Dr. Susan Ambrose Warner Hall 426  sa0n@andrew.cmu.edu 268-2896 Office Hours: By Appointment Mon, Wed, Fri Class: Thur, 6:00 - 8:50  Baker Hall 231 B

Course Description

Since 1965 the Asian American population in the United States has increased dramatically. It has become much more diverse in two ways: new groups have joined the earlier Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, and Asian Indians, and they range in educational and socioeconomic status from peasants to Ph.Ds. In this course we will examine the historical (political, economic, social), cultural and structural factors which influence the experience of various Asian American groups. We will discuss several Asian American groups both individually and comparatively as we explore their history, adaptation and acculturation, socioeconomic success, family and community life, and relations with other ethnic groups. We will also consider current debates and concerns around a number of issues tied to continuing Asian immigration and the Asian American experience.

The readings in this course draw from a wide variety of disciplines, and thus provide many different perspectives on the experiences of different Asian American groups.

Objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to answer the following questions, in most cases citing specific examples from various Asian American groups:

• What are the four periods of Asian American historiography and how and why is each period unique?
  
  
• What characterizes the history of Asian immigration to the U.S.?
  
  
• What factors influence an immigrant's experience in a new country?
  
  
• How and why has the history of the various Asian groups differed from each other and from European, Hispanic and African immigrants?
  
  
• How and why has the image of Asian Americans fluctuated over time, what do these fluctuations reflect, and how do these images impact the Asian American experience?
  
  
• What factors influence the persistence, compromise, or loss of ethnic identity?
  
  
• What factors play a critical role in the economic life of an ethnic group, both initially and over time?
  
  
• How has the process of migration and American culture impacted the attitudes of various Asian American groups toward marriage, family, women's roles, community and religion? How have these attitudes manifested themselves?
  
  
• Under what circumstances, to what extent, and for what reasons do groups of diverse national origins come together as a new, enlarged "panethnic" group?
  

Expectations

I. Class Discussion

This class meets once a week and, for the most part, is a discussion class in which we will learn together and from each other. Your thoughtful questions and comments are vital to its success. Consequently, it is imperative that you read the assignments before the class session as the discussion will NOT review the content of the articles, but will build on the readings. You should read critically, question the authors' assumptions, the types of questions they ask, the sources they use, and the conclusions they draw.

Because the class session is long, we will vary activities as much as possible to keep everyone engaged. We will spend the first part of each class discussing current news items concerning Asian immigration and the Asian American experience and related issues which you bring to the attention of the class. You need, at the very least, to read a weekly news magazine or newspaper and clip or copy the relevant article to bring to class. I expect everyone to do this at least seven times during the course of the semester (and this will count toward your class participation grade).

Because we only meet once a week, missing a class will undoubtedly affect both your learning and your grade. If you must miss a class due to serious health problems or a family emergency, please contact me.

II. Reflections on / Responses to Reading Assignments

In order to help you read more thoughtfully and begin to prepare for the discussion, I will ask you to respond each week to the readings. The response should be approximately 250-400 words, and you should e-mail it to me by 8:00 a.m. on Thursday so that I can read it, provide feedback, and use your responses as I plan the class. You will need to complete 8 reflection/response assignments during the semester. This means that you can "miss" 5 assignments or, better yet, do most or all of them and drop the lowest grades. This is an attempt to help you adapt to my expectations for these short assignments and allow you some flexibility when you are feeling the inevitable "time crunch" at various points during the semester. I will discuss this in more detail on the first day of class, and provide examples of well done assignments throughout the semester. You should keep the returned papers together so that you can monitor the progress of your thinking and writing.

III. Papers

Each of you will write two papers, one due by October 8 and the other by December 3. The paper assignments from which you can choose are attached to this syllabus.

