model minority myth

Question 1

model minority stereotype

Answer 1

• smart, good at math, STEM disposed
• wealthy, saves $
• hard-working, submissive, uncomplaining

Question 2

1965 immigration act

Answer 2

preference based, skilled workers
hyper-selectivity

Question 3

hyper-selectivity

Answer 3

where immigrants are more likely to graduate from college than their non-migrant counterparts from countries of origin and also more likely to be college graduates than the host population

Question 4

h-1b visa program

Answer 4

• created in 1990; accelerated hyper-selectivity
• positives –> helps poor and working-class override class disadvantages

Question 5

first formulation of model minority term

Answer 5

jan 1996 – “success story, japanese-american style”

Question 6

japanese nissei

Answer 6

• he’s saying he’s not racist since he’s saying they’re better than white people

Question 7

“success story of one minority group in the US”

david r. gergen, 1996

Answer 7

• says they should be modeled, not mocked
• faced more prejudice than african americans

Question 8

3 contexts for development of term

Answer 8

1. before the hart-cellar act of 1965
2. not long after japanese internment
3. during civil rights movement

Question 9

continued used of model minority term

news articles

Answer 9

• 1971 newsweek article “success story: outwhiting the whites”
• 1977 article in LA times – “JA most successful racial minority in US history”
• 1978 washington post article – re-emphasizes that success can be won by the latest of immigrant groups
• 1987 time magazine article – “those asian-american whiz kids”

Question 10

“success story: outwhiting the whites”

1971 newsweek article

Answer 10

• implying that white = successful/the standard
• japanese americans responded to wartime internment by US gov by saying “i’ll become an even better american”
• said that japanese americans were more successful than majority americans

Question 11

education attainment – fiction 1

Answer 11

AAPI students are “taking over” US higher education
- fact a: increasing presence of AAPI students parallels similar increases for other groups
- fact b: AAPI student population is concentrated in small percentage of institutions, giving false impression of high enrollment in higher education overall
- fact c: ??

Question 12

detriments of model minority myth

know the specifics of each detriment too!

Answer 12

• pressure and stress
• limits occupation and mobility
• ignores diversity within and issues
• divisive and resentment between groups
• encourages anti-asian sentiment, harassment, violence
• minimizes accomplishments

Question 13

education attainment – fiction 2

Answer 13

AAPI students are concentrated in only selective 4-year universities
- fact a: AAPI students are evenly distributed in 2- and 4-year institutions, with majority attending public institutions
- fact b: AAPI enrollment in public 2-year community colleges is increasing at faster rate than enrollment in 4-year colleges

Question 14

affirmative action

Answer 14

1980s – rising AAPI college presence brought about informal quotas to limit admissions

Question 15

university of CA v. bakke

1978

Answer 15

• argued reverse discrimination
• upheld affirmative action but didn’t allow for quotas
• white plaintiffs but asian americans used as the poster child

Question 16

affirmative action debate today

Answer 16

• “asian american penalty
• used to dismantle affirmative action
• asian americans shouldn’t be judged by harmful stereotypes