Asian American Study

Week 3

Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian American

Rambaut notes that diversity is the hallmark of Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian refugees coming to the United States. How are the groups similar or different from one another? What factors shaped the patterns of settlement and secondary migration that later emerged?

The influx of thousands of immigrants from Southeast Asia during the mid to late 1970’s noticeable a new era in immigration to the United States because of multiple aspects. One of the characteristics that defined this new era was the region from which these new immigrants were coming. A second mannerism of this new era was that the arrival of these immigrants created a strong, negative reaction among Americans against them. Furthermore, the arrival of these immigrants led to new legislation regarding their status.  The first major influx of Cambodian immigrants who began arriving in the United States during the late 1970’s was part of a large group of refugees from Southeast Asia fleeing political instability in their homelands.

            As the Indochina War, the refugee shares a common history and experience the face in War. However, “they have different social back grounds, language, cultural, and often adversarial histories, and reflect different patterns of settlement and adaption in America” (pg.178). They range from member of the elites of former back government to Vietnamese and Chinese “boat people” survivors of the killing field of Cambodia in the late 1970s, and farmer from the highlands of northern Laos” (pg.178). Each of these ethnic group there are major different in social class.  The war produced massive refugee population in United State.  According to the text during the war “the first refugee arrives in U.S was Vietnamese immigration in 1952, then Cambodian immigrant arrived in 1953 Laotian in 1959”. (pg. 181). Most of the refugee are university students.  The refugee was primarily placed in separate zip code in different state and half of the refugee are send to the state of their choice.  Like other immigrants from Southeast Asia, Cambodian immigrants have inclined to work mostly in low-wage jobs. Many have looked for work similar to what they did in Cambodia, but some who had professional training have been unable to find corresponding employment in the United States. Cambodian Americans have generally had a difficult time economically in the United States. Unemployment among them is high. Many of them have lived in poverty and been dependent on government assistance

· In the chapter “Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian Americans” Ruben G. Rumbaut discusses the immigration and settlement of refugees and immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Rumbaut highlights the very different experiences these groups of people went through and currently go through compared to other Asian American groups. One main driving factor that effected their settlement and adaptation was the effect that the Vietnam War had on their countries and people. The Vietnam War left Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos the poorest countries during that time, not only was their economy effected, many people died, families torn apart, and lands destroyed. Much of this devastation was due to the United States and the excessive amount of firepower used in the war. With this in mind should the United States take more responsibility with the aftermath in these countries, provide more programs to help refugees or assist them more with leaving a harmful environment and settling to a safer one?  Or even go further with more financial assistance programs, etc.?

Week 4

“Asian Americans as the Model Minority: An Analysis of the Popular Press Image in the 1960s and 1980s.” Keith Osajima.

· Keith Osajima explains that there were popular images of Asian Americans in the 1960's and 1980's that suggested Asian Americans were more successful than other groups because they had superior cultural values that other minority groups. "The political implication for those who had yet to make it was that [other non-Asian minority] culture was not "good" enough"(Osajima 451). How do the representations of Asian Americans as model minorities impact their self-perception? How did the Model Minority images make other minorities feel about Asian Americans? About themselves? In what ways have the images of the model minority contributed to minority-minority conflict?

 

· Keith Osajima discusses the implementation of the image of Asian Americans as “the successful minority” in the mainstream media during the 1960’s and 1980’s. In 1966, New York Times Magazine and U.S. News and World Report published articles about the successful of Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans, respectively. Multiple articles addressing Asian Americans’ success were published in the 1980’s, citing the esteemed role education had in Asian cultures and the fact that they were succeeding in America without government assistance. Several articles discussed Asian American students’ high test scores and deemed “Asian Americans as the Model Minority.” To what degree is the image of the Model Minority a product of empirical Asian American success and to what degree is this a stereotype perpetuated by the media? How do Southeast Asian communities complicate this vision of Asian American success? What is a better way to understand Asian American income and educational issues?

 

· Keith Osajima discusses how the press categorized Asian Americans as “model minorities” during the 1960s and 1980s. During the 1960s, the press compared Asian Americans to other minority communities, thereby critiquing other minorities for their own social underachievement. In the 1980s, the press highlighted stories about economic resentment towards Japan and an unease with Asian Americans being overrepresented in universities. The public remained unconscious of how Asian Americans in fact lagged in areas such as income and education. What are some of the effects of the “model minority” myth for Asian Americans today? How do such images of Asian Americans harm or help them in low wage labor contexts and in professional labor contexts? How do representations about Asia and Asian Americans continue to reflect a discourse of economic threat?

