Academic Review the Color of Success Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority
I'm an Asian American. When I was in college (a couple decades agone), I didn't fifty-fifty know that Asian American Studies was a matter. If I had taken any classes in it, I imagine this is the kind of volume I would have read for course (though this item book, published in 2013, wasn't available back and then). While admittedly informative, I also institute this book to exist bookish and dense. I'd give 4-plus stars for the content, merely maybe 3-minus stars for readability. That averages out to exist something like three.5 stars, and having to choose, I rounded down. This book focuses on the Chinese and Japanese experiences, every bit those have been the well-nigh visible Asian ethnicities in U.S. history, and they are the populations around which the model minority emerged. Going into this volume, I had a working knowledge of major pieces of Chinese and Japanese American history as separate and distinct events, simply this volume - for the start fourth dimension I accept encountered - studies Japanese internment alongside the Chinese Exclusion Act. During World War Two, when the U.Due south. allied with People's republic of china to fight Japan, Japanese Americans suffered from their assumed allegiance to their ethnic state of origin, while Chinese Americans benefited from the same assumption. After WWII, integration became even more complicated as U.S.-Nihon relations were strained and Communism took agree in Cathay and threatened to spread throughout Eastward Asia. Both Japanese and Chinese Americans loudly declared their support for American ethics, but at the same time, there was value on the international stage in promoting cultural plurality in America, to show that America truly was a place of equal opportunity, regardless of race. Both groups were cast as "assimilating Others," capable of being culturally American despite clearly being racially singled-out. Asian Americans were definitely non white, merely also definitely not blackness, and the model minority was consciously created every bit a "simultaneously inclusive and exclusive reckoning" (p. 9) of Asian Americans as part of the national identity. Asian Americans themselves engaged in self-stereotyping, eager to "dislodge securely embedded 'yellow peril' caricatures." (p. 6) It was a witting effort to align themselves with white middle grade Americans, and to split themselves from African and Mexican and Filipino Americans (despite sharing mutual experiences of oppression), thereby upholding white supremacy in the process. Inevitably, the model minority became a wedge that divided Asian Americans from other minority groups seeking equal rights, particularly African Americans. Personally, I would have liked to learn more than virtually the model minority in the postal service-1960s era - the time in which I've lived and have first-hand experience - but this time menses is only discussed briefly in the Epilogue, which touches upon the "repudiation of the model minority and its assimilationists origins...[as well as how activists] deliberately inverted the trope of non-blackness and instead embraced affinities with" other racial minorities. (p. 247)
Growing upward in very white surroundings in suburban Massachusetts, I got the model minority stereotype of Asian-Americans from both sides: from the correct, either resentful of Asian-American success or wondering why black and Hispanic people couldn't be more similar Asians, and from liberals, who cited Asians as exemplars of successful diversity. Of grade, minus some of the right's (seemingly fading?) resentment, the two ideas rest on a lot of the same assumptions. Historian Ellen Wu attempts to get to the historical origin of the stereotype in this work of cultural history. Wu chose to narrow her focus to Japanese and Chinese Americans, which makes a certain degree of sense on a number of levels. One is contrast- from having been treated quite similarly under the late-nineteenth/early-twentieth century restriction regime, the two groups experienced the sea change of the Second World War drastically differently. Japanese Americans were, of course, rounded up and interned into what nosotros only hesitate to call "concentration camps" because we (imprecisely) telephone call Nazi extermination camps the same thing. Chinese Americans, on the other hand, were suddenly white America's fiddling buddies, allies in the state of war, and Congress revoked Chinese exclusion in 1943. Both suffered reversals, as Japanese Americans came to be associated with the heroic war tape of Nissei gainsay units and the Chinese American community split over the results of the Chinese Revolution. In both cases and for well later Earth War Ii, American foreign relations played a major function in shaping the structure of an Asian American racial identity. Equally the Cold War gear up in, American race relations became a strange policy issue. The The states's massive race problems, especially their formal legal instantiations, posed a problem for