April 17, 2009

The Dry Side of DSK

Hey girls,
This is a cool pic that does NOT relate to this post in any way! LoL, I just wanted a picture!

Some of you may know that I've been sick..and really nervous for my presentation of this research paper I wrote on ethnic rivalries among Asian folk. I've been trying my best to prepare an outline for my boring ass talk tomorrow at the 3rd Annual International Asian Pacific American Conference at the Kellog Center @ Michigan State University.

I'm going to be presenting along with scholars..ppl with Ph.D's, and Ph.D candidates. (Basically, people who make Asian American Studies their life).

LoL, even someone from Germany is coming to give a presentation. She paid for her own TICKET & LODGING..seriously?!? We have students from across the nation flying in to be there tomorrow. I didn't go to any of the past conferences so I don't really know what it's going to be like, but my friend John, who is the Program Assistant for the APA Program, said all the people are dryyyyy, "sandpaper dry." LOL, apparently they all just read their 1000 page paper, followed by a Q&A session.

I did not volunteer for this, it's a part of my internship for the College of Social Science. I intern for the Asian Pacific American Studies Program Office here at State, and basically, I've been busting my ass behind the scenes putting together invitations, formatting the program's abstracts, and the works. Now, I'm obligated to present this paper I was obligated to write. This is also the paper that landed me a job as a Research Assistant for the History Department (duties in which I have been neglecting).

I've gotten to meet two of the authors that I used in my Works Cited, that's kind of neat.

Also, Helen Zia, is our keynote speaker, she's the author of Asian American Dreams, also a lawyer, and lesbian. How about that? She stand for everything liberally awesome. I missed out on her reception today since I was still feeling sick. I got to allocate $550 dollars and pick the food that was catered! (I'm proud of this b/c it's FOOD). And..I didn't get to see it. hahaha, oh wellz......
I have to be there at 8:45AM to help set up, register people etc..sighhh. I'm still feeling sick, I hope I can wake up....I also get my APA Specialization Certificate tomorrow too..horray...I hate being recognize. It's just a piece of paper. LOL, I'm like the proud parent's worst night mare, I literally snap at my parents if they try to talk me up in front of someone, or relatives. My mom and I have gotten into A LOT of arguments about this, I dislike being talked about, and she could brag all day all night like every other Asian mother.

I'm not into oh, I'm awesome!! If I do anything, I do it for myself, and the sense of self-worth I get from the experience is plenty.

I really pride myself on DSK Jewelry, I build my business on my own merit, and my own time without anyone's help. I was doubted by a bunch of family members back in 2005 when would tell them I want to design jewelry. Sadly, my boyfriend still just think it's my "hobby." I feel like my jewelry is so much more than a hobby, it's my ambition, it's my hardwork, it's the thought I put into each piece I make you girls, and the random women or men who buy my pieces at a nail salon. LOL

My apologies bloggers, I just needed to get this out, I've been frustrated all week with school, sickness, and my final projects. Only blog & DSK Jewelry make me happy in times like these. Oh, and also Youtube. Bless your world wide web heart Youtube & Youtube gurus!

Anyhowwwwwwwww, now I will bore you with my ultra DRY, 8 page research paper entitled, "Ethnic Rivalries & The Ideals of Hegemony Among Asian Americans," written by yours truly.

Honestly, the academic side of me has been good all my life. I was the smartest kid in my 5th grade math class. hahaahahaha, so fucking ASIAN. (I got dumber as I aged).

I mean..I care about school, I make it a priority, I just do it and do it well, you know. But I'm not ALL ABOUT SCHOOL.

I'm all about wanting you to know me for me, makeup, beauty, humor, and good laughs. & the excitement of dishing about the latest MAC product! LOL, but I did spend time to research and write this paper, and it is part of who I am. I guess as much as I think it's boring. I want to introduce you girls to the side of me that you don't know.....

The Dry Side. HAHA

If there's grammar mistakes & typos, WOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I was probably taking a beauty blog break while writing it! *Wow, I can't copy/pastes it to have paragraphs, LOL*

Read this if you want go to go to bed real quick!

ABSTRACT:

Yes, I know TOO much about Asian American Ethnicities & Cultures.