 

· Keith Osajima examines the similarities and differences in the media representations of Asian Americans in the 1960s and 1980s. In the 1960s, Asian Americans were compared to other minorities to push the belief that racism was insignificant and what mattered was good family and ethnic culture to succeed in the US. The image of the Model Minority was used to delegitimize the message of the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1980s, Asian Americans were compared to white Americans to push the belief that they were stealing jobs and competitive positions at elite universities. In what ways does the media continue to perpetuate the stereotype that Asian Americans are model minorities? What role does this stereotype play in the present? Is this image a source of empowerment or disempowerment for Asian Americans? Is this image empowering or disempowering for other minority groups? How so? Offer examples.

 

“Multiculturalism and Racial Stratification.” Neil Gotanda

· According to Gotanda, color-blind cultural markers played a significant role in how the defendant and the victim were represented by the judge in the case of People v. Soon Ja Du.  Color-blindness is when race is made insignificant in applying for a job and in applying to college. Cultural markers are marks of our culture; for example, a group may have high rates of entrepreneurship, or low rates of college degree attainment. These “characteristics” are easily converted into racial stereotypes, even within their broader project of colorblindness. Judge Karlin, who was in charge of this case, made sure to not bring up race in her discussion, but she indeed used stereotypes pertaining to Du and Harlins so her audience could make out a clear racial hierarchy. What are the cultural characteristics Judge Karlin attributes to Du and Harlins? How do images of the model minority affect both how she understands Du and Harlins?  How do the distinct cultural characteristics contribute to a racial hierarchy between Karlin, Du, and Harlins?  How do these racial representations help justify Du’s punishment? Use evidence from the reading to support your claims.

· Neil Gotanda discusses how the image of the Model Minority helps articulate a racial hierarchy, which plays out in the trial of Du Soon Ja, for the killing of Latasha Harlins. According to Gotanda, Judge Karlin was operating within a colorblind discourse that privileges cultural characteristics to define group characteristics. Within this framework, Karlin alludes to images of the Model Minority Asian American shopkeeper, who is set against an image of Black criminality and danger. To what extent do such implicit racial biases affect perceptions of criminals and victims? What cultural challenges do we face in getting courts to recognize biases in cases that involve distinct minority groups, when a crime involves one minority group against another? Can the Model Minority myth also harm Asian Americans in the court system?

 

“Great Expectations: The Negative Consequences and Policy Implications of the Asian American ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype.” Michael Tayag.

· Michael Tayag notes how the model minority myth has been based on attributing Asian Americans with strong family and cultural values. While the stereotype seems complementary in many ways, Tayag identifies the negative psychological and institutional effects the stereotype brings to Asian American youth. How can a seemingly positive stereotype encourage experiences of depression, low self-esteem, and institutional neglect for Asian Americans? How can the image of the model minority encourage the erasure of Asian American problems and experiences? How can these personal and institutional tendencies be effectively challenged and reversed?

 

· The term “Model Minority” suggests that Asian Americans set the bar for social achievement for all minority groups. Many Asian Americans argue that this stereotype of Asian Americans as high achievers has created high expectations, thereby exacerbating depression and anxiety, which come from a fear of failure and a constant pressure to perform. Because Asian Americans are perceived as great students, so many of their needs go unrecognized and unserved. Using the text to support your claims, explain how the perception of Asian Americans as good students, or as model minorities, can harm these students. How does a positive stereotype become harmful? Which Asian American students are likely to be harmed by this stereotype? What can educational institutions do to better serve Asian American students?

 

· Michael Tayag argues that the stereotype of the model minority has caused psychological and educational problems within the Asian American communities. For some Asian American students, high expectations from family and society can have negative mental health impact. Describe some of the common mental health issue within the Asian American community. What are some common contributors to mental distress for Asian Americans? How does the stereotype about the model minority impact Asian American students? Are Asian Americans model minorities? What happens when people are expected to be excellent, but they and their community are struggling? What suggestions does Tayag make to address these student issues?

Week 5

· The article introduces issues of minority-minority conflict for Asian Americans as immigrants in the United States. Here we look at conflicts between Korean Americans and African Americans. Many Korean Americans faced challenges entering the labor market because of language barrier, non-transferability of their educational credentials and also discrimination. Those were the reasons that self-employment rates were high within their community. The establishment of their businesses in the South Central area raised anger among African Americans because they saw Koreans taking their money out of their neighborhood. African Americans always had a thought that people from other race see them as a lower class which caused a racial conflict with Asian Americans.How have issues in South Los Angeles changed since the LA Uprisings? Is there significant improvement for local residents? Local business owners? How are the issues that ignited the violence in 1992 still pertinent in 2017?  

