-Asian violence.