American policymakers attempting to extend leadership in the decolonizing and developing globe. This both opened opportunities and imposed limits on the black civil rights struggle, as historians accept noted, and Wu points out it did much the same for Asian American efforts at full citizenship. On the 1 hand, especially when paired with martial patriotism, domestic anticommunism (pro-nationalist elements fairly firmly quashed pro-communist elements in most Chinese American communities), and thoroughgoing respectability politics, Cold War geopolitics opened doors for Asian Americans. The Hawaii statehood contend shows this- objected to for decades on the ground of Hawaii's Asian population, it was in the tardily 1950s as concerns over American relations with the Pacific that consensus came effectually Hawaii'due south admittance. On the other hand, this straitjacketed Asian American communities into a item mold: ultrapatriotic, uncomplaining, devoted to the "American Mode" as then understood, and every bit Wu puts it, "definitively not black." This is when the comparisons between black and Asian communities by whites began, and not coincidentally, when the Model Minority stereotype actually came into its ain. Wu emphasizes both Asian participation and opposition to this race-making procedure. Early on capacity take the reader dorsum to the forties, when far from existence America's richest ethnic group and a model of assimilationist success, Japanese American communities were mostly poor, subcontract or slum dwelling, and Japanese teens joined Mexican and blackness kids in "zoot suiting," wearing outlandish clothes and refusing adult respectability. Numerous Japanese Americans, understandably enough, wanted nothing to do with the American state of war try after having been interned, and the Japanese American community groups took an authoritarian stance towards their charges in encouraging them to enlist and otherwise arrange. Even as the path to Asian assimilation became clearer, many Asians resisted the deal, insisting on solidarity with the black liberty struggle and on pointing to the social contradictions within their own communities that customs leaders covered upward with feel-good model minority stories. This is a conflict that goes on to this 24-hour interval, as Wu and some of my Asian comrades would remind us and as both the model minority (especially as a parenting style) and the "Yellow Peril" from a resurgent Prc gain in cachet. This is my start time listening to a history book that didn't have at least one heart on a mass market, like Tim Snyder did with "Black Earth," though clearly this ane had enough crossover appeal to concenter Audible's attending. While I did miss beingness able to bank check endnotes, it was still a pretty good experience, testament to solid writing chops on Wu's part. It'south a fiddling "dissertation-y;" I would accept liked to take seen more about what the model minority experience meant one time embraced by the national consciousness, especially as, in the epilogue, Wu points to its adaptivity- starting as a product of Common cold War liberalism, but adapting to the conservatism of the Reagan years and the War on Terror. Merely you tin can meet why Wu would want to reign information technology in and stick to the origins of the stereotype, as promised. ****
Focuses primarily on Chinese and Japanese Americans, with Hawaii and statehood at the end. Fourth dimension period is largely early- to mid-1900s. This is an essential and ambitious academic work providing an unabridged structure of ligaments in the agreement of of early to mid century U.South. racial, political, and international relations. I honestly appreciated what others considered a "lack" of argument--there was plenty of statement, but information technology was rooted in a necessarily- and rightly-rendered area and complexity of context.
In-depth history of the model minority myth; highly recommend for general history of Asian Americans as well
Super interesting history about the condition of Japanese and Chinese Americans by and large covering the mid 1930s to the late 1960s, when they went from internment camps and exclusion acts (respectively) to being lauded equally "model minorities". The progression was on the 1 hand a outcome of decades of political lobbying, public relations campaigns, Hollywood films, literature, community activism, etc. on the part of the groups themselves and people sympathetic to their plight. On the other, we acquire that the gradual inclusion of these two Asian groups into American society served of import geopolitical and domestic objectives, whether it be in the fight against communism, the international prototype of the USA equally a melting pot, or, more darkly, in contrasting their success with blacks and attributing it entirely to cultural factors. A few thoughts: For a social science textbook it'southward fairly readable, not to say I didn't need to await up a few terms (imbricated, really?). I was hoping to larn some things nigh affirmative action but that probably deserves a book on its ain.
