Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces
Near Eastern and
Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of
Asian studies and
Middle Eastern studies. Traditional Oriental studies in Europe is today generally focused on the discipline of
Islamic studies, while the study of China, especially traditional China, is often called
Sinology and the study of
East Asia, especially in the United States, is often called
East Asian studies.