· This article provides us with background information about the Korean-Black conflicts that arose during the 1970s and persisted into the 1990s. Korean-Americans had their own perceptions of African Americans and African Americans had their own perceptions of Korean-Americans. African Americans believed that Korean-Americans, “look at black people as if they were animals” (275). The main reason for the start of these conflicts, as argued by the authors, was the separation of class positions between the Koreans and Blacks.The riots/rebellions of 1992 were a turning point in the Korean-black conflict and were caused by group protests with violence deriving from economic tensions. Korean merchants experienced huge economic losses in the South Central area. What is your overall impression about the “Korean-Black conflict” after reading the article about the Korean Americans in relation to the African Americans and how their stereotypical views affected the economy? Do you believe that these stereotypical views and prejudices held by the different races directly caused the Korean-black conflict? How did the nature of the Korean-black conflict change with the turning point of the riots/rebellions in 1992?

 

 

“The New Chinese Immigration and the Rise of Asian American Politics in Monterey Park, California.” Leland T. Saito and John Horton.

 

· The author discusses how for a while there was a lack of Asian American participation in politics, until Lily Chen joined office in Monterey Park. Along with this, it was mentioned that one of the biggest issues for Asian Americans in Monterey Park was Civil Rights. The Anglo Americans thought that the Asian Americans were not wanting to assimilate to Western Culture. Explain why the “English Only” sign issue was so significant for both Anglo and ethnic communities in Monterey Park. How did the struggle of language on business signage come to represent larger cultural and political struggle? How did it help mobilize an ethnic political response?

· Monterrey park, in Los Angeles, California, changed ethnically from 1960-1990. Originally made up of mostly Latinos and Japanese Americans, Monterey park shifted to majority Chinese. While Japanese and Chinese Americans lived in neighboring areas, they differed in significant ways. The Japanese even resented the Chinese for some of the ways they had changed the city.   Despite ethnic difference, they came together to support more Asian representation politically, as Anti-Asian policies, local residents learned, could be combated by local political engagement. Although there are multiple Asian ethnic groups, they are so small that they can garner greater political and social force if they pool their resources under the racial category of "Asian American." What are the advantages of aggregating Asian American interests? What are the disadvantages of this aggregation? How can Asian Americans work more effectively with other minority groups to set policy goals and of advocate for minority interests?

· Monterey Park in California is an area that has a large majority of non-white population. Asian American population in Monterey Park has been through many challenges and discrimination. One challenge for Asian American coalition building has been the challenge of unifying distinct ethnic groups, such as the Japanese and Chinese. Yet even Chinese immigrants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam had a hard time identifying with a singular Chinese ethnic identity. What can Asian Americans do to unite political unity? What are the challenges of this “unification”? How can we incorporate the diversity of Asian identity and experience into a broad Asian American political agenda?

 

 

“’Racial Profiling’ in the War on Terror: Cultural Citizenship and South Asian Muslim Youth in the Unites States.” Sunaina Maira.

 

· The War on Terror has massively impacted global society, and people who are Arabs, South Asian, or Muslim are treated with extreme prejudice. These groups have been criminalized by the U.S. and its policies, making it justified to invade and/or punish the nations from which these groups come.After reading the article, reflect on these questions: Do you think The War on Terror is indeed necessary? Are there any similarities between what is happening now after the events of 9/11 and what happened to the Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor in WWII? What are the relevant similarities and differences? 

· The article describes how South Asians, especially Muslims, were subject to “racial profiling” for the purpose of “national security” after the attacks of September 11. It caused cultural and religious isolation for Muslims in this country. This is clearly controversial because their rights and citizenship are almost ignored by the law. In what ways does the War on Terror ask us to believe that the Civil Rights of the Muslim community must be restricted to safeguard National Security? How does the country justify this trade off? Is the War on Terror making the US and the world safer? How can we protect the nation and the civil liberties of Americans seen as foreign threats? What are the lessons from Japanese Internment?

· In the aftermath of 9/11 people were afraid and vulnerable to discourse that targeted Muslims, changing these communities and triggering a series of miseries. As a way of waging a War on Terror, some Muslim Americans were questioned and even imprisoned without any reasoning. My question is: Is it fair for police to interrogate someone about their past based on race? What role does racial profiling play in creating a culture of law and order? Also, why are Europeans, as a community, rarely profiled as criminal on the basis of race? What does it say about our culture that African Americans, Muslims, Hispanics or Asians can be so easily profiled? If possible, give some incidents to strengthen your claims.