Grading

	Class Participation	25%
	Reflection/Response Assignments (8)	25%
	Papers (2 @ 25% each) (Proposal is 8% of the 25%)	50%

Your class participation grade includes:

• Consistent attendance and effort
  
  
• Thoughtful questions about the readings, videos or discussion (can be drawn from your written responses to the readings)
  
  
• Thoughtful analysis of the readings, videos or discussion (can be drawn from your written responses to the readings)
  
  
• A total of 7 appropriate news items brought in and shared with the class
  

Anyone who is uncomfortable speaking in class should talk to me early to determine how we can best help you contribute to and get the most out of the class.

Course Reading

The majority of reading material is found in the Course Packet which you can purchase in the History Department (Baker Hall 240). The only other book you will need to purchase is Asian Americans: Oral Histories of First to Fourth Generation Americans From China, the Philippines, Japan, India, the Pacific Islands, Vietnam and Cambodia, by Joann Faung Jean Lee (The New Press, 1991) which we will be reading at the end of the course. The course readings are typically between 35 - 45 pages per week.

Course Schedule

Week	Readings	Videos & Assignments
Aug. 27	No Reading Assignment	Video: My America (...or honk if you love Buddha
Sept. 3	Historiography and Brief History Asian American Historiography by Sucheng Chan, Pacific Historical Review 65 (1996) Post-1965 Asian Immigrants: Where do They Come From, Where Are They Now, and Where Are They Going? by Morrison G. Wong, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 487 (1986)
Sept. 10	Image: Perceptions and Their Impact Behind the Model-Minority Stereotype: Voices of High and Low Achieving Asian American Students by Stacey J. Lee, Anthropology and Education Quarterly 25 (1994) Asian Americans and the Myth of the Model Minority by David Crystal, Social Casework 70 (1989) Asian Americans under the Influence of 'Japan-Bashing by Masako Lino, American Studies International 32 (1994)	Video: Picturing Oriental Girls
Sept. 17	Image -- continued Reaching Critcal Mass: Asian American in California, Los Angeles Times series, July 12 - 15, 1998	Video: Afterbirth
Sept. 24	Identity: Persistence, Compromise or Loss? Roots and Changing Identity of the Chinese in the U.S. by Ling-Chi Wang, Daedalus 120 (1991) The Experience of Mixed-Race People: Some Thoughts and Theories by Michelle M. Motoyoshi, Journal of Ethnic Studies 18 (1990) Cultural and Economic Boundaries of Korean Ethnicity: A Comparative Analysis by Pyong Gap Min, Ethnic and Racial Studies 14 (1991)	Video: Banana-Split Proposal for Paper Due
Oct. 1	Family and Marriage: Attitudes and Behavior in Flux Asian American Interracial Marriage by Harry H.L. Kitano, Wai-Tsang Yeung, Lynn Chai, and Herb Hatanaka, Journal of Marriage and the Family 46 (1984) Out-of-Town Brides: International Marriage and Wife Abuse among Chinese Immigrants by Ko-lin Chin, Journal of Comparative Family Studies 25 (1994) Generation Differences in Korean Immigrant's Life Conditions in the United States by Kwang Chung Kim, Won Moo Hurh, Shin Kim, Sociological Perspectives 36 (1993) Split Household, Small Producer and Dual Wage Earner: An Analysis of Chinese-American Family Strategies by Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Journal of Marriage and the Family 45 (1983)	Video: Mixed Blood In-Class Peer Review
