Myth of the Model Minority: Asian Americans Facing Racism, Second Edition

The second edition of this popular book adds important new research on how racial stereotyping is gendered and sexualized. New interviews show that Asian American men feel emasculated in America’s male hierarchy. Women recount their experiences of being exoticized, subtly and otherwise, as sexual objects. The new data reveal how race, gender, and sexuality intersect in the lives of Asian Americans. The text retains all the features of the renowned first edition, which offered the first in-depth exploration of how Asian Americans experience and cope with everyday racism. The book depicts the “double consciousness” of many Asian Americans—experiencing racism but feeling the pressures to conform to popular images of their group as America’s highly achieving “model minority.”

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 The Reality of Asian American Oppression; Chapter 2 Everyday Racism; Chapter 3 Everyday Racism; Chapter 4 The Many Costs of Anti-Asian Discrimination; Chapter 5 Struggle and Conformity; Chapter 6 Acts of Resistance; Chapter 7 Reprise and Conclusions;

Review :
Praise for the first edition: “The authors show how the ‘model minority’ is a myth, too inaccurate to be useful. They reveal how it reflects invidious assumptions and is abused for political purposes. Anyone who cares about Asian Americans—indeed, who is interested in the dynamics of diversity—should be interested in this detailed critique. Very highly recommended.” —Frank H. Wu, author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White “Through a compelling analysis of white racism experienced by Asian Americans in their everyday lives, Chou and Feagin offer a powerful examination of the psychological and emotional burdens imposed by racism in contemporary society.” —Leland T. Saito, University of Southern California “Most Americans believe Asian Americans are content, do not suffer from discrimination, and are all in the path to whiteness. Bravo to the authors for bringing to the fore the racial oppression endured by Asian Americans!” —Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Duke University “This book captures how individual Asian Americans encounter racial hostility and discrimination in a variety of social and institutional spaces, and the distinct ways they strategically respond to such treatment. Some respondents resign themselves to situations, while others challenge and actively resist stereotyping, inequitable treatment, and harassment. But as Chou and Feagin convincingly argue, all are both blessed and cursed with the ‘double consciousness’ shaped by a pervasive ‘white racial frame.’” —Michael Omi, University of California–Berkeley “As an often invisible and silent minority, Asian Americans can at last find voice in this brilliant book that recognizes the reality of their experience. The courage, nobility, and honesty of the authors will assist all involved in the struggle for equity and inclusion.” —Edna B. Chun, Broward Community College “This work can be a powerful contribution to sociology and ethnic studies courses....The power of this book is in its simplicity....The careful documentation of Asian American voices provides rich data and clearly demonstrates the existence and persistence of anti-Asian racism.” —Journal of American Ethnic History