· The article discusses the impact of the “Patriot Act” on the South Asian Americans of Muslim faith. The “Patriot Act” is the hastily passed government law that allows the United States government to spy on any and all citizens as well as anyone within its country’s borders in the name of national security to prevent terrorist acts. This act was passed as a knee-jerk reaction to the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, which were committed by followers of the Muslim faith. Subsequently, South Asian Americans and Muslims were unfairly targeted. Do you feel that it is acceptable for the US government to institute the PATRIOT ACT, which allows the NSA to spy on citizens in the name of “national security”? Or do you think this Act was specifically targeting people of the Muslim faith, allowing the government to judging a person based on their ethnicity? Would the PATRIOT ACT be less objectionable if it targeted only those from specific religious or ethnic groups? If the PATRIOT ACT is problematic, what should the replacement policy do instead?

Week 6

Coalitions and Class Considerations

“Interracial Politics: Asian Americans and Other Communities of Color.” Claire Jean Kim and Taeku Lee.

· Claire Jean Kim and Taeku Lee explain how the “model minority myth functions ideologically to reproduce racial hierarchy in America by essentializing and homogenizing Asian American experiences, exaggerating American prosperity and downplaying Asian American needs, arousing black resentment towards Asian Americans, delegitimating black demands for social programs and legitimating racially discriminating arrangements” (546).  As one can see, this stereotype can contribute to tension and conflict between these Blacks and Asian Americans. How do you think can be done to combat the myths and stigmas associated around one’s class and ethnicity?

 

· Although Asian Americans have been able to form coalitions with other racial minority groups, the model minority myth has impacted the racial hierarchy and how Asian Americans are seen as relative to Whites and Blacks. What are some of the challenges Asian Americans face as they form coalitions with other minorities? Has the model minority myth disconnected Asian Americans from other minorities? How has the model minority myth impacted the relationship between the different ethnic groups within the Asian American community?

 

· Claire Jean Kim and Taeku Lee explain how Asian Americans have created alliances to benefit multiple racial communities. They write that within the US racial hierarchy, the Asian American community falls somewhere between Blacks and Whites. How does the image of the model minority hinder attempts to form stronger alliances with other racial communities? How does the concept of racial hierarchy help and/or harm minority-minority alliances?

 

“Class Constraints on Racial Solidarity among Asian Americans.” Yen Espiritu and Paul Ong.

· This article explains how class distinctions limit racial solidarity among Asian American groups. The wealthy, professional Asian Americans take roles of leadership while poorer Asian Americans often lack voices even within the Asian American political organizations. Explain how ethnic and class differences make pan-ethnic Asian American alliances difficult? Use the text for resources.

 

· Yen Espiritu and Paul Ong talks about how different Asian American ethnic groups experience difference types of class struggles. Although there are Asian ethnic groups that want to unify as Asian Americans, social economic status stands as a significant barrier. What do you think would be a good structure to have in order for every Filipino, Koreans, and Vietnamese people to benefit from the same equal opportunities as Japanese or Chinese people? What can be done so they are not valued differently within Asian American organizations? How is that till today there are these walls stopping people from having the same opportunities as anyone else simply because of their social status?

 

· According to the text, “Class difference correlate with ethnicity, generating internal conflicts over power and control that assume an ethnic appearance.” While professionals within the Asian American community play vital roles in advocating for Asian American issues, sharp class distinctions among Asian American ethnic groups can create mistrust and erode feelings of solidarity. How can Asian American political organizations better foster inclusiveness, unity, and equal value among members who have such unequal access to English proficiency, education, and political power?

Mary Yu Danico. The Formation of Post-Suburban Communities: Koreatown and Little Saigon, Orange County

· Mary Yu, explains a great deal about the transformation of once very “homogeneous, Anglo” communities in Orange County to the now heavily populated Asian American communities. Yu describes the racism and marginalization faced by the Asian Americans throughout history in this area and also presents the triumphs they have made within their Orange County community. Identify specific evidence that clarifies the triumphs Asian Americans have made throughout their migration to Orange County. Why are these instances significant and how can you connect it to your own experiences, or observations?

· Once settled in the United States, many Vietnamese American refugees and Korean American immigrants identify as Republicans. Republicans stood for capitalism, religious freedom, and business. With this being said, younger generations of Vietnamese and Koreans Americans identify as Democratic. Explain why these party affiliations have tended to fall along these generational lines.

