50 Years of US Study Abroad Students

Book excerpt: Since the 1960s, Japan has been a historical leading study abroad destination for US undergraduate students. This book explores the long-term impacts of study abroad through a lens of knowledge diplomacy and the cultivation of individuals with understanding of the host country and world through transformative international experiences. Based on extensive original survey data and interviews with alumni over nearly 50 years of the Japan Study Program, the book provides a historical perspective on the personal impacts of study abroad on academic, professional, and personal development. The author further explores knowledge diplomacy seen as the creation of an in-depth understanding of the host country, familiarity of the host region, and awakened consciousness of the world through subsequent life experiences. Recipient of the 2020 Best Book Award from the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Study Abroad and International Students Special Interest Group.