Stephanie K. Nguyen
A36339248

April 18, 2009


Ethnic Rivalries and the Ideals of Hegemony Among Asian Americans



The United States of America is enriched with culture, which includes the cultural differences the Asian population has brought with them to America through each their distinct journeys of immigration. The struggles of Asian immigrants have faced include a long history of discrimination and prejudice from non-Asians, and surprisingly other Asians. The power of competitiveness and rivalries among the different races and ethnicity was very strong in the history of time in Asia and carried over to the United States. These oppositions still exist till this day, and we will discover their existence is prevalent because of influence of each groups’ Asiatic roots. “Dealing with stereotyping, racism, and marginality are three of the topics often discussed by social scientists when considering Asian Americans (33, Lee, Hall).” Most if not all Asian immigrants, and their descendents will eventually discover the bigotry among social, racial, and ethnic rivalries between one another and the racial enmity will develop and change their identities as the world turns in the course of time.
Cultural beliefs of Asian American are strongly influenced by the culture of the race or ethnicity home country they blossom from. “The new historical awareness underscored the centrality of anti-Asian racism and highlighted the struggles of Asian immigrants, and their descendants, to overcome their racial predicament (Kurshige & Murray, 47).” Asian immigrants and their descendants form new personal identities as Asian Americans. How much of motherland’s belief and culture influence the mindset of the future generations varies from family to family, and individual to individual. In Asian culture, the greater emphasis on rivalry is family versus family. Asian culture is considered a collectivist culture, therefore the ideals of individualists as popular among Americans is somewhat discouraged by Asian people. Asian American history is an expansion of new ways of thought with respect for their pedigree. As Kurshige and Murray describe these outlooks as, “such perspectives stem in part from focusing on different Asian American groups, but, in a more fundamental sense, they are rooted in different ways of framing the past and different understandings of how history works (Kurishige & Murray, 2).” The ethnic and cultural identities of people who consider themselves as Asian Americans have come a long way to sharing similar their common identity description of Asian American.
In the history of Asians immigration, these people have been faced with discrimination and prejudice from non-Asians. There is a long history of anti-Asian discrimination in the United States. More specifically, Chinese laborers felt the intensity of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. “The anti-Chinese agitation in California, culminating as it did in the Exclusion Law passed by Congress in 1882, was doubtless the most important single factor in the history of American labor…Mongolian labor and the labor movement might have become a conflict of races instead of one of classes (6, Daniels).” When one group of Asian immigrants as the Chinese are singled out in a form of abhorrence by the government of a country, it leaves little room of comfort for other Asian immigrants coexisting in the same time period.
Around the early twentieth century, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino sugar cane laborers felt an intensity of rivalry amongst each other, which was provoked by their employers. In Ronald Takaki’s essay, “Asian Immigrants Raising Cane: The World of Plantation Hawaii,” he talks about the way in which employers of a Hawaiian Sugar Plantation used the idea of ethnic rivalries to their advantage by docking the pay of certain workers based on race. “They utilized a multi-tiered wage system, paying different wage rates to different nationalities for the same work (191, Takaki).” Japanese cane cutters were paid more than Filipino cane cutters for the same work done. A Filipino work-gang leader soon advised his fellow Filipino immigrants to work as hard as the Japanese, and said, “let’s do a good job and show the people of other nations what we can do. Let us not shame our skin! (191, Takaki).” This work-gang leader’s words express the competitive nature innate within these Filipino workers. At that time in history, to be an Asian immigrant meant you had to succumb to what and where society categorized and placed you. This example of rivalry early among Asian immigrants portrays the pride each nationality has of their own ethnicity.
The clash or mixture of Asian immigrants, their Asian America descendents already entail different lifestyle preferences. The clash and mixture of the many different races and ethnicities of Asian in the United States brings out even more diverse opinions on cultural superiority. Steven J. Gold’s piece, “Southeast Asians,” sums up nationality and ethnic groups that make up the broader Southeast Asian population share common perspectives resulting from their opposition to communism and experience as refugees in American.
But they are diverse or different from one another in their “political, religious, and ideological outlook (287, Gold).” He claims that each group contains clusters of people who set their attention towards cultural preservation and home country concerns, but they also have focus groups on their development within the American environment. It could be assumed Southeast Asian refugees put a great emphasis on their individual ethnicity, and strive for the betterment of their people in the motherland, as well as to make a positive impression of their ethnicity or race for the public eye of those in America.
The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group that has throughout history face more discrimination than any other Asian race or ethnic group. Their struggles and small population have made them more vulnerable to other Asian nations. The kinship of Hmong in the United States is very important to the “security, economic as well as social and psychological (Olney, 161)” well being of Hmong refugees. The Hmong refugees and their way of surviving have been compared to the Vietnamese refugees. “Like the Vietnamese, the Hmong certainly do appear to have a distinctive ideology consisting of beliefs and values that facilitate cooperation among kin group members (Olney, 163).” The Hmong and Hmong American presence in the United States evolved much later than that of the Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Vietnamese, not figuring in recent arrivals through sponsorships by family member. “The Hmong, an ethnicity group that lives in mountainous territory throughout China and Southeast Asia, were little known in the United States prior to the late 1970s, where they began to enter as refugees (Gold, 512).” The label of “mountain people” will always be with them.
