| Course | Title | Instructor | Description |
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| ASIANAM 60C | INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES III | KIM, C. | Same as Soc Sci 78C. This course examines the position of Asian Americans in the American racial order and how this has changed over time. This is the third and final course in the Introduction to Asian American Studies series, and it is a required course for Asian American Studies majors and minors. Grades are based upon attendance and participation in lectures and section meetings, an in-class midterm examination composed of essay questions, a group research project with an oral presentation component, and an in-class final examination composed of essay questions. |
| ASIANAM 110 | ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE IN MULTIRACIAL CONTEXT | PAN, A. | Same as Comp Lit 105 and Eng 105. This course situates Asian American literature and culture in the broader framework of racial formations in the United States, addressing a range of themes fundamental to the study of the topic: interracial and cross-cultural contact, immigration and transnationalism, identity politics and stereotyping. We will not only study the work of Asian American writers, but also the ways Asian Americans have been portrayed in the U.S. cultural imaginary from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Rather than understanding Asian Americans as belonging to a discrete, self-defined racial category, the class offers a comparative approach that examines the political, legal, and economic structures that shape the social experiences of Asian Americans in relation to other racial groups. We will explore how cultural production by and about Asian Americans has been crucial to the constitution of American national identity for over a century. The objective of this course is for students to think critically about the relationship between race and culture in comparative, multiracial contexts. |
| ASIANAM 110 | ASIAN AMERICAN WRITERS: GENDER AND GENERATION | KATRAK, K. | Same as Comp Lit 130 and Eng 105. This course explores the intersection of gender and generation in Asian American Cultural Expression. The importance of gender (first, second, third, and beyond) is a significant theme along with male and female parameters of gender identity in the representation of Asian American lives. Our study includes the portrayals of different generations within one family as well as cultural politics of tradition and innovations in South Asian American dance and music, and responses from youth and elders within the community. Selection of literary texts include Maxine Hong Kingston, Joy Kogawa, Denise Uyehara's performance writings that include personal memory, family history and political realities in post 9-11 times. We read selection of Vietnamese- American writers and expressive art (dance) by second-generation South Asian Americans. Requirements include class presentation, in-class writing, midterm and final exam. |
| ASIANAM 111 | PACIFIC RIM, CHINA & CHINESE AMERICA | CHEN, Y. | Same as Hist 152. The Pacific Rim is becoming a most visible and most important center of economic and socioeconomic activities of the world. This class seeks to understand the historical development of an important segment of the Pacific Rim: the growing Sino-American interactions. It will trace the roots of that development back to the 19th century so that we can better appreciate the scope of such interactions today. Topics include the following: the initial contact between China and America before the 20th century and its significance; China's struggles in trying to remain relevant in early 20th-century world affairs and in dealing with its internal problems; turning points late in the 20th century; China's current economic, political and social interactions with the United States; the implications of such interactions for individuals, especially Chinese Americans; the changing meaning of being Chinese and American. Recent discussions of the Pacific Rim have not paid adequate attention to its historical roots; they have tended to focus either on the cultural or economic aspects. In this class, we will try to combine the economic and cultural perspectives in an effort to have historically grounded understanding of this significant phenomenon. One short paper and one research paper. |
| ASIANAM 114 | PERFORMING RACE: FROM MINSTRELSY TO MTV | MIMURA, G. | Same as Film and Media 190. Ideas and discourses of race have been key to the development of popular culture in and around the history of cinema. This course introduces the vital role of racialized performance in the 19th century "pre-cinematic" history of vernacular entertainment, spectacle and attractions: minstrelsy, world's fairs, museums, Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and other forms of popular ethnography and public display. The course follows the development and transformations in these forms in examples of cinema, TV and contemporary cultural expression. Most importantly, it examines alternative, subaltern, counter-colonial and anti-racist performances by various artists, comedians and other cultural workers who respond to these dominant, popular traditions in creative ways that often mock, parody or otherwise subvert their ideologies. |
| ASIANAM 114 | SEXUALITY IN ASIAN & ASIAN AMERICAN FILM AND VIDEO | SHROFF, B. | Same as Soc Sci 179. This course analyzes sexuality and gender roles in specific social, historical and political contexts represented in selected Asian and Asian American films and videos. We will examine how patriarchy polices borders and boundaries of feminine and masculine constructions especially in the context of colonialism and nationalism. Different representations of male and female sexuality as depicted in selected films and readings explore how the body becomes a contested terrain for various manifestations of desire. Our study will also include an analysis of various sexual and social roles and definitions such as daughter, son, wife, mother, and issues of lesbian and gay sexuality. Different representations of male and female sexuality as depicted in selected films and selected readings explore how the body becomes a contested terrain for various manifestations of desire. |
| ASIANAM 115 | VISUALIZING ASIAN AMERICAN IDENTITY: FROM PHOTO TO BODY ART | DAVIDSON, J. | Same as Studio Art 100 and Art Hum 101. Modern representations of Asian American culture have served different functions in the development of the American/European visual landscape. This course tracks specific approaches to images that are related to the construction of identity – from the nineteenth-century era of tourist photography circulating through various travelogue materials into the twenty-first-century era of performance and bodily-oriented expressions. We will explore different modes of interpretation/engagement and poststructuralist theories of identification and performativity in addition to studying the historical influences that are relevant to present-day artistic production, such as identity politics, artistic agency, and social “race” narratives. The power of visual images in portraying various forms of identity, especially photographic and bodily representations of the “self,” constitutes the central theme of this course. Seminars revolve around slide presentations and analysis of images in relation to key texts. Course grading will be based on assigned in-class contribution, midterm, and final project. |
| ASIANAM 115 | ASIAN AMERICAN PERFORMANCE/WRITING | UYEHARA, D. | Same as Hum Art 101 and Drama 123. Participants will explore and create performance that responds to the Asian/Pacific American experience as well as to queer communities and communities of color. Course includes ensemble and individual exercises, visual projects and take-home assignments. Participants are encouraged to create truthful work from their unique perspective, work that does not fall back on convenient answers to ethnicity, class, and gender issues. Grades are based on weekly presentations and discussions, assigned readings, essays, and one final presentation. A willingness to learn, regular and prompt attendance are mandatory. This is an intensive workshop, so be prepared to work hard and reap the benefits. Workshops led by performance artist and writer Denise Uyehara. |
| ASIANAM 133 | ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY | PHAN, T. | Same as Soc Sci 177D. This course takes an approach which examines the challenges facing Asian American families as well as strengths that can be incorporated to enhance their well-being. Diversity within family systems and family patterns among the different Asian American groups will be highlighted, and the influence of cultural legacy, ethnic background, immigration history, community structure and economic status will be analyzed. Psychological and social issues impacting Asian American families, such as model minority stereotypes, acculturation and socialization, cultural values, gender roles, ethnic identity formation, interracial marriages, racism, and oppression, substance abuse, gambling addiction, and domestic violence will be reviewed. Specific issues related to gay, lesbian and youth populations will be covered.
