Week 8

Gabriela Garcia-Mejia

Section A03

Week 8

Mark Putterman’s article titled “What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice” was a thought provoking piece. It took an introspective look on student activism on college campuses and the place that Asian American students have in this movement and why they are thought to be apathetic when it comes to protest and activism. Mark discusses how the Asian community has been divided from social movements because people assume that they are uninterested in issues like black lives matter but what is not taken into account is the feelings of these Asian students within the community. They feel as though they aren’t represented, they don’t know whether they belong in the category of POC. Asians/Asian Americans are in a limbo space of being called this model minority because of their high number of members that pursue a college degree but at the same time they still experience a lack of representation on campus.  

Another issue with this is how the media tries to divide Asians from POC and also creates divisions within Asian communities like Asian Americans vs. Asian International students, when we should be trying to think of how we are all the same. Ultimately it should be about showing solidarity and finding commonalities with one another and just supporting each other. An important way in doing so is by providing ethnic courses like Asian American studies allows Asians within the community to learn about their history and know where in history there have been moments of activism. I agree with Putterman because I feel like once you know your people’s place and history in society and the movements that they fought for and how those outcomes affect your current life and place in society then you are more inclined to take a stance.

Question: Why is it that Asian American courses aren’t pushed for in higher education as much as other ethnic courses?

Resources:

Putterman, M. T. (2016, December 27). What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice. Retrieved May 17, 2017, from https://www.racefiles.com/2016/02/01/what-asian-americans-are-bringing-to-campus-movements-for-racial-justice/

Smith, D. P. (n.d.). Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 18, 2017, from http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/after-graduation/weinberg-magazine/spring-summer-2016/faculty-approve-major-in-asian-american-studies.html