Week 10 Presentation

Reading 1: Parrenas and Siu “New Conceptions, New Frameworks.” Asian Diasporas

Diaspora is defined for the book, Asian Diasporas: New Formations, New Conceptions as an ongoing and contested process of subject formation embedded in a set of cultural and social relations that are sustained simultaneously with the "homeland" (real or imagined), place of residence, and compatriots or coethnics dispersed elsewhere" (1, Parrenas). They argue that diaspora studies is an ongoing political and social project that transcends the binary of homeland vs. place of residence. In Asian American Studies, the diaspora largely focuses on this binary. They recognize the danger of pointing out Asia with its geographical proximity and racial and cultural similarities. Asia is both heterogeneous and vastly different while simultaneously produced as a pan-ethnic, homogeneous entity that is produced in Asian American studies, political projects, etc. Asia also provides an undeniable opposing identity to the West. Recognizing the diaspora as resistance also means recognizing the larger structures that play at community and individual levels. Typical examples of these include globalization, social inequities, and racism or xenophobia. Diaspora is a constantly shifting dynamic and identity. It is being a part of something while existing somewhere else as well as never being a part of either fully. To participate, one needs certain conditions for consistent re-identification. To understand diasporas, one has to explore and understand both the making of and the experience of being in the diaspora. Some diasporic populations are dislodged from political participation and social representation, without a choice. This is an example of double displacement. In the diaspora, there can be multiple forms of displacement whether physically or socially on a number of levels. And those displacements can happen double or even triple fold. The meaning of diaspora transcends meaning "home". It also represents the loyalty and connection one may feel to their homeland. Ethnic identities are actively constructed based on the amount and type of displacements one may have, the social atmosphere, economic standing of the host country, and dispersed community of coethnics globally. 

Reading 2: Anderson and Lee “Crossing Borders of Disciplines and Departments” Displacements

This chapter introduces Nancy Abelmann and San Juan’s political and ethical implications on globalization. Shortly after 9/11 attack happened, a man named Sher Singh, a Sikh American, was stopped from a train to be arrested. To people, they deemed him as a terrorist from the way he was dressed (turban and bearded). The news quickly spread, media decided to have their own inputs on the situation, and Singh was able to prove that he was not a terrorist after being searched down to only carrying a sacred knife on him, that everyone in his culture carries. His arrest triggered multiple similar events that follow, and others being targeted and shot dead. Life after this for immigrants, especially Asian immigrants to have eyes on them. The state became hostile and intrusive. Unemployment to the community was real and deportation of families for little things such as traffic ticket was uncanny. Hundreds of Arab and Muslims had to register with Immigration and Homeland Service, most ended up being detained and deported. The mass arrest, government surveillance, and deportations of immigrants showcase the racial injustice that the American government possesses. Abelmann introduces how transnational experiences can shape the international students experiences with Korean American interactions. By disclosing the fact that one is more Korean than other and raises the issues of interdisciplinary borderlands. We move onto San Juan who reminds us that 9/11 attack contradicts race and class on a global scale. By reminding us of the social injustice that globalization has brought upon Asian American. The study of American Asian goal is how to build the Asian American community to better the world than to understand the American society. 

Reading 3: Nancy Abelmann “Anthropology, Asian Studies, Asian American Studies” Displacement

This chapter reflects on Abelmann’s complications she encountered when attempting to offer a course titled, “The English Language Ethnography of Korea.” She later receives a letter that asks her to “limit the course by design to ONLY English literature, as English is the medium in which that campus teaches. Abelmann believed that despite the backlash that she faced when trying to implement this course into University of Illinois’ campus, Abelmann firmly believed that the topics she would cover would delimit the field beyond what the title implies. We see this in a lot of academia today, where certain courses have to follow a certain curriculum and anything that diverts from that curriculum doesn’t necessarily see the light of day. Unfortunately, like most folks that try to implement an ethnic studies course, not only do they meet many restrictions, they also face the harsh reality that “there are rules that have to be met,” implying that the only way to get classes approved for curriculum is to have meet the standards of those in charge of what is allowed to be taught on these campuses. 