· Mary Yu Danico explain the history of Korean and Vietnamese presence in Orange County, as well as the challenges and difficulty they faced while settling into and developing  their communities. Both cultures were despised by local citizens, and they often ran into trouble and disputes with local laws and ordinances as they continued to develop more and more. These issues and problems did not only occur in California in history, but all throughout the country as America was receiving an immense amounts of immigrants. How do fast developing post-suburban ethnic communities affect local culture and politics? What are the conflicts these ethnics communities often face in establishing ethnic communities?

· Mary Yu Danico explain how Asians faced discrimination when immigrating in the 1970's, not only from non-Asian citizens, but from each other as well. This of course came from the world events occurring at the time. Events such as the Vietnam War for example, created a division between Laotian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Chinese people and they often held grudges, even in the States.  Do you think that the formation of these areas: Little Saigon, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, etc.., was beneficial for the Asian American community? How does the development of ethnic community help Asian ethnic groups?  

 

Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum. “Asian Americans in Global Cities: Los Angeles-New York Connections and Comparisons. AAPI Nexus 10:2, 2012.

· Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum discuss the reasons why the majority of Asian-American communities are found in the two global cities, Los Angeles and New York. What factors, other than the ones presented in the article, can possibly influence the fact that more than sixteen million Asian Americans reside in either of the two global cities, Los Angeles and New York? Do you believe that more scholarly research should be done regarding Asian American communities in relation to politics?

· In Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum examine the expansion of Asian American communities through a broad understanding of the similarities and differences of experiences of Asian Americans in different global cities—Los Angeles and New York—through a comparative analysis. The article compares the Asian ethnic economies of the two metropolitan areas where “In Los Angeles, Asians who are self-employed are more likely to be high-skill, professional services while their counterparts in New York tend to concentrate in low-Skill traditional “enclave-associated” niches” (VII). What accounts for the socioeconomic inequalities in these global cities for Asian Americans? Do you think that the Asian Americans in Los Angeles have more advantages compared to the ones in New York and/or vice versa?

· Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum examine Asian American experiences in Los Angeles and New York, which are two of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States. Quantitative evidence demonstrates the roles that immigration and immigrants have played in shaping our communities in terms of economic development. Why do you believe Asians are attracted to these bigger cities? Which specific neighborhoods are significantly influenced by Asians? Which distinct features within that area show Asian influence?

· Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum investigate similarities and differences among the Asian American population that live in Los Angeles and New York. Do you agree with the authors that it is difficult to fully understand and appreciate Asian American experiences without sufficient research? Why would it be necessary to focus our studies on other regions as well, rather than just the two cities?

· Paul M. Ong and Tarry Hum shared a variety of data from different articles by different authors to make this point. They shared how comparing an ethnic population's experiences and data in different regions can help understand that ethnic group better. Do you think their method can be used to understand other groups such as African Americans or Latinos? If so, what are a few factors you'd suggest starting off with to raise the awareness the way these authors did? If not, why do you think this method can only be applied to Asian Americans? 

Week 8

“Life and Work in the Inner City.” Paul Ong and Karen Umemoto.

· Paul Ong and Karen Umemoto write: "Ethnic solidarity can facilitate the exploitative nature of the relationship between owner and worker, leading to harsh conditions"(241). Working in extreme conditions and irregular hours yield in relatively low earning, lack of safety and insurance, violation of minimum wage and mental torture. First, the worker is disadvantaged because of language and legal status. Second, they do not know about their rights and benefits. Why do ethnic business owners prefer exploitable labor? Do you believe low-capital, ethnic business can survive without using exploitative labor practices? What does this reveal about our economic structure?

 

“The Migration and Incorporation of Filipino Nurses.” Paul Ong and Tania Azores.

· Paul Ong and Tania Azores talk about how Filipino nurses had to work hard to get a job in the United States. Many of them migrated here to have a better life and support their family back in the Philippines. They had to overcome many struggles to find their place in the nursing industry in the US.  What are some of the common challenges Filipino nurses faces in moving to the US and settling here as professionals? How do these workers benefit the US and the Philippines? 

· Paul Ong and Tania Azores explain how the Philippine is America’s biggest supplier of nurses. The reason behind Filipino migration is due to the shortage of nurses in this country. Explain why it has been hard to fill nursing needs through domestic training. What makes Filipinos ideal suppliers of nurses for the US? Does the system seem fair and positive for these workers? Explain.  

· Paul Ong and Tania Azores talk about how Filipino nurses come to the United States and work hard to take advantage of nursing opportunities, despite difficult working conditions. Many of them migrate here to better their lives and support their family back home. They have had to overcome many difficulties to be placed in a job with long and hard shifts but with low pay. Many times, they need to have a second job to support themselves. Do these tough "opportunities" in the US benefit the Filipino nurses in the long run? What can be done to improve conditions in the nursing industry?

