Week 1 - Anne Bernice Lacerna

In Sau-Ling C. Wong's article, "Denationalization Reconsidered: Asian American Cultural Crticism at a Theoretical Crossroads," she discusses the growing complexity of the field, Asian American studies, analyzing three main factors. These factors of 1) cultural nationalist concerns diminishing due to the continuously changing demographics within the Asian American population, 2) the weakening distinction between the terms "Asian" and "Asian American", and 3) the shift to a disasporic perspective rather than a domestic one, are significant in looking at the changing influences and perspectives of the Asian American field as a whole. I agree that due to the ever-changing dynamics of Asian American Studies, we must also change how we study and perceive the field. All of the changes Wong discusses are valid, but the most apparent to me is the blurring line between "Asian" and "Asian American." As Asian or Asian American individuals are growing older and becoming more and more exposed to ethnic studies, identities are being rethought and/or discovered. As an individual, it is sometimes hard to identify with a specific label. As for myself, I believe I am ethnically Filipino but mainly culturally American. I have personally struggled with these identities due to the fact that if being politically correct, I am not seen as "American" since I am undocumented. Situations such as mine make it difficult to discuss all Asians or Asian Americans as a whole. How politically correct are we going to be when discussing what it means to be Asian American?

Sources:

Vargas, Jose Antonio. "Not Legal Not Leaving." TIME Magazine.

Wong, Sau-Ling C. "Denationalization Reconsidered: Asian American Cultural Criticism at a Theoretical Crossroads"