GISDepartment of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies

This course looks at Asian Americans and their experiences in the USA beyond the image of the economically successful "model minority".
Focusing on the two oldest Asian minority groups, Japanese and Chinese Americans, but paying attention also to the many other groups included in the category “Asian Americans,” students will study the history of Asian immigration to the United States and trace the process and extent of integration of Asian Americans into mainstream society by exploring a range of topics, including the history of immigration and exclusion, the “model minority” thesis, discrimination at work and in education, media images, gender and sexuality, hate crime and violence, relations with other minority groups, and social activism. Through these topics, students will consider critically the meaning of assimilation, citizenship, and “American” as an identity and a classificatory category.

Students will learn the multifaceted history and current situations of Asian Americans, and as a result acquire a deeper and more nuanced understanding of American society. Students can expect to develop skills of written communication and reading comprehension through engaging in critical thinking, analysis, writing, and discussion in this course.

Will be able to gain “DP 1”, “DP 2”, “DP 3”, and “DP 4”.

英語 / English

This course is taught through a combination of lectures interwoven with short discussions, presentations and post-presentation discussions.

あり / Yes

なし / No

授業形態/methods of teaching：対面/face to face

※各回の授業形態は予定です。教員の指示に従ってください。

1[オンライン/online]：Overview

Topics to be covered in this course
Key concepts and ideas
Who are “Asian Americans”?

2[対面/face to face]：From “Different Shores”

Early immigration and exclusion
Current Asian immigration

3[対面/face to face]：The Significance of the Internment Experience

The causes and consequences of the internment of Japanese residents and Japanese-American citizens during WWII

4[対面/face to face]：Orientalism in America: Media Images

The meaning of “Orientalism”
History of portrayals of Asians and Asian Americans

5[対面/face to face]：Presentation and Discussion I

Student presentations on one of these topics: immigration, internment, media portrayals

6[対面/face to face]：The (Asian) American Dream? The (Myth of the) Model Minority (1)

The historical context in which “the model minority thesis” emerged

7[対面/face to face]：The (Asian) American Dream? The (Myth of the) Model Minority (2)

A factual investigation of the thesis
Implications of the popularity of “the model minority thesis”

8[対面/face to face]：Families and Identities

Interracial marriage: patterns and implications
Problems in Asian American families
The issue of “identity”

9[対面/face to face]：Gender and Sexuality

The “missing women” in the narrative
Exoticized Asian femininity and feminized Asian masculinity?
Queer and Asian (Americans)

10[対面/face to face]：Presentation and Discussion II

Student presentations on one of these topics: model minority, families and identities, and gender and sexuality

11[対面/face to face]：Racism, Hate Crimes and Inter-racial Relations

Racism and violence: history and facts
Tension and hostility in inter-racial relations

12[対面/face to face]：Activism and Asian Americans

Social movements and mainstream politics

13[対面/face to face]：Presentation and Discussion III

Student presentations on one of these topics: hate crimes, activism, and interracial relations

14[対面/face to face]：Asian America: Revisited

What have we learned about Asian America?
Review of take-home examination

Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each.

No textbook will be used. Handouts, readings, and other materials will be distributed in class.

Fong, Timothy P. 2007. The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority. 3/e. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice-Hall.
Zhou, Min and J.V. Gatewood. 2016. Contemporary Asian America: A Multidisciplinary Reader. 3/e. New York: New York University Press.

The grade is calculated on the basis of two reflection presentations (20%), one final presentation (20%), one take-home examination (50%), and participation (10%).
Clear instructions and goals are set for each of the tasks to be completed. To excel, students need to meet the goals as well as maintain excellent records of attendance and punctuality.

Students evaluated the course very positively. Reflecting on the course, the instructor realized that it's necessary to have stricter control over the length of the presentation and leave more time for discussion afterwards, and will endeavor to do so this year.

The usual prerequisite is any 100-level or 200-level sociology course. This prerequisite may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background. All students who intend to take this course must attend the first class.