Course Descriptions
ASAM 001.401
Asian Americans in Contemporary Society
Diana Khuu
TR 9-10:30
This course presents an overview of sociological research on Asian Americans in the U.S., framed around the evaluation of Asian Americans as "model minorities." We begin with a brief overview of popular images of Asian Americans as seen through recent portrayals in mainstream media (movies, television). We review general sociological frameworks used to understand racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. and move quickly to document the history of Asian immigration to the U.S. We explore how Asian Americans fare in educational attainment, labor market experiences, political organizations, urban experience, and Asian interracial marriage and biracials. We examine whether and how "Asian American" is a meaningful label.
ASAM 003.401
Introduction to Asian American History
Eiicchiro Azuma
MW 2-3:30PM
This course provides an introduction to the history of Asian/Pacific Americans, focusing on the wide diversity of migrant experiences, as well as the continuing legacies of racism on American-born APA's. Issues of class and gender as well as the impact of international politics on APA lives will also be examined.
ASAM 150.401
Asian American Psychology
June Chu
TR 4:30-6PM
Using a cultural perspective, this course is intended to (1) provide knowledge of Asian American personality, identity, and its relationship to mental well being, (2) analyze psycho-social research pertinent to Asian Americans, and (3) develop critical thinking skills on Asian American issues through experiential learning/discussions.
ASAM 150.402
Muslim Identity in America
Fariha Khan
W 2-5PM
The course explores the changing face of Islam and Muslim identity as it is affected by migration, politics, and faith in America.
Muslim Identity in America explores the changing face of Islam and Muslim identity as it is affected by migration, politics, and faith. What are the misconceptions between what is portrayed and what is practiced? Beginning with a basic overview of Islamic tenets, we will examine the ethnic identity and the diverse practices of Muslims. Through readings, guest lectures, and film the class will cover topics such as the historical roots of Islam in the U.S., Islamic law in the U.S., Islam and culture, and the representation of Muslims in the media. This is an introductory course that emphasizes a folkloristic approach incorporating fieldwork methods into the requirements. No previous knowledge of Islam is necessary.
ASAM 150.601
Lifting the Cultural Veil
CANCELLED
Jason Patent
M 6:30-9:30PM
“Culture” is the site of well-documented difficulties in Asian American life: adjusting to U.S. society after immigrating; intergenerational strife resulting from conflicting cultural values; confusion over personal and national identity due to difficult-to-reconcile cultural influences. All along, “culture” has remained largely unproblematized, mostly due to the lack of awareness of a large, robust body of research from the social sciences: psychology, anthropology and linguistics.
English 272.401
Asian American Literature of War
Josephine Park
TR 12-1:30
We will be reading a range of fictional accounts of wartime America, viewed through the experience of Asian Americans. The twentieth century was marked by periodic outbreaks of war between the United States and Asia, and we will read literary renderings of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. In times of transpacific conflict, Asian Americans found themselves cast as enemy or ally, and in our readings we will consider the ways in which they depict their positions in these moments of national crisis. We will read novels by Monica Sone, Julie Otsuka, Chang-rae Lee, and Lan Cao, among others, and we will view popular representations of Asians in war films including Bad Day at Black Rock, The Manchurian Candidate, and Apocalypse Now. Course requirements include a presentation, short paper, and final research paper.
ASAM 202.402
Foreigners and Citizens in Asian American Literature
Jeehyun Lim
TR 10:30-12PM
This class explores the relations of the foreigner and the citizen in the U.S.
cultural imaginary through Asian American literature. We will examine the
changing relations between "Asian" and "American" in the meaning of "Asian
American" from the late nineteenth century when Asian exclusion laws prevented
Asians from naturalizing to the contemporary moment of transnationalism. In each
of these periods, we will also look at the how inclusion and exclusion of Asians
worked in relation to other minorities. Writers we will read and discuss include
Maxine Hong Kingston, Han Ong, Chang-rae Lee, Ha Jin, and Ruth Ozeki. In
addition to literary texts, we will also read theories of race, ethnicity, and
globalization, including Robert Park's thesis of the Marginal Man, Aihwa Ong's
notion of flexible citizenship,and the middleman minority formation.
