Saturday, May 24, 2014

Superiority Complex, Much?

Xanh Tran
ASA 02 - A01
Response #9: Why Chinese Mothers are Superior

Superiority Complex, Much? 

Amy Chua bravely addressed a topic many have always wondered about, the stereotypical success of Asians, specifically Chinese American kids. However, in doing so she problematically plays right into the trap of the model minority myth. Although she may speak from her own experienced and say that she's not making generalizations, the entire message of her excerpt screams the exact opposite. The title itself contradicts her claim of subjectivity. While the way she negotiated her assertions was quite unsubstantiated, an important way in which her book and excerpt benefited the Asian American community is the dialogue created in the wake of the press and publicity her work received. There is no longer silence, the issue is no longer the elephant in the room, and in-depth study of the tiger has renewed. 

A leading question could be: How can personal experiences be translated into solid, respectable claims and theories? 

No comments:

Post a Comment