Week 2 Readings – Blog Post 2

By Miggy Cruz

                Evelyn Hu-Dehart’s “Introduction: Asian American Formations in the Age of Globalization,” analyzes the transnational and pacific relations of the Asian Americans living in the US, the diversity of the group and the way they symbolize the bridge between the West and the East. Asian immigrants migrated to the US in the mid-1800s as cheap labor workers, and since then many have moved on from cheap labor to middle-class Asian Americans. The growing Asian American population grows a new purpose, to bridge the gap separating the West and the East. New technologies allow this transnational and pacific interaction. However, Asian Americans in the US continue to year for respect and recognition, which can only be gained if they take part in mainstream America. Hu-Dehart, therefore, tackles one strategy in gaining more recognition, through politics. I’ve learned that many Asian Americans are already part of the US government. However, Hu-Dehart points out the need to gain a higher position in office, this only resulted in a scandal. It could be years before there is an Asian American president; it took years for African Americans. Still Asian Americans continue to fight for their voices to be heard.

Question: Aside from gaining a higher seat in the US government, shouldn’t Asian American first tackle the stereotypes being portrayed in the media, specifically in Hollywood?

Source:

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.

Khrais, Reema. “More Asian-Americans Seeking Higher Political Office.” NPR Hourly Newscast. 2012. <http://www.npr.org/2012/10/14/162881272/more-asian-americans-seeking-higher-political-office