•Articles written in the 30s, 40s, and 50s were so cringingly direct in their statements and titles. It's difficult to fathom that pamphlets titled Shake Easily with the Dragon or praising the all-American Yankee Japs were the cultural materials in praise of Asian Americans
•Social scientists in the 50s and 60s made efforts to find commonalities between Chinese/Japanese culture and American (read: white) civilisation to figure out the success of both groups. A large grouping of them determined that both were strongly patriarchal societies, and therefore were far more probable to be civil and obedient in contrast with matriarchal black gild :(
•The question of Hawaii statehood led to a dizzying assortment of concerns I would never have considered. Many plainly were worried that the loftier rates of inter-racial marriage would spill over into the larger white society, merely were apparently comforted that being an isle chain thousands of miles away, its influence on the mainland would be limited
This great research overturns the common myth that East Asians in America became a "model minority" considering of a TV spot and paper article. This book recovers the history of how Chinese and Japanese in America politically maneuvered themselves from "yellow peril" in the 1940s to "model minority" in the 1960s, a remarkable turnaround when seen from the lens of aspiring towards whiteness. This book provides absolutely disquisitional facts and reporting about what we did and why. Despite its focus on a commonly misconstrued topic and excellent enquiry, I gave this volume 4 stars. On a very positive note, the analysis in the intro does agree infinite for narratives on anti-blackness in America. The author also deftly identifies how the ascent to model minority was tied to fighting communism in Asia and black liberation in America by discrediting both through the illusion of success based on Eastward Asian culture rather than grade. However, the author concludes their analysis that Due east Asians didn't know any better nearly how their actions impacted black people in item. Wu in the determination also diverges from her general analysis in the volume, suddenly commending East Asians for their hard-won participation in white civilisation, as though this participation did non even so contribute to discrediting socialist movements or blackness liberation. I wish there was a deeper analysis of anti-blackness and internalized capitalism in E Asian communities at that fourth dimension, besides equally some handling of how we navigated our new life in America in the context of our family unit however remaining in "the homeland."
While there is no doubt near how important this work is, in an academic sense, the readability level comes in at around a 2. Incredibly dense and at times difficult to assimilate, the information is still well-researched and offers many other resources to explore. Focusing specifically on the Chinese and Japanese American experiences, it was illuminating to see both groups juxtaposed against the Chinese Exclusion Act besides as the Japanese internment during WWII. Ultimately, the "model minority" stigma did exactly what information technology was designed to do - ostracize East Asian Americans from other minority groups and "othered" them just enough so they were in a grade all their ain: not quite aligned with Black and Dark-brown people (despite having like experiences equally the hands of white supremacy) and not aligned close enough with white people.
This was a spectacular volume about the reimagination of Japanese and Chinese Americans from unassimilable to the model minority. It is particularly salient in the implications for this new understanding of Asian Americans on other communities of color (peculiarly African Americans). As the model minority has persisted past the Cold War, these questions are still important.
This volume was in a rather more than academic register and I had to draw dorsum on my college experiences to remember how to read books like information technology, simply once I did it was okay. The book discusses the origins of the model minority myth about Asian Americans, tracing the shift from the '30s and before, when they were seen every bit these inscrutable others, to the '70s and across, where they've become the "model minority": highly educated, middle class, etc. This book discusses how that shift in pop perception came near. It touches on at the terminate, simply doesn't become into a lot of detail about, how the model minority myth is problematic itself. This book seems well-researched and accurate but I know almost nix about this history so information technology could be all incorrect I guess but I expect it isn't.
If you desire an in-depth exploration of the politics in surrounding the repeal of the Exclusionary Act and the fight for Hawaiian statehood, this is the book for you. The events of this volume largely have place in San Francisco, which made it easy for me, a resident, to follow.
Writer does a neat job exploring the pre model minority earth of Chinese and Japanese Americans, in particular the zoot suited underworld of Anti authority Japanese youth.
This is a terrible volume. It reads like a high school history volume at best and at worst propaganda for the diverse advocacy groups mentioned. I've been trying to better understand whatever racial identity issues I take equally a a Filipino American and this volume did not provide any insight. Information technology was more similar a timeline of historical events without whatever in depth context provided. Don't waste material your time.
Meh... I struggled to become into this book only it also was not bad. The best think I can say about it is it got me interested in learning more about the Japanese internment camps. The worst matter I tin say is that she did not define all of the 6 or vii Japanese words used to refer to unlike groups of Japanese in the offset chapter.
This volume covers in not bad item, the problems Asians faced during the WWII timeline. My biggest thwarting was events occurring from 1960 to 2013 ( when the book was published) are barely touched upon and condensed into a last brusk affiliate.
