Asian American Community Analysis

The ASAM 121 – Contemporary Issues Asian America class has further increased my knowledge about the factors that have structured and shaped Asian American communities. These factors must be known by every ASAM 121 student, as they are part of the three learning outcomes. In this essay, I will use my knowledge of the course readings and assignments to prove that my understandings of these three learning outcomes have been strengthened over the semester. First, I will identify how the political trend of Asian American voters, who had voted majority Republican in the past but are now voting majority Democratic, have made and remade contemporary Asian America. Second, I will examine the social construction of race, ethnicity, gender, and class,

Stacey Lee speaks of these social constructions in her book, Unraveling the “Model Minority” Stereotype: Listening to Asian American Youth. Asian Americans who conform to the “model minority” stereotype are more likely to associate themselves with Whites, and not with Blacks, because Blacks have been socially constructed as an underachieving and misbehaving group. Therefore, the social construction of the African American race structures Asian American experiences and communities by making them scorn African Americans. In terms of ethnicity, the Korean American community has been socially constructed as high-achieving and isolated. This social construction structures Korean American experiences and communities because it makes them prioritize success and disassociate themselves with those of different ethnicity. Asian American females are socially constructed as elegant and classy, while men are socially constructed as loud and straight-forward. This social construction of gender within the Asian American group has pressured females to be feminine and quiet, even though they might like to socialize and play sports, and males to be masculine and loud, even though might be shy and timid. Upper-class Asian Americans have been socially constructed as more successful, while it is the opposite for lower-class Asian Americans. So in upper-class Asian American experiences and communities, one may see success and determination, and in lower-class Asian American experiences and communities, one may see loss of motivation. There are also times when these social constructions work interdependently. Upper-class Chinese Americans associate with other upper-class Chinese Americans and are high-achievers, while lower-class Chinese Americans associate with other lower-class Asian Americans and are low-achievers. The