American Studies Association (Asa)

The American Studies Association is the nation’s oldest and largest association devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history. Chartered in 1951, the American Studies Association now has 5,000 individual members along with 2,200 library and other institutional subscribers. * Together these members represent many fields of inquiry, such as history, literature, religion, art and architecture, philosophy, music, science, folklore, ethnic studies, anthropology, material culture, museum studies, sociology, government, communications, education, library science, gender studies, popular culture, and others. * They include persons concerned with American culture, such as teachers, researchers, and other professionals whose interests extend beyond their specialty; faculty and students associated with American Studies programs in universities, colleges and secondary schools; museum directors and librarians interested in all segments of American life; public officials and administrators concerned with the broadest aspects of education. * They approach American culture from many directions but have in common the desire to view America as a whole rather than from the perspective of a single discipline.