I concur with a review beneath. Content was 4 stars. The readability (and narration, since I did sound) was not swell.
A must read for serious thinking on the Due east Asian experience in America.
This is the type of history that is not taught.
I thought this was an excellent book considering it'southward well-argued and well-researched. Wu's argument is tightly woven throughout the entire volume: Asian Americans had a paw in crafting the model minority narrative. She focuses on a fundamental catamenia—mainly after WWII and through the Cold War era. She argues this period is crucial in understanding how the narrative about Asian Americans changed from the 1800s epitome of Asians as "yellow peril" to today's dominant image of Asians every bit "model minorities." At that place are many academic articles and books that accost the model minority stereotype, withal why Wu'due south book is impactful is considering she answers how this stereotype arrived. Asian Americanist cite the famous 1966 NYT/Newsweek article of amazing model minorities. Wu asks and answers, how did we get to that epitome? Using a combo of original research and secondary research, she examines the 1940s and 1950s, a missing era in research nearly the model minority stereotype. She offers overwhelming show about overwhelming evidence about how Asian ethnic groups shaped this image model minorities as a mode towards full American citizenship and credence during the Common cold War era politics. She follows the historical narrative of two Asian American ethnic groups—Japanese and Chinese—and how they changed America'due south perception of Asian Americans. Through targeted public relations media campaigns and concerted lobbying from organizations like JACL and Chinatown organizations, Japanese and Chinese Americans prove how they are loyal Americans during WWII, Cold War communism spread, and Vietnam War. Taking a look at her notes and citations in the back, she's washed a remarkable amount of original research across America, tapping into archival centers like the JACL, newspaper articles, Hawaii, Congressional Records, National Archives, and Presidential Libraries. It'south a sweeping example of solid methodological research. It'south definitely a dense academic tome, and I was on the ragged edge understanding the historical context. Wu alludes to major historical events like the Korean War, Sino-Japanese War (19-43) but provides not much background on these events. You'll need to have some historical context to understand her argument and historical testify inside the global arena. Overall, an excellent and remarkable model of Asian American history and scholarship! Highly recommend!
I read this book for my HIST 499 class. This was the hardest read that I have had all the same for this form, but I definitely learned and then much. It was then interesting learning about the relationship of assimilation and acceptance from the perspective of Asian Americans mail Cold War. The concept of "race making" is something I want to learn more than about and study to actually see how that hierarchal structure has been ingrained into our society and the minds of minorities.
Comprehensive recap of Asian Americans history, the struggles, the blessings and the price of beingness the Model Minority in America. How 2 uncomplicated words, "Model Minority", created a facade of equality and excluded in equal representation.
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February 21, 2014 Ellen D. Wu, PhD'06 From the author: "The Color of Success tells of the astonishing transformation of Asians in the United States from the "xanthous peril" to "model minorities"--peoples distinct from the white majority but lauded equally well-alloyed, up mobile, and exemplars of traditional family values--in the middle decades of the twentieth century. As Ellen Wu shows, liberals argued for the acceptance of these immigrant communities into the national fold, charging that the failure of America to alive in accord with its autonomous ethics endangered the land's aspirations to world leadership. "Weaving together myriad perspectives, Wu provides an unprecedented view of racial reform and the contradictions of national belonging in the ceremonious rights era. She highlights the contests for power and authority within Japanese and Chinese America aslope the designs of those external to these populations, including government officials, social scientists, journalists, and others. And she demonstrates that the invention of the model minority took place in multiple arenas, such as battles over zoot suiters leaving wartime internment camps, the juvenile malversation panic of the 1950s, Hawaii statehood, and the African American liberty movement. Together, these illuminate the impact of foreign relations on the domestic racial order and how the nation accustomed Asians as legitimate citizens while standing to perceive them equally indelible outsiders. "By charting the emergence of the model minority stereotype, The Color of Success reveals that this far-reaching, politically charged procedure continues to have profound implications for how Americans understand race, opportunity, and nationhood."
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Feb 14, 2014Very sociology. Absurd compare/contrast betwixt Japanese American and Chinese American histories.
This entire review has been subconscious considering of spoilers.
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18014341
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