About CEAS

The Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Chicago (CEAS) is an interdisciplinary nexus, clearinghouse, and resource for academic exploration and support related to the study of China, Japan, and Korea. For over 65 years, its mission has been to nurture scholarship of the highest level across the humanities and social sciences, and to facilitate deeper understanding of the region at the University of Chicago and beyond.  

Comprised of three Committees – the Committee on Japanese Studies, the Committee on Chinese Studies, and the Committee on Korean Studies - CEAS works to enhance opportunities available to scholars both in the United States and abroad, and to foster an intellectual gathering point for a collaborative and innovative community of scholars and students of East Asian studies. Its members are drawn from the departments of anthropology, art history, cinema & media studies, comparative human development, comparative literature, East Asian languages & civilizations, economics, gender studies, history, international relations, linguistics, political science, social thought, sociology, and theater & performance studies, as well as from professional schools such as the Booth School of Business, Divinity School, Harris School of Public Policy, Law School, Pritzker School of Medicine, and Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice.

CEAS sponsors a variety of activities including public lectures, workshops, conferences, film series, cultural events, K-16 outreach, and other programs that promote understanding of the cultures and societies of China, Japan, and Korea. CEAS supports faculty research endeavors, library acquisitions, as well as grants and fellowships to students conducting East Asian-related research and language study. For decades, CEAS was designated a National Resource Center (NRC) and administered Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships through Title VI Grants from the United States Department of Education.  Even with the Department of Education’s unfortunate discontinuation of all Title VI programs in 2025, University of Chicago faculty and programs in East Asian studies continue to achieve the highest rankings among peer institutions in the United States, making the University of Chicago an invaluable focal point for East Asian studies in the Midwest and beyond.  CEAS programming continues to have impact locally, nationally, and across the globe.