EASN 272 Asian Immigrants in American Society

This course examines the experience of Asian immigrants and their American-born descendants in the United States, from the mid-19th century to the present. We shall explore the history and cultural heritage of Asians in America and place them in the broader comparative contexts of multi-racial U.S. society and transnational migration networks. Topics include: the “push” and “pull” factors that led Asian immigrants to North America; problems they faced as they adapted to their new environment; the emergence and development of pan-Asian American identity; the politics of race, gender, sexuality, and transnationalism in Asian American life; the impact of globalization and transnational community/migration networks on Asian America; and the influence of the U.S. involvement in Asia on the Asian American experience throughout history.