Contemporary Asian America (Third Edition) - 3rd Edition by Min Zhou & Anthony Christian Ocampo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The third edition of the foundational volume in Asian American studies

Who are Asian Americans? Moving beyond popular stereotypes of the "model minority" or "forever foreigner," most Americans know surprisingly little of the nation's fastest growing minority population. Since the 1960s, when different Asian immigrant groups came together under the "Asian American" umbrella, they have tirelessly carved out their presence in the labor market, education, politics, and pop culture. Many times, they have done so in the face of racism, discrimination, sexism, homophobia, and socioeconomic disadvantage. Today, contemporary Asian America has emerged as an incredibly diverse population, with each segment of the community facing its unique challenges.

When Contemporary Asian America was first published in 2000, it exposed its readers to the formation and development of Asian American studies as an academic field of study, from its inception as part of the ethnic consciousness movement of the 1960s to the systematic inquiry into more contemporary theoretical and practical issues facing Asian America at the century's end. It was the first volume to integrate a broad range of interdisciplinary research and approaches from a social science perspective to assess the effects of immigration, community development, and socialization on Asian American communities. This updated third edition discusses the impact of September 11 on Asian American identity and citizenship; the continued influence of globalization on past and present waves of immigration; and the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and class on the experiences of Asian immigrants and their children. The volume also provides study questions and recommended supplementary readings and documentary films. This critical text offers a broad overview of Asian American studies and the current state of Asian America.

Review Quotes

"A thoughtfully assembled collection of readings that carefully brings together central themes in Asian American Studies. A great resource for those looking for a lively introduction to the field."--Nazli Kibria, Boston University

"Brings together some of the most important scholarship in Asian American Studies. Contemporary Asian America is a superbly organized anthology, presenting topics ranging from immigration, family, and community to activism, identity, sexuality, race relations and transnationalism. The new research and updated materials on previously understudied Asian ethnic groups are most valuable. Anyone interested in the experiences of Asians in the United States will find much here that is illuminating. The breadth and depth of this volume makes it an excellent reader for undergraduate and graduate level courses in Asian American Studies."--Xiaojian Zhao, University of California, Santa Barbara

About the Author

Min Zhou (Editor)
Min Zhou is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology and the Department of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is co-author of The Asian American Achievement Paradox and editor of Contemporary Chinese Diasporas.

Anthony Christian Ocampo (Editor)
Anthony Christian Ocampo is Professor of Sociology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is the author of The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race and co-editor of Contemporary Asian America, 3rd edition. A Tin House and VONA/Voices of Our Nations Arts fellow, he has published essays in GQ, Catapult, Colorlines, Gravy, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among others. His work has also been featured on NPR, NBC News, BuzzFeed, and in the Los Angeles Times. Raised in Northeast Los Angeles, he earned his BA and MA from Stanford University and his MA and PhD in sociology from UCLA. Say hi to him on Twitter: @anthonyocampo.