Overview: South Asian Americans

Iqra Tabassum

Often times South Asian Americans are left out of the “Asian-American” discussion. Many students are unfamiliar with the existence of South Asian Americans and this course aims to bring visibility to this particular sub-section of Asian-American. This course aims to: Describe the geography and diversity of South Asia and to introduce students to which countries are included: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Discover the rich history of immigration regarding South Asians to the United States. Discuss and analyze identity. Who represents Asian-American? Who represents South Asian?…

Lesson 1: Immigration and History

Iqra Tabassum

This lesson aims to:Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download Understand the history of migration into American from South Asia. Use technology and primary sources to find this information. Analyze citizenship regarding South Asians in America. First the instructor should present the resource www.saada.org and demonstrate its purpose and organization. Once the students understand the organization of this site, split the students up into groups and have them create a timeline of South Asian migration to the United States. Near the end of class regroup and have the groups…

Lesson 2: Desi Identity

Iqra Tabassum

This lesson plan aims to: Discuss important identity markers within the South Asian population. Apply Arjun Appadurai’s theory of scapes to identity. Reading prior to class: Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy by Arjun Appadarai Discuss identity markers such as religon, ethnicity, language, and country and their importance in the identity of South Asian Americans. This discussion should aim to disaggregate information on the SOuth Asian American community. Explain Appadurai’s scapes theory: Ethnoscapes is the movement of people with the advent of readily available and more affordable transportation . Mediascape is…

Lesson 3: South Asian Americans and Politics

Iqra Tabassum

This lesson should aim to: Discuss and analyze the involvement of South Asians in government. In particular look at how Indian-Americans have become governors or senators, how have they used their background to become successful in politics. Read about the political activism of South Asian Americans throughout history. Understand how Islamophobia has impacted South Asians. Discuss how Islamophobia does not only impact Muslim desis. Reading: Uncle Swami by Vijay Prashad Interestingly, two out of the three Indian-American governors represent the Republican party (Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley). Analyze how both…

Lesson 4: Portrayal of Desis in the Media

Iqra Tabassum
Master of None - casting calls

The learning outcomes of this class include: Recognizing the different kinds of stereotypes portrayed in the media about South Asian Americans. Understanding the impact of these stereotypes on the perception of South Asian Americans. Recognizing who (gender, ethnicity, religion) is represented as South Asian. How has Youtube changed the dialogue around South Asians in North America. Show pictures and clips in class portraying Desis or Indians in the media. Have a discussion about what these portrayals might means. The clips shown can include: Appu – The Simpson Rajesh “Raj” Koothrappali – The…

Overview of Chinese Immigration

Melissa McKinney

Chinese Immigration to the US in the 1800s “Asians resisted their exclusion and marginalization and thereby enlarged the range and deepened the meaning of American democracy.” Gary Okihiro, Margins in the Mainstream This lesson series will analyze and link Chinese immigration policies in the US in the 19th century and the attitudes that produced such discriminatory policies as origins to modern perceptions of Asians as the “perpetual foreigners”. Objectives include:Watch Full Movie Streaming Online and Download Establish a baseline history of Chinese immigration and the steps taken by Congress to limit the Chinese…

Part 1: Historical Context for Immigration

Melissa McKinney

When the Chinese came to America, they sought out to earn fortunes from the California Gold Rush. After the Gold Rush though, they continued to stay in the US as laborers for projects like building railroads. They came from regions of China that were suffering from extreme poverty, so the prospect of a new life appealed to them and returning to China was not an option. They kept to themselves but increasing competition for work further marginalized the community. Due to pressures from the white community, Congress passed several acts of…

Part 2: Claiming Citizenship

Melissa McKinney

Why should we care even about Asian American legal history? Who is Wong Kim Ark and what did he ever do for us? To put it briefly and simply, in 1898 he challenged Congress’s discriminatory policies against the Chinese and won. To read the landmark court case, check out Cornell University Law School’s break down of the case and decision.  In case reading long court records isn’t your thing though, here are the facts: Wong Kim Ark was born to two Chinese parents in the United States in 1873. In 1882, Congress passed…

Part 3: “Perpetual Foreigner”

Melissa McKinney

Immigration is a hot button topic right now, but much of the dialogue centers around Latino immigrants even though Asians are outnumbering Latino immigrants coming to the US. Remember when most people in the US were first or second generation immigrants? They came from places besides Latin America. How have we forgotten where we came from? That we were all once foreigners. Some of us haven’t had the luxury of being allowed to forget though. What is the perpetual foreigner stereotype? It is one of the longest persisting Asian stereotypes.…

Overview of Asian American Public Health

Kaylie Tram

“For many generations in America, the predominant experiences of Asian Americans reveal an alternative immigration history: one where voices fell silent, hopes were dashed, and dream went unfulfilled.” – Winton Tseng “Social, Demographic, and Cultural Characteristics of Asian Americans” Health is unquestionably an important part of living a happy life. Health allows one to do the activities we desire, to live to see friends and family grow, to simply live with less struggles then life already gives, but it can be neglected. We are told to exercise daily, eat our…