Midterm Flashcards
What is deprofessionalization and how is it important for post-1965 Asian immigrants?
Deprofessionalization is the process of losing professional status. A wave of post-1965 Asian immigrants entered the US due to decreased restrictions on immigration with the passage of the Hart-celler Immigration and Nationality Act. An example of this would be in Wang’s story, as Wendy’s father experiences deprofessionalization from being a professor in China and after immigrating to America became an assembly line worker in a computer repair shop. Deprofessionalization was critical for post-1965 Asian immigrants because it influenced social relationships causing a loss of personal identity and resentment from this professional shift. As their professional status decreased, they had to work a more difficult job once arriving in America.
What is the “success frame” and how did it contribute to the model minority myth?
The success frame is a strict cultural construct created through societal expectations towards achieving success. Aspects of the success frame can include earning straight A’s, being high school valedictorian, earning a degree from an elite university. Institutional resources that support this success frame can be supplemental education like Kumon. Application of the success frame can allow the 1.5 generation to thrive in society and succeed through academic or professional areas. The success frame contributes to the model minority myth and homogenizes Asians. The model minority myth is a stereotype that idealizes Asian Americans (AA) as intelligent and hardworking. An example of the model minority myth is that AA are good at math. The model minority myth ignores the diversity of Asian American cultures. It combines a diverse population together into a homogeneous group that tend to hold higher degrees and earn larger incomes than the general population. However, there are Indian, Samoan, Burmese women that make significantly less income in comparison to their white counterparts.