 

 

“Chinese-Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in California.” Steve Gold.

· Many of the Chinese-Vietnamese catalyzed the economic transformation of Southern California. In what ways have the Chinese-Vietnamese participated in the “economic transformation” in Southern California? What are some of the positive and negative effects of this transformation? Use examples from the reading to support your answer. 

· Steve Gold explores the role of one of the most economically active refugee groups recently entering the US, the Chinese-Vietnamese. First, the author clarifies the important difference between refugees and immigrants and how their economical motives differ.  The first major difference he touches on involves their ability to prepare for and accept the difficulties of living in a new culture. Secondly, immigrants base their migration off economic considerations, while refugees are most likely not leaving their homeland voluntarily. How has their status as refugees affected the kinds of businesses Chinese-Vietnamese tend to create? How does disadvantaged entrepreneurship create disadvantaged labor conditions for business owners and employees? 

“New Household Forms, Old Family Values: The Formation and Reproduction of Filipino Transnational Family in Los Angeles.” Rhacel Parreñas.

· Rhacel Parreñas writes about the factors that push the formation of transnational households, one of them being a cultural factor. Transnational households must often reorganize and develop alternative family bonds in response to family members, often mothers, who work abroad to make better wages. Long-term separation between a parent and child can be emotionally taxing; however, the separation also strengthens the bond between relatives as parents rely on kin to care for their children. In what ways do first world nations, such the US, benefit from transnational families?  How do third world migrant laborers and their families pay the price of globalization?

· Many migrant Filipinos work hard in the U.S. to provide for their families back in the Philippines. The author states that one challenge they face is the emotional cost due to the geographic distance. Family members back home often prefer workers to move back to the Philippines. The United States has laws that make it difficult for transnational families to bring their families to America. Explain the various challenges of transnational families. How has the Filipino family adjusted to accommodate the emotional and economic needs of transnational labor?

· Rhacel Salazar discusses the difficulty that women face within a transnational household. These transnational households are the dominant strategy of household maintenance for migrant Filipina domestic workers. Although sometimes, families come into the US together, having children in the US can make work harder for Filipina laborers, since childcare is expensive in the US. According to the article, a group of Filipina domestic workers were interviewed and most of them have children and family that they are providing for back home. A couple of the women interviewed are single women whose monthly remittances are supporting their families in the Philippines. Identify the most common forms of transnational families. Explain the types of responsibilities these women bear as they work abroad. Why do you think they willingly accept these stressful labor-family conditions?

· Transnational Filipino households offer conveniences for Americans because the US receives migrants that want to work here for a low income to be able to support their families back in their home country. There is a deception these migrant workers face because the U.S. is only supporting such household because the workers are willing to work for a low wage, but they are not given worker benefits. In what ways is the transnational family an example of how globalization exploits third world labor to service the needs of first world families?

 

“Power, Patriarchy and Gender Conflict in the Vietnamese Immigrant Community.” Nazli Kibria.

· Nazli Kibria studies how women in the Vietnamese immigrant community bargain for power within a patriarchal family system and how they deal with male authority. Women’s groups within the community help women cope with male authority and are also a resource to many families during difficult times. “The power exerted by the women’s groups over the behavior of men and women in the Vietnamese immigrant community reflects the decline in men’s social and economic resources.” (438) The women’s groups are influential and can affect private domestic affairs. In their interventions, how do these women’s groups subvert patriarchy and how do they reinforce patriarchal norms? Use examples from the text to illustrate your claims.

· Nazli Kibria explains the “patriarchal bargain” that occurs in the Vietnamese American community. The patriarchal bargain is the negotiation between men and women to maintain and re-define gender rules, so men and women can get what they need within the system. In Vietnamese communities, the men maintain power over the family by financially supporting them while the women gain power once they are older and can command the younger people. However, once the Vietnamese arrived in the U.S. the men struggled to support their families while the women made economic gains. How does the patriarchal bargain operate within these communities, where women’s social groups are socially significant? In what ways does the bargain allow women to negotiate their needs while maintaining the power system?

 

“Women in Exile: Gender Relations in the Asian Indian Community in the United States.” Sayantani DasGupta and Shamita Das Dasgupta.

