Constructing the Asian American Identity

Constructing the Asian American Identity
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Constructing the Asian American Identity
Introduction
Globalization and the subsequent arrival of millions of incomers into America over the past decades has created a culturally and ethnically diverse nation in the U.S. The arrival of Asian and Pacific Islanders into the U.S. from the 18th century created a new identity in the Americas- the Asian America. However, there is a deficit of comprehensive studies on Asian Americans, which speaks to a group of people who have been under looked for a long period. Construction of identity means the complex process through which a person develops a clear view of themselves, including self-concept, creation of values, and personality development. This paper discusses social identity development among Asian Americans to ascertain who they believe or view themselves as by applying various research studies on the issue. Additionally, the paper analyses the current developments in racial bias against Asian Americans and how such developments have impacted the Asian American identity.
The Asian American History
The first group of Asians migrated to the U.S. in the mid-1800s, from when they have historically played a key role in shaping the Asian identity. Historically, Asian Americans have experienced racial injustice and exclusion. The California Gold Rush in the early 1800s saw a massive inflow of Chinese gold miners in search of riches. At around the same time, Japan had established diplomatic relations with the West as a response to the humane treatment of the Americans on Japanese victims of the shipwreck. With booming opportunities in the West, Asians took risky journeys to the Americas, facilitated by expansive railroads and advanced shipping technology.
Asian Americans were initially viewed as competitive disruptors of the Americans’ well-being due to their exploitation of natural resources on American soils. Thus, the Asian American identity came with hatred and discrimination from the Americans. This anti-Asian attitude is expressed by the 1875 enactment of the Page Act that prohibited labor recruitment from Japan, China, or the Southeast Asia Countries of people not brought to the U.S. by own will or for immorality purposes. Explicitly, the Act barred the importation of women for prostitution. Additionally, the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted in 1882 and banned Chinese workers from entering the U.S. while denying immigration rights to the Chinese. The scope of this Act expanded over consecutive decades until there was a labor shortage during the Second World War, which forced the U.S. to open its borders to immigrant workers.
The Page Act and the Chinese Exclusion Act shaped the social identity of Asian Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Acts are silhouettes of stereotypes and scapegoating practices by the Americans against the Asians, characterized by belittling interrogations by American immigration authorities. Additionally, the Acts show the general view of Asian identities, for example, women from Oriental countries being viewed as prostitutes. Moreover, Asian Americans were not viewed as 'full Americans,'...