Many Asian Americans have made great strides in achieving the American Dream. However, this diverse population faces great challenges from outside their communities as well as from within. Asian American Issues brings to the fore eight major issues affecting the Asian American population today, including media stereotypes of a model minority, transnationalism, panethnicity, intergenerational conflict, and cultural expression. Students will find that the background narrative and questions for debate and discussion are a meaningful way to engage in the current events of this growing ethnic group. The history of Asian immigrants in the United States spans more than 200 years. Today, they are the third largest minority group. Almost half live in the West but there are population shifts to other regions of the country. As they become more visible, community dynamics continue to evolve. Each generation also struggles with what it means to be Asian American.

Despite the relatively short history of the Taiwanese in the United States, they have been a significant presence in America. Since 1965, immigration law changes have led to a dramatic increase in the Asian population in the United States. Taiwanese Americans, the immigrants from Taiwan and their descendants, are a prominent group in this increasing Asian population. This is the first book-length study about the Taiwanese American community in the United States. While most articles have discussed the economic impact of their immigration, this study focuses on their community organization, information networks, religious practices, cultural observances, and the growing second generation. Finally, it concludes with an assessment of the contributions of Taiwanese Americans to U.S. society. Biographical sketches of noted Taiwanese Americans complete the text. The identity of the Taiwanese American community is complex and evolving, because it is partly determined by the politics between Taiwan and China. As relations between Taiwan and China change, so will the identity of Taiwanese Americans. Other variables affecting their identity include the relations between mainlanders and native Taiwanese in Taiwan, political liberalization within Taiwan, the role of U.S. policy towards Taiwan and China, and the nurturing of a Taiwanese consciousness. An increasingly important variable is the orientation of the second generation, American-born Taiwanese Americans. They have the options of being simultaneously Taiwanese American, Chinese American, Asian American and American. Taiwanese Americans are helping to reinvent America by transforming the economic and cultural landscape of the U.S. as haveprevious waves of immigrants.

Asian Americans have made significant contributions to American society. This reference work celebrates the contributions of 166 distinguished Asian Americans. Most people profiled are not featured in any other biographical collection of noted Asian Americans. The Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Filipino Americans, Korean Americans, South Asian Americans (from India and Pakistan), and Southeast Asian Americans (from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam) profiled in this work represent more than 75 fields of endeavor. From historical figures to figure skater Michelle Kwan, this work features both prominent and less familiar individuals who have made significant contributions in their fields. A number of the contemporary subjects have given exclusive interviews for this work.

All biographies have been written by experts in their ethnic fields. Those profiled range widely from distinguished scientists and Nobel Prize winners to sports stars, from actors to activists, from politicians to business leaders, from artists to literary luminaries. All are role models for young men and women, and many have overcome difficult odds to succeed. These colorfully written, substantive biographies detail their subjects' goals, struggles, and commitments to success and to their ethnic communities. More than 40 portraits accompany the biographies and each biography concludes with a list of suggested reading for further research. Appendices organizing the biographies by ethnic group and profession make searching easy. This is the most current biographical dictionary on Asian Americans and is ideal for student research.

Women have shaped immigrant families, reared new generations, and pioneered significant changes in their communities. These essays illuminate the complex and changing roles of Asian American women, examing such diverse subjects as war brides, international marriages, split households, stereotyping, women-centered kin networks, employment, immigrant prostitution, conflict with patriarchal attitudes, feminism, and lesbianism.

Women have shaped immigrant families, reared new generations, and pioneered significant changes in their communities. These essays illuminate the complex and changing roles of Asian American women, examing such diverse subjects as war brides, international marriages, split households, stereotyping, women-centered kin networks, employment, immigrant prostitution, conflict with patriarchal attitudes, feminism, and lesbianism.

Before World War II, family life in Asian American communities was greatly influenced by immigration policies and cultural practices. For some groups, such as the Chinese and the Filipinos, a dearth of females resulted in the appearance of bachelor societies. Among the Japanese, a healthy family society was maintained by the practice of sponsoring "picture brides." The essays in this volume examine such issues as the role of the family, generational changes, and the significance of kinship, networks, newspapers, and credit associations in various Asian American groups.

The United States has seen several anti-Asian movements, as evidenced by immigration policies, naturalization laws, state and local statutes, and acts of violence. In recent years, Asian Americans have mobilized against prejudice and discrimination, organizing media groups and panethnic coalitions to achieve greater political effectiveness. These essays address recent issues of interethnic relations and conflict and politics in Asian American communities, ranging from the Japanese American redress movement for unjustified World War II internment, Japan-bashing, the model minority stereotype, resistance to urban renewal, interethnic conflicts with other groups, Asian American politics, Asian American panethnicity, and involvement in ancestral homeland politics.

Provides insights into important Asian American concerns, The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population since the mid-1960s, Asian Americans encompass Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Vietnamese, Lao, Hmong, Cambodians, Iu-Mien, and others. Their remarkably diverse ethnic, social, historical, and religious backgrounds and experiences enrich the cultural fabric of the United States. The study of Asian Americans offers many insights on such issues as immigration, refugee policy, transnationalism, return migration, cultural citizenship, ethnic communities, community building, identity and group formation, panethnicity, race relations, gender and class, entrepreneurship, employment, representation, politics, adaptation, and acculturation
Features multidisciplinary perspectives, This collection of articles presents contemporary research that examines such issues as the growing political power of Asian Americans, the empowerment of emigrant women, the rise of youth gangs, relations between ethnic groups, the migration of highly educated Asians, and other important subjects. The writings are drawn from a wide variety of disciplines to provide a broad but informative array of insights on this fascinating and diverse population. The different volumes give in-depth exposure to important issues linked to the different communities and impart a greater understanding of the Asian Americans in the United States. Each volume features an introduction by the editor that places the articles in context, draws attention to important Asian American concerns, and comments on analyses that are particularly incisive
A versatile classroom and student research resource, Because its coverage cuts across so many disciplines, this important collection is useful in cultural, ethnic, and women's studies, history, sociology, economics and labor studies, political science, and anthropology. The material can be used in courses or by students individually. Professors will appreciate the collection because it gives them access to a concentration of material for classroom use and is a user-friendly way to introduce students to a variety of opinions and diversity of sources that can get them started on doing their own research. Students will appreciate the many articles as a veritable gold mine of information for reports and papers. Librarians will be pleased by the set's durability and permanence that will save wear and tear on journal collections. Individual volumes available:
Vol. 1. The History and Immigration of Asian Americans
264 pages, 0-8153-2690-4
Vol. 2. Asian American Family Life and Community
304 pages, 0-8153-2691-2
Vol. 3. Asian American Women and Gender
272 pages, 0-8153-2692-0
Vol. 4. Adaptation, Acculturation and Transnational Ties Among Asian Americans
272 pages, 0-8153-2693-9
Vol. 5. Asian American Interethnic Relations and Politics
280 pages, 0-8153-2694-7
Vol. 6. Asian American Issues Relating to Labor, Economics, and Socioeconomic Status
240 pages, 0-8153-2695-5