· Sayantani DasGupta and Shamita Das Dasgupta discuss how the Indian American community, reconstructed by males, created the image of an Indian woman being modest, obedient, and subservient to her husband. The writers explain when it comes time to marry, the women must often marry outside the group and the men often return to India to find brides. According to the authors, what has been the mainstream American image of the Indian male? How has this gendered stereotype about Indian American men affected how they relate to Indian American women?

· According to Sayantani DasGupta and Shamita Das Dasgupta, Indian immigrants and Indian Americans have little cultural space for feminist, politically-minded Indian American young women in their community. The writers explain that ironically, feminism has more cultural space in India than in Indian American communities. What are some of the challenges Indian American feminist face in the US cultural context? How does the minority status of Indians in the US pose gender-identity challenges for Indian American males and females?

 

Week 10

In Jennifer Lee and Frank D. Bean’s article, “Intermarriage and Multiracial Identification: The Asian American Experience and Implications for Changing Color Lines,” it explores the increasing growth of multiracial population of whites and nonwhites in the United States. The authors uses statistics on the multiracial population using the information provided by the 2000 U.S. Census—“allowing Americans to select “one or more races” to indicate their racial identification” (53)—to explore this growth. Through intermarriage, multiracial identification, and the continuous immigration from Latin America and Asia, the United States has turned “from a largely white and black society into one that is composed of several racial and ethnic groups” (51-52). Why do Asians or Latinos seem to prefer intermarrying Whites than African Americans? Also, if more and more Americans claim themselves as belonging to more than one racial group, will this decrease prejudice/discrimination? Why or Why not?

In “Intermarriage and Multiracial Identification: The Asian American Experience and Implications for Changing Color Lines,” Jennifer Lee and Frank Bean examine the rise in intermarriage and how it has the ability to bring about change when it comes to the white-nonwhite color line. Although there has been an increase in interracial relationships, intermarriage is not equally spread throughout all ethnic groups. “This distinction is critical because it helps us to differentiate whether America’s color lines are shifting for all racial/ethnic minorities, or whether they are fading mostly in the cases of nonblack immigrant groups.” (61) As the authors mentioned, intermarriage is growing quite rapidly in the Asian and Latino community and are predicted to continue to increase in the future. With this being said, is intermarriage changing the color lines or further encouraging segregation of other ethnic groups? 

In the article “Intermarriage and Multiracial Identification: The Asian American Experience and Implications for Changing Color Lines”,  Lee and Bean bring up key issues regarding the race/ethnicity an individual identifies branching from interracial marriages. Before one can identify with the race and ethnicity they are today, in the past people were only allowed to identify as monoracial meaning one race . As we all know today, the U.S. is not monoracial and in fact it is strongly diverse. This led to the Census to be rethought and corrected by 2003 where it became fully inclusive to many like Asians, Latinos, and Hispanics. People being allowed to freely identify themselves in the Census led to an increase in the multiracial population. With this being said, how do you feel when you are bubbling or circling your race/ethnicity on any form given to be filled out? What are your thoughts regarding the improvements on the Census? Will the ability to identify themselves affect their culture (i.e. prone to stereotypes)?

In “Intermarriage and Multiracial Identification: The Asian American Experience and Implications for Changing Color Lines,” Jennifer Lee and Frank Bean introduce the history of the rise of interracial marriages and relationships. They also cite several sociologists in hypothesizing that this rise directly correlates with breaking down racial barriers and, in the words of the article, “decreasing social distance between groups, declining racial prejudice, and changing racial boundaries” (52). However, later in the article, the authors point out that the interracial marriage rates continue to marginalize the black community. To what extent do you agree, if at all, with the cited sociologists in that racial prejudice is declining? What examples, if any exist, from your personal life have you observed provide evidence of your answer?

week 11

“The Journey to Acceptance: Crossroads of Asian Culture and Queer Identity.” Aldric Ulep.

· Asians tend to keep their sexual identity a secret because they do not want to burden their family. According to Aldric Ulep, “Because of this cultural pressure to put the family first, queer Asian children often choose to hide their sexuality from their parents in fear of betraying the central family unit, the focus of a collectivist society” (6). They choose to keep their sexual identity a secret because they want to protect their family and their beliefs. In what ways does claiming queer identity function as a betrayal of the family? What do you believe needs to happen for Asians to feel more safe coming out to their parents?  

· Aldric Ulep discusses the difficulties queer Asian American children face when they come out and reveal their sexual identity to their parents. This is mostly due to the traditional Asian immigrant parents and westernized/second-generation Asian American children’s different sets of core values. To these children, revealing their sexual identity can be seen as a betrayal to Asian family expectations, which includes fulfilling specific roles. For example, Asian sons are supposedly “responsible to dutifully ‘continue the family lineage and expand the family unit’” (6). How does queer identity pose challenges to traditional ethnic visions about family? How does immigration pose specific cultural challenges for queer children and their parents?