Oct. 8	Women's Experiences: Influences and Impact The Burden of Double Roles: Korean Wives in the U.S.A. by Kwang Chung Kim and Won Moo Hurh, Ethnic and Racial Studies 11 (1988) Occupational Ghettoization: Japanese American Women and Domestic Service, 1895-1970 by Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Ethnicity 8 (1981)	Video: Japanese American Women Sense of Place Paper Due
Oct. 15	Women's Experiences -- continued The Development of Feminist Consciousness among Asian American Women by Esther Chow, Gender and Society 1 (1987) Power, Patriarchy, and Gender Conflict in the Vietnamese Immigrant Commnity by Nazli Kibria, Gender and Society 4 (1990)	Video: Slaying the Dragon
Oct. 22	Economic Adaptation: Ways, Means and Results Asian American Socioeconomic Achievement: The Strength of the Family Bond by Victor Nee and Herbert Wong, Sociological Perspectives 28 (1985) Household Structure and Family Ideologies: The Dynamics of Immigrant Economic Adaptation among Vietnamese Americans by Nazli Kibria, Social Problems 41 (1994)
Oct. 29	Economic Adaptation -- continued Poverty and the U.S. Asian Population by Sharon M. Lee, Social Science From White-Collar Occupations to Small Business: Korean Immigrants' Occupational Adjustment by Pyong Gap Min, Sociological Quarterly 25 (1984)Quarterly 75 (1994) Rotating Credit Associations by Ivan H. Light in Ethnic Enterprise in American: Business and Welfare Among Chinese, Japanese and Blacks, Berkeley & Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press (1972)
Nov. 5	Community: Changing Roles and Impact The Hmong Refugee Community in San Diego: Theoretical and Practical Implications of Its Continuing Ethnic Solidarity by George M. Scott, Jr., Anthropological Quarterly 55 (1982)  Filipino Hometown Associations in Hawaii by Jonathan Y. Okamura, Ethnology 27 (1983) Elites and Ethnic Boundary Maintenance: A Study of the Roles of Elites in Chinatown, New York City by Bernard Wong, Urban Anthropology 6 (1977)
Nov. 12	Intergroup Relations: Need or Luxury? Panethnicity in the United States: A Theoretical Framework by David Lopez and Yen Le Espiritu, Ethnic and Racial Studies 13 (1990) Racial Domination and Class Conflict in Capitalist Agriculture: The Oxnard Sugar Beet Workers' Strike of 1903 by Tomas Almaguer, Labor History, 25, No. 3, Summer 1984 A Theory of Ethnic Antagonism: The Split Labor Market by Edna Bonacich, American Sociological Review, 37, No. 5 (1972) Colonized and Immigrant Minorities in Racial Oppression in America by Robert Blauner New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers (1972)	Proposal for Paper Due
Nov. 19	In Their Own Words: Asian Americans Talking about Their Experience From Asian Americans, by Joann Fuang Jean Lee, read the following first person narratives: Growing Up in Mississippi Then Came the War To Be True Hawaiian West Side Story Visiting the Homeland 1.5 Gernation One More Degree Traffic Cops Traffic Cops III	Video: Bui Doi In-Class Peer Review
Dec. 3	In Their Own Words -- continued From Asian Americans, by Joann Fuang Jean Lee, read the following first person narratives: To Be More Japanese No Tea, Thank You Tensions Being Indian in Jersey City Racial Hatred Different by Choice On Being Asian American Company is Family Koreans and the Church Family Gathering Ancestors Never Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm A Male Human Being	Paper Due