The Hmong people always will remember the hardships they faced by the Asian countries that have banished them from a home, but in American they are faced with being considered less developed. The Vietnamese may have faced similar issues from others regarding their choice of lifestyle in the United States by other Asian groups already present in the United States. The Vietnamese and Vietnamese American prefer not to be compared to Hmong or Hmong Americans mainly because they know they are distinguished groups. Many Asian countries “look down” upon the Hmong ethnicity for not being a race with their own country. Equality among Asian groups rarely exists in Asia, but in the United States, the addition of the English language, culture, and ideologies of equality have helped diminish the old way of thought. Depending on the generation, some Asian Americans still retain a strong collectivist family ideology and become more difficult to cross lines of culture when choosing a life partner. The family kin is a strong entity that gives some Asian Americans flexibility to make individualistic choices. Respect almost the ultimate rule to follow in an Asian household, no matter the race or ethnicity. It is safe to admit, all Asian groups place great value and emphasis on the practice of respect.
The practice of respect is required of all Asians to be obedient to their elders, but does the practice require respect for people of other nations as well? In the article, “Ethnic Rivalries Reignited in Asia,” the author discusses from an Asian-American viewpoint regarding an article in the New York Times entitled, “Ugly Images of Asian Rivals Become Best Sellers in Japan” written by Norimitsu Onishi in November 19, 2005. The New York Times article written by Onishi discusses the uprising popularity of a series of comic books in Japan “that contain rather stereotypical, derogatory, and hostile portrayals of Chinese and Koreans (Ethnic).” It is possible that the cultural rivalries among the neighboring countries of Asia have carried over to influence the thought of present day Asian Americans. Onishi presents the fact that Japan has enjoyed the status of the only economic superpower out of their neighboring countries in Asia for many decades after the end of World War II.
Social class has been a strong topic of debate among groups of all nationalities. Ones economic status in society is vital in Asian culture, whether in Asia or in America. More specifically, Asians factors a family’s economic status as a priority in judging one another. “Family, language proficiency, income, friendships, place of residence, religion, and other cultural variables (31, Lee, Hall),” are all factors that Asians use to learn and judge their opinion about a person. The name and reputation an Asian family has is also very important. Name means everything to Asians, and all family members must have respect in everything they do to prevent actions that may tarnish and bring shame to their families. Pride is found within a family’s paternal name. The competition among most Asian families is to build up their name to be better than the next family, most importantly through the success of each family member in the aspect of bringing in a large income to the household. These rivalries exist within race, ethnicity, as well as between and among other Asian groups.
In present time, “the emergence of China, South Korea, and India represent increasingly significant threats to Japan’s economic dominance (Ethnic),” this signifies the competition of economic power that may emerge from the nearby Asian countries. Competitiveness and jealously are human nature derived, which as humans we all cannot control the presence of the traits. Economic rivalries often will lead to racial and ethnic hostility among the countries. The results of these Asian countries rivalries may bring mixed feelings for the many identities among Asian Americans. The differences among Asian and Asian American should be recognize among all people to prevent potential biases and prejudice. The clash or mixture of Asian immigrants, their Asian America descendents already entail different lifestyle preferences. The clash and mixture of the many different races and ethnicities of Asian in the United States brings out even more diverse opinions on cultural superiority, and hegemony.
In his research article, “Ethnic Boundaries and Ethnic Entrepreneurships: A Photo Elicitation Study,” Steven J. Gold makes note of the, “relatively recent (Vietnamese) refugees..lack the social, economic, and motivational resources of “ideal type” entrepreneur groups like the Chinese, Japanese..of the early 20th century or the Koreans..of the current era (ORR, 1989, Gold).” This creates the sense of business success superiority the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean may have over the Vietnamese in the United States. “Ethnic Vietnamese entrepreneurs often resent Chinese Vietnamese economic dominance, which they feel hinders their chances of business success” (Gold, 10), this is rivalry among immigrants who both come from Vietnam to the United States. The Chinese Vietnamese bring to mind a record of compulsory assimilation in Vietnam; both groups still carry the mindset or are scarred by the past history in the Asian country of Vietnam.
“Boundaries between Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese sub-population appear to limit the degree of cooperation that can be achieved in the realm of ethnic business activities (Gold, 10),” Gold focuses on the ethnic enmities among these two groups, and presents the idea of ethnic pride as barrier to the potential of both groups which they could benefit from if they combined their expertise in the interest of business. He feels this issue could make the adjustments to the U.S. more difficult for each group compared to two communities who go along better than the Vietnamese and Chinese Vietnamese did through his eyes. Even though, these two groups choose not to cooperate in the business aspect, they still respect each other and welcome each other as customers.
Ethnic cooperation has become one factor that has helped push the Asian American community to a more prosperous position of peace with one another. Oriental grocery stores are a great example of commonality. The exposure to ethnic food aisles at the Asian food stores allow all people of different backgrounds to fulfill their curiosities and try popular traditional foods of other Asian nations. Food is universal language that brings people together. To be able to relate is a very important aspect of living in society with other people. According to Steven J. Gold, “ethnic boundaries appear to be of diminishing importance with the passage of time in the U.S. (Gold, 265).” Gold has an optimistic paradigm of the relationships among the different race and ethnicities of Asian groups in America. He firmly believes that ethnic cooperation is a key star to prosperous economic development in the Asian communities in America.
The question that must be asked is, “Can these people who have offspring from different Asiatic parents overcome their individual cultural attitudes to coexist in the United States in harmony? The answer is yes. Many Asian Americans students, professionals, professors, and so many more have come together to promote a common cause of spreading the awareness of Asian American presence throughout the United States mainstreaming from campus to campus. First, we must understand each other before we are able to educate America on our shared identities as Asian Americans. The value that is a result of Asian American studies is that everyone gets exposure to each other’s race, ethnicity, and most importantly the culture of one’s roots. The constructions of more positive Asian American identities are constantly being constructed in the minds of Asian Americans youths. The relationship among each race and ethnicity of all people will overcome the ethnic rivalries, and social hegemony among Asian Americans.


