Week 1 Readings.

In the reading, “Denationalization Reconsidered: Asian American Cultural Criticism at a Theoretical Crossroads”, Sau-Ling C. Wong conveys the shift in perspectives of Asian Americans. She analyzes these views in three different changes. The first being of “changing demographics in the Asian American population as well as theoretical critiques from various quarters”. The next one is the distinction between “Asian” and “Asian American”, and lastly “the shift from a domestic American to a diasporic perspective”. The analysis I would like to discuss about is her distinction between being “Asian” and “Asian American”. In the reading, Wong said that “a person of Asian ancestry has to earn the designation of ‘Asian American’ by acquiring ‘American’ credentials on ‘American’ soil”. An example the author gives was knowing English fluently. In class Professor Valverde asked the class if we identify ourselves as either “Asian” or “Asian American”. The result turned out to be majority saying they are “Asian”.

Question: Even though most of us were born and raised in the US, what is preventing us to believe that we are “Asian American”?


-Kurt Romero

Work Cited

Image Link: http://www.8asians.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/citizenceremony.jpg