AMST 376 - Asian American Political History

Prerequisite, sophomore standing. Asian Americans have experienced a rapid reversal in their political inclusion: historically excluded from naturalization as a race until 1952, they are today the fastest-growing demographic group in the American electorate. Yet little is known about their political history and how it may shape our collective future. Although Asian Americans are often viewed as politically apathetic “model minorities,” their political potential, symbolism, and activism have always been central to their experiences in the US racial landscape. This course explores how Asian Americans have engaged with politics-broadly defined as the exercise of state power-as a lens through which to understand the complexity of race and racism beyond the Black-White binary, the impact of geopolitical dynamics on domestic politics, and the potential of multiracial solidarities in the struggle for freedom. Students will explore Asian American political thought, politics of the excluded, politics of the transnational, politics of the radicalized, multiracial and multiethnic politics, and the processes of politicization from the late 1800s through the present day. Letter grade with Pass/No Pass option. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits