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 Eiichiro 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.
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.