Works Cited

[1] Daniels, Roger.“Neglect and Distortion of Asian Americans by American Historians,” in Major Problems in Asian American History, edited by Lon Kurashige and Alice Yang Murray (Boston: Houghton Mifflin.) pp. 1-9

[2] Dunnigan, Timothy. Et. Al., “Hmong, in Case Studies in Diversity,” Refugees in America in the 1990s, edited by David Haines (Prager, 1997) pp. 146-163

[3] Gold, Steven. “Ethnic Boundaries and Ethnic Entrepreneurship: A Photo-Elicitation Study,” Visual Sociology, Vol. 6, No. 2 (1991), pp.9-22 and ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement) 1989 Report to Congress: refugee Resettlement Program.

[4] Gold, Steven. “Southeast Asians,” in Our Multicultural Heritage: A Guide to America’s Principal Ethnic Groups edited by Elliot Barkan (Greenwood Press, 1999), pp. 505-519

[5] Lee, John D., and Hall, Christine Iijima. “Being Asian in North American,” in Psychology and Culture edited by Walter Lonner & Roy Malpass (Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1994), pp. 29-33

[6] Kurashige, Lon, Murray, Alice Yang, “Chapter 1, Framing Asian American History.” Major Problems in Asian American History, Documents and Essays edited by Lon Kurashige and Alice Yang Murray. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, pp. 47-48

[7] Onishi, Norimitsu. “Ugly Image of Asian Rivals Become Best Sellers in Japan.” Published on November 19, 2005. The New York Times. [Accessed online: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/19/international/asia/19comics.html]

[8] Takaki, Ronald. “Asian Immigrants Raising Cane: The World of Plantation Hawaii.” In Major Problems in the History of American Workers, 2nd Edition. Documents and Essays Edited by Eilileen Boris and Nelson Litchtenstein, pp. 187-198. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

[9] “Ethnicity Rivalries Reignited in Asia.” November 22, 2005. Asian Nation. [Accessed online: http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2005/11/ethnic-rivalries-reignited-in-asia/] Anonymous Professor of Sociology and Asian American Studies, Ph.D.

For those of you, like myself who enjoy pictures over text, check out my latest !

