Kevin Lee - Blog Post Week 2

            In Evelyn Hu-Dehart’s “Introduction: Asian American Formations in the Age of Globalization,” she talks about the transnational relations between Asian Americans and Americans, and the bridge they form between Asia and America. The small section that talked about why Asia views America as “morally weak and economically vulnerable” was very interesting to read about. Hu-Dehart stated “Hard work, self-sacrifice, delayed gratification, and love for learning are other important components of Asian values” (6). This statement was very interesting because it made me think about the model minority myth and how this statement tied to it. The model minority states that Asian Americans are hard-working, studious, and they “out white the Whites.” The model minority shows that Asian Americans are the top minority in America, also topping Whites in what they do. I can understand why America is seen as weak and economically vulnerable through the eyes of Asia because the model minority supports that Asian Americans are superior to Whites in every field. However, the model minority also discriminates Asian Americans, thus causing a gap in the bridge between Asia and America.

Question: If America is perceived as weak and vulnerable through the components of Asian values, then how is Asia perceived by America and what factors contribute to this perception?

Hu-Dehart, Evelyn. “Introduction: Asian American Formations in the Age of Globalization.”Across the Pacific: Asian Americans and Globalization. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. 1999. Print.