Asian American Studies 680 [Fall 2001] Schedule


NOTE on UPCOMINGWEEKs & schedule thru finals week:
 
 

Class Panel Presentations - Thurs Dec. 6-Wed. Dec.. 12
Individual Project Papers & Class Portfolios due Thurs 12/13 for Sec. 2 and Fri 12/14 for Sec. 1.
No Final Examination given in this class.



Portfolio Instructions and Reflection Questions [due Tues 12/18 [sec 2] Wed, 12/19 [sec. 2] at noon in my office HSS 244
1.  Organize all your class assignments.
2.  Review all of your work from the beginning to the end of the semester.
3.  Re-write any papers with the exception of community event papers.  Include the re-write after the original assignment in the portfolio.
4.  Answer all the following reflection questions -

A.  How does your portfolio show how Asian Pacific Islander Americans reacted to and resisted institutionalized forms of racial, class, and gender domination?
B.  How has your involvement in Asian Pacific Islander American community organizations contributed to your views about creating social change?
C.  Which readings/films/discussions have influenced you the most regarding the efforts of Asian Pacific Islander American community organizations trying to create social change?

Include your answers in the front of your portfolios.
 

Instructions for Field Projects/Papers and Panels


Weeks 1-2 [8/29-9/14]  - Intro to Asian American Studies; 9/11 hijackings/WTC aftermath - reflections on war/peace & social justice
Read Peter Kiang on 3 decades of Asian American Studies; Alex Hing on the SF State Strike 1968/69.
Read handouts on 'racism' from the Applied Research Center (ARC) and on 'social change goals' from the Environmental and Economic Justice Project (EEJP)
Readings from Asian Week on UN conference against racism

Week 3 [9/17-21] The Asian American Movement & community change; Institutional Racism and the UN conference against racism
Read Chapter 1 - Glenn Omatsu, "The 'Four Prisons' and the Movements of Liberation: Asian American
Activism from the 1960s to the 1990s".
Read Asian Week articles on UN Conf and the Asian American community's response to the 9/11 attacks and the rise of racism & hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and Asian Americans
Written reflections re UN Conf on Racism & Aftermath of 9/11 Attacks due on Monday 9/24 [sec. 1] and Tuesday 9/25 [sec. 2]

Week 4-5 [9/24-10/5] - no class on 10/3-5]
Finish Miyoung Cho's article.  Read Intro pp. 1-18; & Edward Chang, "America's First Multiethnic Riots".
Film:  Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice

View excerpts from Frontline: The LA Riots One Year later
Skim - Elaine Kim's interview with Bong Hwan Kim



Reflection Questions Due - Mon 10/8  for sec. 1 and  Tues 10/9 for sec. 2  [500 word minimum]

1.  Drawing from the film Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice discuss Yuri's changes in her 'worldview' over time.  Include in your answer your views as to how and why her views changed.
2.  According to Karin Aguilar San Juan and Milyoung Cho why is 'identity' so important in Asian American community change efforts?  Explain also why they both think also that Asian and Pacific Islander activists must go "beyond identity politics" in our thinking and action for community change.
3.  What is Edward Chang's analysis of the causes of the LA Riots/Uprisings?  Make sure you show that you understand the meaning of concepts he uses such as "deindustrialization."
4.  Using our class discussions, readings and the video excerpts viewed in class (Frontline: The LA Riots [on reserve in the Media Access Center in the library]) construct/draw a "problem tree" of the issues arising out of the LA Riots/Uprisings of 1992 [see the sample below for ideas and be as creative as you want on this assignment]-

a.    for the branches and leaves of the tree identify the various problems or issues involved
b.    for the trunk of the tree identify the immediate causes of the problems/issues you have identified
c.    for the roots of the tree identify the 'root causes' [the underlying, sometimes invisible reasons] of the problems you identified.
d.   we will discuss your trees in class on 10/8 and 10/9.
Click Here for a Sample Problem Tree

Additional Reading for 10/12 and the week of 10/15

How to be HEARD:
A Guide to Advocacy for Community Organizations [Center for Community Change]





For AAS 680 sec. 1 only
NO CLASS MONDAY 10/29  [AAS 680 sec. 2 will meet on Tuesday and Thursday though]
WED 10/31 - discussion on Direct Action Organizing; feedback re community-based organizations; readings
NO CLASS FRIDAY 11/2 [AAS 680 sec. 2 will meet on Tues and Thurs]

Written Reflection Due Wed. 10/31 for sec. 1 and Due Thurs 11/1 for sec. 2
3 Questions:

1.    Discuss the various strategies for community change described in class and in the readings by Rita Chaudry Sethy, Margaretta Lin/Cheng Imm Tan, & Peter Kiang.  Focus on the strategies of services, advocacy and organizing.

2.    What is the difference between organizing and advocacy?  Give examples from the readings, class discussions or films shown/discussed in class.

3.    Why does E. San Juan Jr. describe the United States as a 'racist society'?  Make sure you discuss how he analyzes the Pilipino community's racial subordination & class exploitation.  How does he suggest Pilipinos and other Asian Americans deal with their predicament or situation in the U.S.?


Weeks 6-8 [10/8-26]:  Community-Based Organizations/Case Studies/Etc.

Readings from course text:
Articles by Rita Chaudry Sethi on Anti-Asian Violence; Margaretta Lin/Cheng Imm Tan on Domestic Violence & AA's; Peter Kiang on Lowell, Massachusetts Cambodian, Latino and Irish communities & educational rights; and E.San Juan Jr. on the predicament of Filipinos in the US.

Additional Reading for 10/12 & 10/13 and the week of 10/15
How to be HEARD:
A Guide to Advocacy for Community Organizations [Center for Community Change]

Additional Reading for 10/26 & 10/30 and week of 10/29
THE MIDWEST ACADEMY DIRECT ACTION ORGANIZING PROCESS [Midwest Academy]



For Elections Week 11/5/01

Note:  Class will not meet on Wednesday 11/7, Thursday 11/8 or Friday 11/9.  See the new DUE DATE for the reflection questions below.
Use the time to work on your reflection papers [you may want to review the ethnic and alternative media for some analysis of the outcomes for the 11/6/01 election.
I also suggest that you use the time to work on your field projects.
 

Nov. 6, 2001 ELECTIONS/Barriers to Political Participation Reflection Questions -
NEW DUE DATE  Monday Nov. 12 for sec. 1 and Tues Nov.13 for sec. 2.

For 11/12 week
Mon. 11/12 [Tues 11/13 sec. 2]- reflection questions due; wrap up elections/barriers to political participation; small group meetings
Wed 11/14 [Thurs 11/15 sec. 2]- small group meetings - brainstorming on themes; tips for making group panel presentations
Friday 11/16 - no class meeting - use time for meeting with panel groups [keep track of who attends your meetings].

Mon Nov. 19 [Tues 11/20 sec. 2] - Community Event assignment due; panel prep time; discussion on community groups.
Wed Nov. 21 - no class meeting - work on individual field projects.
Thurs and Fri Nov. 22+23 - no class meeting - Thanksgiving Holiday.

Mon Nov. 26 [Tues 11/27 sec. 2] - Discussion - Agenda/Analysis/Strategies; group prep time.
Wed Nov. 28 - continued discussion in class.
Thurs Nov. 29 & Fri Nov. 30 - No class meeting.  Use time for panel groups to meet and prepare for presentations.

Instructions for Community Event Assignment - Due Mon 11/19