Paper Assignments

You will choose two of the following four assignments during the semester. Each paper should be between 2500 - 3500 words, typed and double spaced. You will write a proposal for each paper which must be approved by me (you will receive feedback on the proposal to guide your writing) and participate in an in-class peer review of an early draft. Each paper is worth 25% of your grade; the proposal is worth 8% of the 25%.

The main goal of all four writing assignments is for you to identify some of the major course themes and analyze and evaluate them in ways in which I hope you will continue to do when you leave the course. For example, as a result of the course I hope you will more critically watch movies or read novels about Asian Americans; better understand the current debates around continuing immigration and the ethnic experience in America; or, if you are Asian American, view your experience in a larger or different context. The "Questions for Exploring Your Response" which accompany each assignment are intended to stimulate critical thinking; please do not limit your creativity by responding to those questions only.

	First Paper Assignment	Final Paper Assignment
Proposal Due	Sept. 24	Nov. 12
In-class Peer Review	Oct. 1	Nov. 19
Paper Due	Oct. 8	Dec. 3

Assignments:

I. Analysis of Movie or Novel

II. Collage, Sketch or Painting

III. Position Paper

IV. Autobiographical Sketch

I. Analysis of Movie or Novel

Assignment: Review/critique an American movie or novel which depicts some aspect of the experience of Asian Americans. All choices must be approved by me through a brief written proposal described below. Provide a BRIEF (1 paragraph) synopsis of the movie or plot behind the movie or novel, critique the accuracy of the portrayal of the Asian American character(s) and experience, and discuss the implications and/or conclusions you draw about the role of media in American society. For example, does the depiction fall victim to common stereotypes? If so, what affect might this have on American society? Does the scenario capture the complexities of being Asian in America? If so, how? Are the Asian American characters clear about their own identity, and how is that portrayed?

Proposal: Give the title of the movie or novel you chose, why you chose it, and identify at least 3 issues you think are most appropriate to discuss in the critique. In order to do this you should have already read the novel or seen the movie (please make sure the movie is available on video locally). The proposal should be no more than 300-400 words and should be given to me two weeks in advance of the paper due date (Sept. 24 or Nov. 12).

Helpful Elaboration: A critical review of a movie or novel should express an evaluative judgment on the quality, meaning, and significance of the book/movie. It should include a statement of what you think the author/director has tried to do, evaluate how well (in the opinion of the reviewer) the author/director has succeeded, and present evidence to support this evaluation.

Remember that

. . . the images you see are the product of certain influences and conditions, not just the world seen through a frame. The movies are not just about a subject but the rendition of that subject for particular reasons and to create certain meanings. Films are not just about a story, a character, a place or a way of life; they are also what John Berger has called "a way of seeing" these elements in our lives.

T. Corrigan (1997) A Short Guide to Writing about Film (p. 20)

Questions for Exploring Your Response: An effective paper will address, minimally, the questions starred (*). Not all of the questions are necessarily relevant to all of the novels or movies you might choose. Please do not limit your creativity by responding to these questions only.

• What was your first response to the work?
  
  
• What does the title mean in relation to the story?
  
  
• When was it written (novel) or made (film) and how might that have impacted the work?
  
  
• *What is the author's/director's thesis, interpretation or point of view? Does it differ from the theses, interpretations or points of view of other authors you have read in this class? If so, how and why?
  
  
• *What themes do you see which we have discussed in the course?
  
  
• *What elements are repeated to emphasize a point or a perception? Speculate on why they are important to the author/director.
  
  
• What elements strike you as unfamiliar or perplexing? Why do they strike you that way? Speculate on what the author/director was trying to accomplish?
  
  
• *How is the depiction of Asian Americans similar to or different from "reality" (based on what you've learned in the course)?
  
  
• To what extent was the writer or director successful in accomplishing his or her goals?
  
  
• Has the book/movie helped you to better understand the experience of Asian Americans? If so, how?
  
  
• Would you recommend this book to others in the class interested in the experience of Asian Americans?
  
  
• If your piece is an historical novel or movie, to what extent can it enhance historical understanding?
  
  
• *What conclusions do you draw about the role of media in our culture/society?
  

II. Collage, Sketch or Painting

Assignment: Prepare a collage, sketch or painting, with a title and brief description (250 words similar to the text that accompanies a museum piece) which represents the Asian American experience in general or the experience of one or two groups in particular. All choices must be approved by me through a brief written proposal described below.

Proposal: Should include which group or groups' experience you will be dealing with, what medium you will be using and a "statement of intent"(what you will try to accomplish with the piece, along with a list of descriptors of the responses which you hope the piece will elicit from viewers). The proposal should be no more than 300 - 400 words and should be given to me two weeks in advance of the assignment due date (Sept. 24 or Nov. 12).

