Syllabus (PDF)
Course Description
An interdisciplinary subject that draws on literature, history, anthropology, film, and cultural studies to examine the experiences of Asian Americans in US society. Covers the first wave of Asian immigration in the nineteenth century, the rise of anti-Asian movements, the experiences of Asian Americans during World War II, the emergence of the Asian American movement in the 1960s, and the new wave of "post-1965" Asian immigration. Examines the role these historical experiences played in the formation of Asian American ethnicity, and explores how these experiences informed Asian American literature and culture. Addresses key societal issues such as racial stereotyping, media racism, affirmative action issues, the glass ceiling, the "model minority" syndrome, and anti-Asian harassment or violence.
The class will meet twice weekly for an hour and a half each meeting. Lectures will generally be delivered once a week and one class will be reserved for discussions of readings and films (to be watched outside of class). There will be three writing assignments, totaling 20 pages, due during the course of the term, as well as a three-hour final examination. Students will give informal oral presentations on class readings (ungraded). Occasional quizzes may be given at the discretion of the professor.
