Course Outline for Sociology 10
Asian Americans in U.S. Society

Effective: Fall 2025
SLO Rev: 09/11/2019
Catalog Description:

SOCI 10 - Asian Americans in U.S. Society

3.00 Units

An examination of the experiences and perspectives of Asian Americans from mid-1800's to the present. Major topics will include past and present waves of immigration, citizenship, demographic trends, ethnic enclaves and communities, political involvement, social movements, education, race and racial discrimination, gender and sexuality, media representation, and employment. Provides a comparative context for understanding the panethnic movement. May not receive credit if ES 10 has been completed.
2208.00 - Sociology
Optional
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Total 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. describe the impact of exclusionary immigration policies in shaping the early Asian American demographic;
  2. identify the major Asian American communities, their current demographics, and push and pull factors related to immigration;
  3. explain the role racism and xenophobia played in Asian American community development and compare with other ethnic/racial group experiences;
  4. explain the primary issues facing Asian Americans in general and subgroups in particular;
  5. compare and contrast the experiences of Asian Americans and other U.S. minorities;
  6. identify Asian American participation in major U.S. social institutions;
  7. describe the stereotypes and imagery of Asian Americans;
  8. compare and contrast various ways Asian Americans lead and participate in social change movements and political empowerment;
  9. discuss future trends of Asian Americans.
Course Content:
  1. Asian Americans in the United States pre-1965
    1. Sociological theories on past waves of migration (early Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Asian Indian)
    2. Major social, cultural, political, and economic policies and their impact on Asian Americans (WWII and Japanese Mass Incarceration, Cold War politics, Militarism in Asia)
  2. Immigration policies and their impact before 1965
    1. 1790 Naturalization Law
    2. 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act
  3. Asian Americans in the United States post-1965
    1. Contemporary Asian immigration
    2. Demographic trends
    3. 1965 Immigration Reform and Control Act
    4. US role in Vietnam War and Southeast Asian Refugees
  4. Ethnic enclaves
    1. communities and patterns of settlement
  5. Family
    1. Gender roles
    2. Children and intergenerational conflict
    3. Intermarriage and multiracial identification
    4. Transnational/Transracial Adoption
  6. Gender & Sexuality
  7. Education
    1. model minority stereotype
    2. underrepresented Asian Americans
  8. Economy and work
    1. Labor movements & workers’ rights
    2. Poverty & welfare
    3. Glass/bamboo ceiling
    4. socioeconomic mobility
  9. Asian Americans in the Media
    1. representations across time
    2. gender stereotypes
  10. Race and Asian American identity
    1. Ethnic identity and panethnicity
    2. Racialization
  11. Racism and anti-Asian Violence
    1. Vincent Chin
    2. Anti-Muslim and Anti-Sikh violence in post 9/11 era
  12. Asian American social movements
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Class and group discussions
  2. Community activities/civic engagement projects
  3. Group Presentations
  4. Lecture/Discussion
  5. Written assignments
  6. Research project
  7. Presentation of audio-visual materials
  8. Group Activities
  9. Distance Education
  10. Oral and Written Analysis
  11. Guest speakers
  12. Online Assignments
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Oral history interview: interview a relative or Asian American community member. Base questions on major themes related to class such as immigration, war, assimilation, resistance, work, or family. Write a reflection essay on the interview process, the interviewee’s life story, and compare and contrast their story with readings from class, analyzing patterns of racialization, settlement, immigration, work, or family.
  2. Essay prompts such as: compare the racialization and immigration process of first wave Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, or Asian Indian Americans; identify the key factors in the formation of Asian American communities before WWII ; analyze how wars have impacted the Asian American community, including WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Post-911 era and policies/Iraq War & Afghanistan War.
  3. Research project: select a topic with the approval of the instructor; write a five-page paper including a bibliography of no less than 5 books/journal articles (must include both sources), using MLA style.
  4. Project: interview a staff member from an Asian American Community based organization. Write a short paper explaining the purpose of the organization, population served, community issues, services provided.
  5. In class group exercise/discussion: survey the portrayal of Asian Americans in the local/national press over a one month period, bringing pertinent articles or news items to class. In groups, analyze the content of the articles answering the questions: is there a consistent portrayal of Asian Americans in the media? What are the current Asian American issues/problems identified by the media? Do the articles reinforce any stereotypes and if so are the stereotypes positive or negative?
  1. Exams/Tests
  2. Projects
  3. Class Participation
  4. Final Examination
  5. Homework
  6. Assigned activities
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Analyze significant social issues within various Asian American communities.
  2. Learn about the diversity among Asian groups.
  3. Understand the immigration experience of these groups.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Lee, Erika (2015). The Making of Asian America: A History (1st/e). Simon & Schuster https://caccl-chabot.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=01CACCL_CHABOT:CHABOT&search_scope=MyInstitution&tab=LibraryCatalog&docid=alma991001712909405294.
  1. Dhingra, Pawan and Magalit Rodriguez (2021). Asian America (2nd). Polity.
  2. Zhou, M. and Ocampo, A.C. (Eds.) (2016). Contemporary Asian America: A Multidisciplinary Reader (3rd). NYPress.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
An examination of the experiences and perspectives of Asian Americans from mid-1800's to the present. Major topics will include past and present waves of immigration, citizenship, demographic trends, ethnic enclaves and communities, political involvement, social movements, education, race and racial discrimination, gender and sexuality, media representation, and employment. Provides a comparative context for understanding the panethnic movement.
Discipline:
Sociology*