Weatherhead East Asian Institute

A Message from the Director

Lien-Hang T. Nguyen, Director, Weatherhead East Asian Institute

Lien-Hang T. Nguyen

Welcome to the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, a hub for the study of modern and contemporary East, Southeast, and Inner Asia at Columbia University. Since its founding in 1949, WEAI has been a pioneer in East Asian Studies, expanding research in underexplored areas, fostering a collaborative community of experts from across disciplines, and offering unparalleled insight into one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

Learn more about WEAI's 75th Anniversary

Statue

Faculty and Members

Faculty & Members

Night view of city

News

(Courtesy Unson Foundation)

Apply Now: Unson Ph.D. Summer Fellowships

April 02, 2025

Research fellowships available for Ph.D. students who are willing and able to assist with planning for the new program this summer.

"Ethnic Minority Cinema in China’s Nation-State Building" (University of Michigan Press, 2025) by Kwai-Cheung Lo — "Ethnic Minority Cinema in China’s Nation-State Building" (University of Michigan Press, 2025) by Kwai-Cheung Lo (r).

Author Q & A: Kwai-Cheung Lo Surveys a Century of China's Ethnic Minority Cinema

March 31, 2025

New WEAI Studies title uncovers pockets of reclamation and resistance among filmed depictions of non-Han peoples.

Andrew J. Nathan and newscaster Zoe Lin on TTV's "Global Insights" — Newscaster Zoe Lin interviews her former professor Andrew J. Nathan on TTV's "Global Insights" program.

Andrew J. Nathan: A Vision for Columbia Students to Be “More Informed about Taiwan”

March 28, 2025

“Taiwan is not that well understood,” former WEAI director explains on Taiwanese news program.

THE 2024 N. T. WANG DISTINGUISHED LECTURE

Stephen Roach: A New Approach to US-China Engagement — Before It’s Too Late

WEAI on YouTube

Affiliates

Center for Korean Research

New York Southeast Asian Network

MTSP