· Queer Asian American youth face “racialized heterosexism in Asian American communities and queered racism in queer communities.”  (Ulep, 4). They are fearful of shaming their family, so many queer Asian American children tend to keep their sexuality a secret, in fear of betraying their family and cultural values. Asians place a huge importance on family and traditional Asian values, such as “getting married, having children, and passing down the family name.” (Ulep, 7). However, Asian parents have to make their own choice about either accepting their child’s queer identity or not accepting their child’s queer identity. Asian parents truly care about their children’s well-being and believe that if they do not lead a normal life, then they will not lead a normal life. Also, they are faced with factors, such as language barriers, which make it even more difficult for them to communicate with their children. Why do you think the Asian American community is particularly struggling with their children’s queer identities? And what do you think will help queer Asian American children’s “coming out” process easier for both the child and the parents? Also, what factors are most crucial when considering the struggle of the Asian American community and how could these factors affect queer Asian American youth? (i.e. language barriers, western culture assimilation, etc.)

· Aldric Ulep discusses how the parents of queer individuals react to their children “coming out” and the difficulties that come with being queer in an Asian family. Most Asian communities live in collectivist societies, which means family values matter more than individual values. Due to this, many queer individuals fear “coming out” would risk their relationship with their family and decide to conceal their sexual identity. Asian culture does not encourage parents to reject their children based on their sexual orientation, so, ultimately, the parents decide whether or not to support their children. Unfortunately, due to Asian culture being reserved, “[it] does not permit direct expression of sexual language and behavior,” and further discourages any discussion about sex or sexuality (8). This makes it difficult for parents to understand what it means to be queer and to accept that their child falls into this category, which also damages their fixed idea of thinking their child will live a “normal life” based on marriage and children. In addition, American-raised children and Asian-raised parents encounter a language barrier that makes it difficult for the child’s “coming out” experience to be properly explained. What can be done to encourage Asian communities to be more outspoken about sexual identity? How can the collectivist values be encouraged or strengthened with the inclusion of queerness? How could Asian-American queer individuals better communicate with their Asian-raised parents about their queerness?    

 

“Searching for Home: Voices of Gay Asian American Youth in West Hollywood.” Mark Tristan Ng.

· Mark Tristan Ng describes how race and sexuality interact in the lives of gay Asian Americans in West Hollywood. He indicates that West Hollywood is usually safe and comfortable space for gay people, but most gay Asian American youths do not feel safe due to racial hierarchy led by gay white Americans within the community. The author states that this is a result of Model Minority and Orientalism. My question is: how these images of the Model Minority and Orientalism marginalize gay Asian American in the West Hollywood community? Do you think these issues must be solved by people only within the community or outsiders can help to solve the issues and improve the community’s condition for the Asian American youths? 

· Mark Tristan Ng argues how West Hollywood is not safe place for gay Asian American men (GAM). Even though West Hollywood is considered a safe place for many homosexual people, there is still discrimination. The article also states that gay white males control the value and currency of this economy; they occupy the dominant and privileged position as the active agents determining and dictating who and what is desirable, how much value there is in an object, and how to pursue that desire. What does what dominance in West Hollywood look like? What can Asian American gay men do to achieve a more satisfying sense of “home”?

· Mark Tristan Ng discusses the struggles that young Gay Asian American males (GAM) face. New clubs have been added, including the Buddha Lounge and Red Dragon, to include GAM more in West Hollywood. Although this is more of a safe place for them in West Hollywood, some have still felt like the clubs were fetishizing Asian-ness, or that they were a place for white gay males to come and fulfill their fantasies. Do you think these clubs are a safe place where gay Asian males can come together as a community? What is the value of a “safe space”? In what ways do these clubs reproduce the racial hierarchy of the broader society?

· Mark Tristan Ng illustrates the dynamic layers of identity for young, gay, Asian men in West Hollywood, a place largely known for its gay demographic. He illustrates the logistics behind Asian themed clubs in West Hollywood comparing these “enclaves” to that of smaller ethnic areas in larger metropolitan cities such as Chinatown, Little Saigon, etc. However, Ng states that while they provide a relatively more positive environment for these men, ultimately being gay and Asian in West Hollywood still lacks a sense of “community”. Identify some of the prejudices and misconceptions that these clubs seem to be operating on? What can community members in West Hollywood do to create more authentic inclusion of people of color.