AS AM 136: Asian American Families Notes

Lecture Notes:
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Reading Notes:
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Other Notes:
I. Characteristics of the Traditional Asian Family A. Hierarchical in structure, with males and older individuals occupying a higher status B. Gender differences between Asian male and Asian female i. Males = highly values 1. Asian families want sons b/c males are important and they carry on the family name (lineage) 2. Role of male is to provide for the family 3. Primary duty is to be a good son; obligations to be a good husband and father come second to duty as son ii. Females = valued less than males, less important role in the family 1. Role of female is to be passive and to adhere to husbands family, be subservient to the male, perform domestic chores, and bear children C. Patriarchal husband-wife relationships D. Respect for ancestors and elderly (Past-present time orientation) E. Loyalty to authority figures (One-way communication: adults speak to children) F. Collectivism - Family & Group Focus Interdependence i. Children learn early in life that the family is central and the primary unit ii. Behavior of individual members is a reflection on the entire family G. Discipline shame and guilt used to control and train children

i. Emphasize loyalty and honor to the family and avoidance of shame and embarrassment to the family ii. Family problems hidden from public and handled within the family iii. Outstanding achievement: source of great pride for child and entire family iv. Mental illness is shameful and represents family failure H. Less Open Display of Emotions Sign of maturity and self-control i. Care and concern is shown by supplying physical needs of family members ii. Father --- Authoritative and distant, less emotionally demonstrative and involved, provides for the economic and physical needs of family iii. Mother --- More responsive to children but uses less nurturance and more verbal and physical punishments than Whites; meets emotional needs of children and serves as intermediary between father and child I. Problems of Asian Americans Living in the U.S. i. Conflict b/t 2 different cultures (Asian vs. American) 1. Children acculturate more rapidly than their parents do 2. Conflicts may arise b/t parents and children; family reflects traditional ways and children see another way of life (American culture) 3. Ethnic identity problem Biculturalism ii. Conflicts over Dating and Marriage 1. Parents play an active part in making decisions 2. Interracial marriages increasing 3. Viewed as family failure and end to the lineage iii. Academic Expectations 1. Another area where parents take an active part in 2. Children dependent on family 3. Parents structure childrens lives for academic success 4. More likely to decide whether children go to college, limit TV, and videogames iv. Language Barriers 1. Majority of Asian Americans are foreign born 2. English 2nd language 3. Use of English is encouraged, but children still live in homes where native language is the primary language 4. Children speak and understand 2 different languages v. Stereotypes

1. All Asians are the Same a. Asian Americans consist of a number of national, cultural, and religious heritages, which includes at least 40 distinct subgroups, each with unique language, religion, customs and values b. Large increase in Asian population (relaxation in immigration laws) c. 4 major groups: East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), Pacific Islander, SE Asian (Vietnamese, Thai), South Asian (Indian, Pakistan) d. Similarities exist among these cultures but those working with Asian Americans need to remember Asian Americans different origins, ecological adaptations, history, immigration and refugee history, SES, etc. 2. Model Minority a. This assumption or stereotype leads to expectations extended to all Asians b. intelligent hardworking disciplined c. Perceived to be educationally, economically, and socially successful d. Not all members share this success e. Not all Asians are superior students who have no problems (Some lack motivation, learning problems, limited English proficiency, financial problems, parents who do not understand US culture, cultural differences, language barriers, etc.) f. Learn about Asian Americans as individuals rather than assuming the model minority stereotype g. Stereotypes between and within Asian groups h. Media portrayal of Asian Americans 3. Racism & Prejudice a. Historical experiences in America b. Hate crimes, assaults c. Still viewed as foreigners