I'm soon to introduce...
The Midas Touch - Your Heart of Gold
18K Gold Plated Swarovski Crystal Heart with 18K Gold Plated Leaf Bail

I'm still revising it, I like the chain for sure, I'm think a larger crystal.
This is the 14mm, I'm thinking BIGGER bling-age, like 18mm, 28mm, maybe 40mm?!
I wanna make it big cause it's BOSS.


THE BOSS COLLECTION by DSK coming soon!!


Also, I have a new DSK Jewelry Model, she's way cute.way CUTE, and has the best SMILE ever.

Hint* She's a Youtube Guru
She's # 21 Most Viewed (today) -Gurus
from the Chicago area

I'm so excited for you to meet her!!

14 comments:

  1. Wow DSK what a coincidence, I'm also writing a paper about a similar topic-- american discrimination and white supremacist groups against Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the 1800s. Haha mind you, I am only a mere high school student so my paper is most likely nothing compared to yours.
    I enjoyed reading your paper! I think I found some similar information and it helped me think about what to write in my essay. Good luck in the presentation!

    ReplyDelete
  2. have a good presentation for tomorrow!! and gosh, i didn't read it yet lol too much text for my dried eyes. contact lenses are drying up..lol...i gotta take them off after i write this comment. Even if I read your text..i think I won't understand a thing Loll well...maybe i will for some of it ( i dont suck that bad D:!! lol) On the other hand, I support your idea on having a big big heart crystal. YES, The Boss! (nice name for a collection) lol... and this golden leaf + chain.....that-is-so-what-i-want!!!!!!! Im very curious about that person from youtube. UUmm..nope..that's not her...I thought it was gonna be Xteeener. But i just looked at it a second ago, and..nah...she's #12 most viewed (today)-Guru.
    Anyhow!!!!!! eat lots of candies so that you get hyper for tomorrow xD !! Take good care of you, girl!! (reading your blogs about ambitions really got me into a "hyper working-mode". I feel so bad about my life right now LOL)

    ReplyDelete
  3. that's a great paper with some SUPER valid points!! i'm sure you'll kick ass at your presentation.

    woah, BOSS COLLECTION! i love the name ahaha xD

    ReplyDelete
  4. I know you'll do fine at your presentation! Cuz you're the BOSS and you ROCK!!

    We soooo appreciate all the love you put into the pieces you make for us! I hope you know that!!

    You're newest creations are fabulous, and I can't wait for the unveiling of your model! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. good luck on ur speech tomorrow!!! i didnt read ur speech.. too long =X haha. but im sure its good. i love ur dsk jewelry designs! &&& hope u get better!

    ReplyDelete
  6. All the best for tomorrow! I didn't read your paper, sorry! I jumped right to the pictures haha. Can't wait to see who's your model!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good luck on your presentation Chi! I am certain you will do well! :) You were good in math? haha Math has always been my WORSE subject! :P

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are absolutely right about those inter-asian rivalries, and I think it's worse in our parents and grandparents generations. Very good observations!!

    I am sure that your presentation will go very well...you are DSK, after all!!

    Love the new collection!

    ReplyDelete
  9. lol,I like how you put lesbian into there too haha. Lawyer and lesbian.
    I have major ADD so my bf read it just now. He likes it. Now he's having a debate with me over it XD. I was like talk to Steph! not me! lol
    Ohhh no doubting with me! I believe in everyone :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good luck sweetie your paper is great! And I absolutely loooove your jewelry too they are all so beautiful. I could never have the time to make those kind of creations. Take care.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  11. i am not gon' lie to u girl, i didn't read that speech at all! but i am putting a "star" on this post in my google reader so that i do remember to read it at a later time. i AM interested in it just because i've personally felt and been around the asians hating asians thing. typically it's other asian girls but as i grew up, i realized it's a LOT deeper than that. anyway, good luck with ur speech, and *I* believe in ur business and wish u only the best. ALSO, u've inspired me, i think i'm gonna start jewelry making too... but not to sell, all for me =) hehe

    ReplyDelete
  12. girl that was a LOT of writing..
    LOL....
    1. cant wait for the boss collection to come out! my poor wallet...

    2. i hope your feeling a lot better!

    3. once your rich everyone will be "damn...she was right all along"

    4. cant wait to see your not cute model! :)

    5. love ya!!:P

    ReplyDelete
  13. oops i mean to say NEW** model not NOT...make sense??ahh my nails are drying right now just painted it so i am mis typing some words...

    ReplyDelete
  14. I want to sit down and read this sometime esp since I was a China Studies minor. Asian Studies always fascinates me. But I'm too tired right now >.<

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments!