First-Year Seminar (103-6-1)
Topic
Under Pressure: Asian Americans in Higher Educatio
Instructors
Raymond Andrew San Diego
Crowe 1-125
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Education, despite being touted as a great equalizer, is a highly contested site of struggle. It is a struggle to get in, a struggle to get through, and a struggle to figure out what happens after. Throughout each of these time periods academic and journalistic coverage of the Asian American student experience argue that social, cultural, political, economic, and familial pressures converge and compound on this population leading to unfulfilling, unpleasant, and unbelievable outcomes.
Following that claim, this course explores three interlinked and overlapping themes for the quarter: 1) The persistence of the model minority myth and its impact on higher education policy, 2) parent and teacher expectations of Asian American students in K-12 and university settings, and 3) Asian American student mental health and well-being. We will study student activism and the emergence of Ethnic Studies/Asian American Studies in higher education, explore contemporary intersectional Asian American student experiences, and critically examine the politics of "diversity, equity, and inclusion" rhetoric.
In what ways do Asian American students survive, negotiate, and resist external and internal pressures of success and excellence? How do Asian Americans begin to redefine success on their own terms?
Class Materials (Required)
Texts for this course may include Erin Ninh's Passing for Perfect; Christine Yano, Neal Akatsuka, and the Asian American Collective's Straight A's: Asian American College Students in Their Own Words, and Debbie Lum's documentary Try Harder!
Please email instructor for a full list of materials required for this class.
Class Attributes
WCAS First-Year Seminar
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for First Year & Sophomore only
Add Consent: Department Consent Required
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required