What do we mean by "Asian?"
Asia is a vast continent whose peoples extend from the islands of Japan, to the "stans" (such as Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) in the west, and from India and Indonesia along the Indian Ocean to Mongolia and Siberia in the north. In addition, Asian peoples, cultures, trade links, and political ties have long extended far beyond mere geographic boundaries. From the Silk Road and spice trade of antiquity to immigrant communities and the Internet, Asian influences and peoples are central to understanding a global story.