Exam Material:
I. Important Terms in Asian American History A. Picture Bride i. Refers to the practice in the early 20th century of immigrant workers (usually Japanese or Korean) in the U.S. selecting brides from their native countries via a matchmaker (usually parents) ii. Bride and groom were paired using only photographs and family recommendations of the possible candidates iii. After bride was selected, a mock wedding would be conducted with a stand-in groom at the ceremony in order to place the wifes name on the husbands family registry (marriage now official in Japan and could now be eligible for travel documents to U.S.) B. The Bachelors Society i. Created due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 ii. Made up of men who were bachelors only in the sense that they were here, because of the laws, by themselves iii. Their wives and children remained in China and were unable to get in touch with them let alone have them enter the U.S. C. Patrilineal and Patrilocal Practices D. Traditional vs. Modern Family Structures E. Anti-miscegenation i. Usually laws that enforced racial segregation at the level of marriage and intimate relationships by criminalizing interracial marriage ii. Asians would be banned from marrying Whites iii. Established to maintain racial purity and white supremacy F. The Impact of Asian Exclusion on Family Formation G. Transnational Asian Immigrant Family During the Exclusion H. Paper Family Relations i. Primarily due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 ii. Act banned immigration of Chinese laborers to U.S. and prohibited Chinese from becoming naturalized citizens

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iii. Began to disable normal Asian family formation in America iv. Paper son strategy came about to circumvent immigration exclusion v. U.S. citizens of Chinese descent claimed fictive or paper children who could then use their kinship status as a basis for entry into the U.S. vi. These are then paper sons of American citizens who have the right to immigrate to the U.S. vii. Paper son papers can be given to a relative or sold I. The 1965 Immigration Act i. Reversed decades of systematic exclusion and restrictive immigration policies by abolishing the restrictive national origins system in 1924 ii. Priority given to family reunification so that U.S. citizens and permanent residents could sponsor certain types of immigrants (usually sponsored own family members) iii. Ultimately transformed the demographic, economic and cultural characteristics of many urban areas, the larger Asian American community, and mainstream American society in general J. Historical Asian American Families i. Asian American families in the U.S. pre-1965 K. Contemporary Asian American Families i. Asian American families in the U.S. post-1965 How Did World War II affect Japanese Americans? A. As the century progressed, Japanese Americans became involved in industries relating to growing and selling produce and flowers B. By the time the US entered the war, these industries were thriving and Japanese had entered the middle class C. After the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the federal government relocated 120,000 Californians of Japanese descent in the name of national security (2/3 American born) to 10 relocation camps for more than two years D. Conditions in the camps were bleak E. Internees were typically allowed to stay with their families and were treated well unless they violated the rules F. Shikata Ga Nai = Commonly used to summarize the interned families resignation to their helplessness throughout these conditions G. Upon release at the end of the war, many Japanese Americans found themselves destitute, stripped of their homes, possessions and businesses, forced to begin their lives once more in the U.S.

H. U.S. Congress made partial reparations to Japanese Americans in 1948 I. It was not until 1988 Civil Liberties Act which mandated a formal apology, $20000 compensation for former internees, and the creation of a fund to educate the public about the camps and the internment

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Midterm #1 Essay Questions A. What were the roles of parenting in Japanese American families, according to Lauren Kessler? How did the Yasuis raise their children? To what extent did their ways of childrearing differ from perceived American standards? B. How did the exclusion of Asians affect the formation of Asian American families? In what ways were the family lives of some early Asian immigrants different from those in Asian countries? C. How did immigration change family structures, womens status, and gender relations in historical Asian American families? Please compare immigrant families with families in Asia? D. What was it like growing up during the exclusion for Asian American children? Please compare their experiences with that of their parents and their American peers using information from books, films and lectures. E. How did World War II affect the structure of Japanese American families? To what extent did the members of the Yasui family and Emiko Omoris family connect with one another under unusual and difficult circumstances? F. To what extent is the 1965 Immigration Act fundamentally different from immigration laws that were passed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries? How could Asian immigrants benefit from this legislation? G. What are the major differences between early Asian American families and post-1965 Asian American families? H. Nazil Kibria describes family backgrounds of Vietnamese immigrants in her book. To what extent did the Vietnamese society that the immigrants left behind was still patrilineal and patrilocal? What was the impact of the war on family structure and gender relations? What has changed since 1975 in terms of family structure and gender relations?