Week2_Colleen Cruz_ASA114

E. San Juan Jr. provides a critical analysis of the role of ethnic studies in the portrayal of Asians in America. While ethnic studies is often viewed as a way to achieve more equality in the education system, the author posits that there are elements to its structure that must be reevaluated. San Juan Jr. argues that the role of ethnic studies is tainted by its use as camouflage to commodify education about ethnic groups in America (p. 283). This is important to analyze because it suggests the need for a radical transformation in the way that the education system tells the story of different people groups. The diasporic experience and migration differ from group to group and this critique highlights that.
Moreover, Evelyn Hu-Dehart offers another critical perspective in the way that Asians are portrayed in the media and fields of work. She states, "Asian Americans have virtually no visibility" in U.S. foreign affairs (p. 20). She also makes important points that they are often misrepresented to be the "model minority" or a product of class struggles. Her work supports that globalization has played a major role in the opportunities of Asians and Asian-Americans.
Question: How does the Andrew Yang presidential campaign affect the Asian-American role in voting and politics? Will we see a rise in Asian-Americans in elected positions and media?


Photo from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/02/us/politics/andrew-yang-fundraising.html
This photo is of Andrew Yang - a presidential candidate for the 2020 elections.
Works Cited:
E. San Juan Jr. “The Ordeal of Ethnic Studies in the Age of Globalization.” Displacements.
Evelyn Hu-Dehart. “Introduction: Asian American Formations in the Age of Globalization.”