Panethnicity

In Kim Geron’s “Asian Pacific Americans’ Social Movements and Interest Groups”, she mentions “panethnicity” meaning to classify people of different race and culture and labeling them as one broad group. When I read that, the phrase: “All Asians look alike.” popped in my head. Most people who are not from an Asian descent will describes us to have small eyes, black hair, and a face with little to no dimension. Asians are classified in this one group, assuming we share the same looks and almost identical culture. Geron explains how panethnicity was and still is a way the government oppresses Asians, “Panethnicity is part imposed by a shared history of racialization through discriminatory government policies…” Although it maybe a political problem, I believe it has also progressed as a social problem. Japanese and Chinese are distinct races with their own distinct language and cultural practices yet I’m confident that many people could not tell the difference.  I am titled as an “Asian American”, but I believe I am more than that. 

Claudia Chang

ASA 2 A02