asian am 160
Lecture (12.4)
Film – How important is the impact of environment
The Latehomecomer
Asian American Literature
Does not have the privilege to merely exist as fiction or literature
Rather, it functions as a documentary of a people and a culture. It is read as a piece of social history
Often Ethnic Literature such as Asian American Literature documents the marginal or minoritized status of Asian Americans in U.S. society given how it can only begin by telling us who/what Asians Americans are like
Defining “Hmong” – Opening Vignettes
Hmong meant contained
Without a “Country”
Residents of many countries
Always “in between” countries
War (displacement), Camps and Processing Center
Skin deep
A group that no one knows about – a name that elicits questions after questions
A group that no one wants
Not even a “footnote” in history
Where do the Hmong come from?
Author Kao Kalia Yang define Hmong through the historical circumstances that have allowed Hmong to enter into the U.S. consciousness
She defines Hmong through the values that have defined their marginalization in U.S. society
She insists that the study of Hmong begins not just with a study of who they are and what they have been through but also with a keen awareness of why we don’t know who they are
She defines Hmong through Silences (Skin Deep)
“the Clouds”
Camps and Processing Centers
Silent vs. Silenced
Page 146-147
Page 151
The Gift of Writing
Gender
Yang defines Hmong through the stories about women
Yang defines Hmong through what Hmong culture has silenced
Freedom page 188
Film – How important is the impact of environment
The Latehomecomer
Asian American Literature
Does not have the privilege to merely exist as fiction or literature
Rather, it functions as a documentary of a people and a culture. It is read as a piece of social history
Often Ethnic Literature such as Asian American Literature documents the marginal or minoritized status of Asian Americans in U.S. society given how it can only begin by telling us who/what Asians Americans are like
Defining “Hmong” – Opening Vignettes
Hmong meant contained
Without a “Country”
Residents of many countries
Always “in between” countries
War (displacement), Camps and Processing Center
Skin deep
A group that no one knows about – a name that elicits questions after questions
A group that no one wants
Not even a “footnote” in history
Where do the Hmong come from?
Author Kao Kalia Yang define Hmong through the historical circumstances that have allowed Hmong to enter into the U.S. consciousness
She defines Hmong through the values that have defined their marginalization in U.S. society
She insists that the study of Hmong begins not just with a study of who they are and what they have been through but also with a keen awareness of why we don’t know who they are
She defines Hmong through Silences (Skin Deep)
“the Clouds”
Camps and Processing Centers
Silent vs. Silenced
Page 146-147
Page 151
The Gift of Writing
Gender
Yang defines Hmong through the stories about women
Yang defines Hmong through what Hmong culture has silenced
Freedom page 188