The readings in this course draw from a wide variety of disciplines, and thus provide many different perspectives on the experiences of different Asian American families.
Method of instructions - lectures, group discussions and students' presentations, films and video clips and required readings. Students are expected to facilitate discussions on the readings.
Class assignments and grading - (1) Take home midterm – 15 percent of grade; (2) take home final – 25 percent of grade; (3) group presentation and discussion – 20 percent of grade; (4) a research paper on Asian American families – 25 percent of grade; (5) class attendance, discussion and in-class assignments – 15 percent of grade.
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| ASIANAM 135 | ASIAN AMERICAN LAW | YANG, B. | Same as Soc Sci 179. Asian Americans & the Law will look at how the U.S. legal system has been used to oppress Asians and Asian Pacific Americans, but also, simultaneously study how the APA community has used the courts to fight for equality and justice, contributing immensely to the formation of civil rights jurisprudence in the United States. The class will attempt to tie in current events and contemporary issues to the past. We will use actual court cases in the same manner that a law school course might to examine issues such as Immigration, Property Rights, Employment, Education, Hate-crimes, Racial Profiling, among others. Grading will be based on a midterm paper and an in-class essay final. |
| ASIANAM 150 | ASIAN AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY | PARK, J. | Same as Plan & Pol Des 100 and Soc Sci 179. Public policy in the United States has historically had a profound impact on Asian Americans and continues to do so today. Policies not only determine the flow and composition of immigrants, but they also influence community formation processes as well as individual rights and opportunities. Conversely, Asian Americans continually employ different strategic orientations toward empowerment and change of public policy at various levels. This course presents a range of policy issues to illustrate how Asian Americans define issues and respond to social, economic, and political challenges.
The main objectives of this course are: 1) to gain an overview of public policies that impact and are impacted by Asian Americans, 2) to understand the processes of racialization, identity formation, and mobilization/empowerment of Asian Americans specifically pertaining to public policy, and 3) to critically analyze and formulate effective strategies that are and can be employed by the Asian American community to create, engage, challenge, or change public policy. Course requirements include a midterm exam and a research paper along with substantial emphasis on critical engagement of reading and class materials. |
| ASIANAM 150 | FOOD AND IDENTITY | CHEN, Y. | Same as Hist 192W. The course uses food as a vehicle for understanding changes in both the U.S. since the early twentieth century and ethnic/immigrant communities and individuals. While trying to measure the transformation of the nation, we will take a look at the issues under discussion from both global and local perspectives. In so doing, we will take a close look at individual cuisines and communities, such as Chinese Americans and their culinary traditions. We will also investigate the impact of ethnic food on ethnicity. Topics will include the following: national and individual identity, cultural authenticity, social memory; perceptions/representations of food in the public sphere; food activities in the private sphere; myths and science about food; consumption patterns and volumes; and research methodological issues. A research paper; small projects. Prerequisite: completion of AsAm 150, Lec B, in winter 2008. |
| ASIANAM 151J | CHINESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | LIU, J. | Same as Soc Sci 178J. This course examines the factors that have contributed to diversity of experiences among Chinese who have been migrating to the United States since the nineteenth century. The emphasis on diversity does not mean the absence of any commonalities among Chinese Americans. Rather, it indicates that a fuller understanding of the experiences of Chinese Americans requires examining the differences as well. Topics to be addressed include the factors underlying the social construction of Chinese American identities, the fluidity of these constructions, and the institutional and personal ramifications of continuous identity formation on our changing perspectives of both Chinese and other Asian Americans. Examination of these topics will contribute to a general understanding of the nature of race and ethnicity in the United States, the social construction of identities among racial and ethnically defined groups, and the relationship of identity to political economic circumstances. |
| ASIANAM 201 | ASNAM POSTCOL DRAMA | KATRAK, K. | |
| ASIANAM 201 | COMPARTV INT MIGRAT | LIU, J. | |