Questions for Exploring Your Response: An effective proposal will address, minimally, the questions starred (*). Not all of the questions are necessarily relevant to the issue or medium you might choose. Please do not limit your creativity by responding to these questions only.

• *What theme(s) from the course are you focusing on as you create your piece?
  
  
• What will you title it and why (in other words, will the title help to illuminate your goals)? How will the title influence the viewer's response and interpretation?
  
  
• *What do you want people to see, feel or understand about the experience of Asian Americans after they view the work of art? In other words, what were you trying to accomplish with the piece (e.g. change or broaden perceptions of white Americans)?
  
  
• *What are you trying to accomplish in the 250 word "museum description?"
  
  
• What artists' styles influenced your approach to this task?
  
  
• How will you accomplish your goals (e.g. the medium, contour lines, color, composition, choice of images)?
  
  
• Who is your target audience and why did you chose them (e.g. Asian Americans; white Americans; Asians abroad)?
  

III.Position Paper

Assignment: Focus on a single, central problem which was raised in class or in the readings (e.g. immigration policy, bilingualism, interracial / interethnic marriage, assimilation vs. cultural persistence) and present a persuasive analysis responding to the problem. All choices must be approved by me through a brief written proposal described below.

Proposal: Should identify the issue to which you are responding and indicate the nature of your argument and what questions you plan to address. The proposal should be no more than 300 - 400 words and should be given to me two weeks in advance of the paper due date (Sept. 24 or Nov. 12).

Questions for Exploring Your Response: An effective paper will address, minimally, the questions starred (*). Please do not limit your creativity by responding to these questions only.

• What issue are you focusing on? What motivated your interest in it?
  
  
• *What conflict(s) are central to understanding this problem?
  
  
• *What is your intent (e.g. raise awareness, break stereotypes, get money for a project, recommend a policy change, clarify the record, furnish insight, oppose a policy orlegislation)?
  
  
• *Who is your intended audience (e.g. a funding agency, a legislator, a community organization, newspaper editor, educational administrator)? Please remember that your audience will drive the way you write the paper!
  
  
• What genre will you write in (e.g. a proposal to a funding agency, a memo to your legislator boss, an action agenda for a community organization)?
  
  
• *What will you use to support your argument (authors we've read, videos we've seen, additional research on opposing views or existing policies/practices)?
  
  
• What means will you use to cite the evidence and sources to support your argument?
  

IV. Autobiographical Sketch

Assignment: Write an autobiographical sketch in which you identify, discuss, and personalize certain themes we've addressed in the course with which you resonate. You can also write about a significant and long-standing relationship (not a girlfriend/boyfriend) with an Asian-American that has had a significant impact on your life, perhaps through a blended family or a mentor. The piece should be thematically organized, not a chronological depiction of your life story. You must provide a brief written proposal described below.

Proposal: Should identify at least three themes you will be discussing, and why you chose those themes. The proposal should be no more than 300- 400 words and should be given to me two weeks in advance of the paper due date (Sept. 24 or Nov. 12).

Questions for Exploring Your Response: An effective paper will address, minimally, the questions starred (*). Not all of the questions are necessarily relevant to what you might choose to write about. Please do not limit your creativity by responding to these questions only.

• What is your title and how does it relate to "your story?"
  
  
• *What themes from the course will you deal with and why (e.g. because you resonate with some of what we discussed; because your experience is totally counter to what we discussed)?
  
  
• *What are your goals in writing this piece (e.g.. dispel misconceptions or stereotypes; broaden people's perspectives)?
  
  
• *Who is your target audience?
  
  
• Over what period have the relevant experiences and events occurred? Have your perspectives changed? If so, how?
  
  
• How has the setting in which you have lived influenced your perceptions (e.g. urban vs. rural, recent immigrant vs. many generations in US, religious affiliation)?
  
  
• Are you aware of recurring feelings or experiences which help to tie together elements of your story?
  
  
• Whose stories from the readings or videos in the course have inspired you to chose to write something autobiographical?