CHAPTER ONE: AMERICA'S ASIA

I. Introduction to Concerns in Asian Studies

A. Irresponsibility of Established Scholars

  • Scholars have often claimed apolitical stances, which is itself a political stance.

    • Quote from Jonathan Unger: "[Established scholars have] been irresponsible because they've demanded they be apolitical, which is a very political action. Inaction is. You're being very political in your inaction, and this is the problem of the field, and this is why the China field is in such a rut, why good scholarship is not being done, why most of the things that appear in the journals are a lot of junk, more they are a lot of shit…"

    • Context: Presented during a panel at the 1970 Convention in San Francisco.

B. Discoveries through Young Founders

  • Mao Zedong’s perspective: The young revolutionaries had truth over experience, portraying a historical pattern of conflict between youth and established authorities.

    • Quote from Mao: "When we started to make revolution, we were mere twenty-year-old boys… but we had more truth."

II. America's Asia: Definition and Context

A. Publication Context

  • In 1971, "America's Asia" published by Pantheon Books, is a collection of essays discussing Asian-American relationships.

B. Editors' Explanation of "America's Asia"

  • Edward Friedman and Mark Selden's perspective on the implications of America’s influence on Asia:

    1. America imposes its own categories to describe and direct Asian experience.

    2. U.S. economic and military might has suppressed aspects of Asian society.

    • The dynamics of power between the U.S. and Asia highlight the critical interplay in cultural perceptions and geopolitical actions.

C. Committee of Concerned Asian Scholars (CCAS)

  • Formed in response to U.S. policies in Asia, particularly against the Vietnam War.

    • United graduate students and young professors from 1968, recognizing flaws in their field shaped by American imperial interests.

D. Critique of Asian Studies

  • CCAS condemned U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and broader strategies impacting Asia, labeling the region as an extension of American interests.

E. Call for Self-Examination in Asian Studies

  • Leigh Kagan’s view: Asian studies need self-examination to actively address the issues of the profession and its relation to society.

III. Positive Goals of CCAS

A. Highlighting New Realities

  • CCAS aimed to reveal significant failures in existing scholarship which overlooked the humanity and complexity within Asian societies.

B. Redefining Relationships with Asia

  • Advocacy for learning from Asia to build a more just society, emphasizing the need to see Asia as a source of political alternatives rather than merely a site of oppression.

C. Acknowledgment of Asian Agency

  • Conceptualizing Asian peoples not just as subjects to study but as active participants in shaping global political discourse.

IV. Historical Repercussions of CCAS

A. CCAS's Critique of Existing Paradigms

  • CCAS aimed to move beyond narrow epistemological frameworks, pursuing a recognition of Asian experiences as valid and significant.

B. Shift in Global Perspective

  • CCAS's understanding of Asia unfolded during the global sixties, signaling a shift in global politics and intellectual thought significantly influenced by developments in Asia.

V. Documents and Mobilization within Asian Studies

A. Growth of Asian Studies

  • Conditional support from the U.S. government through programs like the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) of 1958.

    • This led to an increase in funding for area studies, affecting the academic trajectory and the attitudes of scholars.

B. Activism Sparked by the Vietnam War

  • The Vietnam War as a catalyst for political activism among scholars who were personally affected by the draft.

C. Birth of CCAS and the Vietnam Caucus

  • Key events in the formation of CCAS, leading to increased political engagement during the AAS annual meeting where scholars sought to influence public opinion on the Vietnam conflict.

VI. Founding Actions of CCAS

A. Legislative Goals and Responses

  • Initial proposals to the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) were met with resistance, revealing fears about political actions affecting the organization’s status.

B. Formation of the CCAS

  • CCAS distinguished itself as an alternative, explicitly engaging in political discourse, contrasting with AAS's neutrality.

    • The Vietnam Caucus's resolutions marked a significant political statement against U.S. actions in Vietnam.

VII. Intellectual Contributions of CCAS

A. Reassessment of Asian Scholarship

  • CCAS aimed to reverse conventional perceptions of Asian societies as inferior; instead acknowledging them as sources of inspiration and resistance against oppression.

B. Redefinition of Academic Ideologies

  • Moving beyond the traditional, CCAS positioned itself as an integral part of the scholarly establishment while fostering reform and activism within Asian studies.

C. Political Statement of Purpose

  • The CCAS Statement explicitly condemns U.S. aggression in Vietnam, linking scholarship to social justice and the fight against imperialist dynamics.

VIII. Conclusion: Political Legacy of CCAS

A. Continuing the Conversation

  • The ongoing task of redefining Asia and its politics remains a central focus for scholars and activists.

  • CCAS underscores the importance of addressing how scholarship on Asia intersects with global politics and ethical considerations.