Reading 4: Ien Ang “Beyond “Asian Diaspora” Asian Diasporas

    Ien Ang first indicates that the essays in this book Asian Diasporas attempts to examine the movement of Asian folks and it's complicated history. Ang then goes on to redefine diasporas, as in today’s context, the term now includes all groups who “have a history of dispersion, groups variously referred to as immigrants, expatriates, refugees, guest workers, exile communities, overseas communities, ethnic minorities, etc.” Ang further describes that the term is reserved for collectives that were not fully accepted and alienated from dominant culture. 

    Ang then indicates that although diaspora was mainly used to describe past traumatic experiences of a group, but now focuses on trauma in the present through the forms of marginalization and discrimination from nation-states. Diasporas are no longer centered around the past experiences and their motivations for diasporic movements are now centered around the “heightened process of globalization.” in other words, because of how prominent globalization is, especially under the context of how it interconnects everyone so much easier, not only does it stray away from using traumatic experiences as a motivation factor for diasporic movement, but also the notions of empowerment, enrichment, and expansion have become a central part of migration as well. 

    Lastly, Ang describes that there are no Asian diasporas, rather seeing diasporas as Asian. Looking at it through this angle allows for “highlighting the shifted and situated multiplicity of identities and trajectories that now characterize the lives of millions of people with regard to whom the term asian says both too much and too little,” and these term “Asian” needs to be further aggregated in order to understand the differences economically, socially, and politically between those that fall under the Asian umbrella. 

Reading 5: Regina Lee “Theorizing Diaspora: Three Types of Consciousness” 

Regina Lee differentiates between "three types of consciousness", labeling them as 

"Homeland Idealism", "Boutique Multiculturalism", and "Transitional or Transformational Identity Politics". Homeland Idealism largely has to do with nostalgia, idealization of a mythical homeland, as well as the physical, cultural, and psychological displacement from it. These dislocations place a focus on the "return to the homeland" as a powerful motivator for diasporic experiences. Many immigrants migrate with the intention of returning back home. The journey back is most likely pushed back farther than initially anticipated. Eventually reality drastically reduces the chances of returning home at all. Lee argues that this sort of diaspora is "trapped within an idealized historical space and time". Generally, the homeland idealization community is marginalized for its physical displacement from the homeland and social exclusion from host society. Globalization and national economic value determines cultural, class, and community relations. 

Boutique Multiculturalism is about negotiating differences, where race and ethnicity are the most significant. It transforms ethnicity into an accolade so much so that sometimes, professionals can take advantage of it and transform it into economic value. By holding onto what makes you "different" in the name of cultural pride, boutique multiculturalism actually plays into the same power structures that keep minorities subordinate in the first place. Lee condemns professionals who profit off multiculturalism and normalize the concept by creating spaces and literary pieces that support that idea. Boutique multiculturalism does not bring about equality by claiming your ethnicity. Rather, it creates a different standard based on your ethnicity, further deepening the divide that separates minorities from Caucasian people. 

Lastly, transitional or transformational ethnic identities are a highly politicized category. A good representation of it is the hyphen that exists in most ethnic identities. For example, Chinese-Australian or Asian-American. The first word represents an idealized homeland, where the second represents the somewhat problematic present location. The transitional ethnic identity is aptly named, because it is consistently ambivalent that highlights the shaky aspect of diasporic identities. 

Work Cited: 

Parrenas and Siu. “New Conceptions, New Frameworks.” Asian Diasporas.

Robe Dipesh Chakrabarty. “Notes toward a Conversation between Area Studies and Diasporic Studies.”

Anderson and Lee. “Crossing Borders of Disciplines and Departments.” Displacements.

Nancy Abelmann. “Anthropology, Asian Studies, Asian American Studies.” Displacements.

Ien Ang. ““Beyond “Asian Diaspora.” Asian Diasporas.

Regina Lee. “Theorizing Diaspora: Three Types of Consciousness.”