Since we weren't able to do this on Monday night, let's start brainstorming for the topic of next semester's course... (Please comment with thoughts, ideas, and possibilities...)
I suggest: New Media (i.e. YouTube & Facebook) in Asian American Culture. The class will investigate the application and influence of social networking thru new media and how it helps/damages AA culture or something like this.
Asian American Politics - this can include politicians, historical/current political issues, politics in media (film and news or newspapers for example) - some issues are immigration reform or workers rights, sweatshops in LA for example
Asian American Laborers - focus specifically on AA labor - historical AND current - from Chinese railroad workers to professional immigrants to sweatshops today - glass ceiling in today's society even for educated people - this class could incorporate media, films, art, politics, speakers could be labor investigators, APALC -- anything related to the Asian American labor force
I am really interested in the term "unmeltable"/ how even the individuals willing to assimilate can not because of historic institution of racial difference through american law and policy not because the individual choses to hold on to an old way of life or tradition.
So for a class topic, I think looking at the history, or the documents of exclusionary law and policy as it applies to Asians (or any other non white) and (compare it to?) European immigrants could lead to some great discussions on American identity.
I really like what Jessica has suggested. The film that was screened at Pitzer I believe, called Take Out, about an illegal Chinese immigrant working the take out business in New York, would be a really good film to watch for this topic. Here's a link: http://takeoutthemovie.com/home.htm
Also, in terms of AA laborers there was once a booming Chinatown in Riverside (Riverside is in SoCal, about 45 min east and south of here). In the late 19th century they came and worked the citrus fields, as well as picking many other fruits as laborers. At one time there were as many as 3,000 Chinese in laborers in Riverside, but due to racist sentiment and exclusionary laws, they were wiped out. There is a campaign going on to save the Chinatown, which is just an empty field, but which a medical building wants to be built on it. Here is more info: http://save-riverside.blogspot.com/ http://aar.ucr.edu/sites/RiversidesChinatown/index.html
Maybe in our topic, we can have readings/sub-topics of a local focus i.e. Asian Americans from around here.
I would love to have an Asian American Politics (or Asian American identity and Politics) and/or Policy class. I think it could cover a lot of things that are discussed above (e.g. labor focus for part of the course, exclusionary policy focus for part of the course), especially since things are so inter-related.
I think that New Media could also be a great topic. And it would be so great if we were able to include New Media in readings for whichever topic we might choose, because there's some really great material out there (Youtube, blogs, etc).
Some other ideas I have: - LGBT/Queer issues - Immigration - Healthcare and other public services
and for reference new media politics (asian americans in political office, representation, public policy) labor issues exclusionary law/policy local focus - LA LGBT Queer issues Immigration Human Trafficking Health Care/ Public Services
I suggest: New Media (i.e. YouTube & Facebook) in Asian American Culture. The class will investigate the application and influence of social networking thru new media and how it helps/damages AA culture or something like this.
ReplyDeleteAsian American Politics
ReplyDelete- this can include politicians, historical/current political issues, politics in media (film and news or newspapers for example)
- some issues are immigration reform or workers rights, sweatshops in LA for example
Asian American Laborers
- focus specifically on AA labor
- historical AND current
- from Chinese railroad workers to professional immigrants to sweatshops today
- glass ceiling in today's society even for educated people
- this class could incorporate media, films, art, politics, speakers could be labor investigators, APALC -- anything related to the Asian American labor force
I am really interested in the term "unmeltable"/ how even the individuals willing to assimilate can not because of historic institution of racial difference through american law and policy not because the individual choses to hold on to an old way of life or tradition.
ReplyDeleteSo for a class topic, I think looking at the history, or the documents of exclusionary law and policy as it applies to Asians (or any other non white) and (compare it to?) European immigrants could lead to some great discussions on American identity.
I really like what Jessica has suggested. The film that was screened at Pitzer I believe, called Take Out, about an illegal Chinese immigrant working the take out business in New York, would be a really good film to watch for this topic. Here's a link:
ReplyDeletehttp://takeoutthemovie.com/home.htm
Also, in terms of AA laborers there was once a booming Chinatown in Riverside (Riverside is in SoCal, about 45 min east and south of here). In the late 19th century they came and worked the citrus fields, as well as picking many other fruits as laborers. At one time there were as many as 3,000 Chinese in laborers in Riverside, but due to racist sentiment and exclusionary laws, they were wiped out. There is a campaign going on to save the Chinatown, which is just an empty field, but which a medical building wants to be built on it. Here is more info:
http://save-riverside.blogspot.com/
http://aar.ucr.edu/sites/RiversidesChinatown/index.html
Maybe in our topic, we can have readings/sub-topics of a local focus i.e. Asian Americans from around here.
I would love to have an Asian American Politics (or Asian American identity and Politics) and/or Policy class. I think it could cover a lot of things that are discussed above (e.g. labor focus for part of the course, exclusionary policy focus for part of the course), especially since things are so inter-related.
ReplyDeleteI think that New Media could also be a great topic. And it would be so great if we were able to include New Media in readings for whichever topic we might choose, because there's some really great material out there (Youtube, blogs, etc).
Some other ideas I have:
- LGBT/Queer issues
- Immigration
- Healthcare and other public services
OUR SYLLABUS TOPIC IS . . . . .
ReplyDeleteASIAN AMERICAN AND THE LABOR MOVEMENT
and for reference
ReplyDeletenew media
politics (asian americans in political office, representation, public policy)
labor issues
exclusionary law/policy
local focus - LA
LGBT Queer issues
Immigration
Human Trafficking
Health Care/ Public Services