Understanding Asian American History and Identity

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts regarding the history, identity, and experiences of Asian Americans, exploring themes of cultural hegemony, migration, legislation, and social issues impacting the community.

Cultural hegemony

The idea that one can question who is in control and dominating the production of cultural norms.

Social construction of race

Concepts of race and ethnicity shaped by history, immigration laws, and media narratives.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 legislation that restricted entry, citizenship, and land ownership for Chinese immigrants.

Magnuson Act

1943 Act that allowed Chinese immigrants to become U.S. citizens.

Model Minority

A stereotype portraying Asian Americans as hardworking and compliant, often emerging during Cold War politics.

Transnational labor flows

Movement of labor across borders, impacting global and U.S economies.

Ethnic enclaves

Communities formed by ethnic minorities often in response to social restriction.

Interethnic solidarity

Collaboration among different ethnic groups to confront shared issues.

Colonialism in the Philippines

Historical event leading to large-scale migration and shaping Filipino American identity.

Cultural appropriation

Dominant groups borrowing from marginalized cultures without proper context or credit.

Intersectionality

A framework showing how overlapping social categories like race and gender shape experiences.

LGBTQ AAPIs

Asian American and Pacific Islanders whose identities challenge cultural norms.

Hmong story cloth

Embroidered textiles that narrate Hmong history and survival.

Civil Liberties Act 1988

Legislation that issued an apology for Japanese American internment during WWII.

Native Hawaiians

Indigenous people whose sovereignty was disrupted by U.S. colonization.

Blackbirding

Coerced recruitment of Pacific Islanders into labor systems.

Mahū

Traditional Native Hawaiian third-gender role, historically respected.

Thirty Meter Telescope

Controversial telescope project opposed by Native Hawaiians as a violation of sacred land.

Kuleana

Hawaiian concept of responsibility and care for land and community.

Authenticity

Contested idea of what constitutes a 'real' cultural identity.

Cultural citizenship

The right to belong culturally even when legal barriers exist.

Operation Baby Lift

Mass evacuation and adoption of Vietnamese children at the end of the Vietnam War.

Amerasian

Children of Asian mothers and U.S. military fathers, often stigmatized.

Racial profiling

Targeting individuals based on race, affecting many Asian Americans post-9/11.

Media representation

How AAPI identities are portrayed in media, impacting public perception.

Soft power

Influence gained through culture and diplomacy, rather than military means.

Interracial marriage

Unions between individuals of different racial backgrounds, often historically policed.

Refugee Manzanar Pilgrimage

Annual pilgrimage at a WWII incarceration site for remembrance and solidarity.

Sa-I-Gu

Korean term for the 1992 LA uprising, highlighting race tensions.

Amerasian Homecoming Act

1988 Act allowing certain Vietnamese Amerasians to immigrate to the U.S.

Korean American adoptees

Transnational adoptees experiencing complex identity issues.

Cultural imposter

Feeling disconnected from one's cultural roots, common among diasporic communities.

Cultural retention

The preservation of cultural identity amidst pressures to assimilate.

Diversification of AAPI communities

Growing internal diversity within AAPI communities in terms of ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Global supply chains

Economic networks that rely on migrant labor from Asia.

Gender and sexuality in migration

The ways labor markets and policies shape migration experiences for different genders.

Heteronormativity

The assumption that heterosexuality is the norm.

Economic niches

Market segments dominated by specific immigrant groups.

Post-1965 immigration legislation

Laws reshaping Asian American demographics by allowing more immigration.

Civil rights pressures

Social movements demanding equality that influenced perceptions of Asian Americans.

Anti-Asian violence

Scapegoating and violence against Asians historically and in contemporary contexts.

Surveillance laws post-9/11

Legislation that disproportionately targets specific racial and ethnic communities.