Diversity Lecture Series - Thursday, April 17th - John Palmer
By admin | March 28, 2008
DECONSTRUCTING THE IMAGE OF THE “MODEL” MINORITY
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John Palmer Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:30 PM - 2 PM Baxter Events Center |
Asian-Americans have been depicted by the popular media and leading politicians as the “model minority” due primarily to stereotypical beliefs concerning their economic and educational achievements and reluctance to speak out against racism and discrimination. Moreover, the popular media and influential leaders hailed the Asian-American success story as a shining example that through perseverance and hard work all people could adhere to the motto of “America as the land of opportunity.” This workshop then attempts to disclose the harmful effects and misnomers of the model minority stereotype. The first part provides a brief historical account of where the term “model minority” derived from and how it has been used to uphold the beliefs in meritocracy while at the same time attempting to claim racism as dead in America. The second part attempts to demystify this stereotype through the existing literature on particular Asian American groups who are not “living the American dream.” The third part reveals evidence on how the model minority stereotype has negatively impacted Asian-Americans’ lives. The conclusion offers suggestions to the audience on how to overcome stereotypes in their lives.
Topics: Events, Home, Multicultural |