Intersectionality, Model Minority Myth, Asian American Politics
Reminder: As always, you MUST cite any materials you quote or paraphrase from other sources. Any words, phrases, or sentences taken from our course texts must be clearly marked as quotations, and you should use in-text citations (Links to an externalsite.) to indicate from where words, ideas, etc. are taken. If you have ANY questions about this, please reach out to me.
1) Several of the assigned texts for this week explain and explore the “model minority” myth and discourse as it functions in the United States in relation to Asian and Asian American communities–and to other racial groups. After you have finished the texts, imagine you are briefly explaining the “model minority” myth to a friend or family member. Imagine this friend or family member tells you that they have heard the term “model minority,” but they don’t really know what it means. In about 200-250 words, explain the “model minority” myth to your friend or family member using your own words. Include specific evidence from one or more of this week’s text, but be sure to use your own language rather than just quoting from our course texts.
2) The Dumbfounded song and video, “SAFE,” explores, critiques, and makes fun of some of the ways that Asian Americans are (mis)represented in US popular culture, especially in film. How do you see the video engaging with the “model minority” myth and anti-Asian racism? What “argument” is the video making? Does the argument work for you? That is, do you find it compelling? Why or why not? What (else) does it prompt you to think about?
