AAS 360: ASIAN AMERICAN IMMIGRATION - GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Course Information Overview

Professor Gina has two sections of AAS 201: Race, Racism, and Critical Thinking to teach this Fall 2009:

• #13126, Tu and Th 0930 to 1045, Sierra Hall 205
• #13797, Tu and Th 0200 to 0315, Sierra Hall 321

Click the following link to download a PDF version of the full syllabus. Please note that the downloaded version may be older than the web version (latest version 8-24-09).

We will use Moodle in this class and you need to have a CSUN email account in order to be able to log into Moodle to view the class schedule and to participate in the course's Web Discussion Board.

Furlough Notice

Dear CSUN students,

For the past 10 years the CSU system has suffered chronic under-funding.  This year, because of the state economic crisis, the budget cuts are draconian, $584 million, the worst ever in decades.  The CSU administration is attempting to manage these cuts by dramatically increasing student fees and by furloughing almost all University employees, including faculty, staff, and administrators.   A furlough means mandatory un-paid days off for employees; there are 18 of these this year for the faculty, nine per semester.

For students this means that on some days the campus will be closed.  The library will have shorter hours and many campus support services will be decreased or eliminated. It will, for example, be more difficult to get signatures to meet deadlines. Additionally, many classes you need have been cut from the class schedule or are full.  These cuts have consequences, especially for you. 

As a professor, the days and assignments when I’m forced to cancel class because of the furloughs are marked on your syllabus schedule in red.  These days off are not holidays; they are a very concrete example of how budget cuts have consequences for education.

So let’s talk today about what is happening, after you leave class you can stop by the tent on the quad this week during lunch hour to tell your stories of how these cuts effect students and when you ask yourself what can you do - get involved (Students for a Quality education is one way – they will be at the tent).

In Solidarity,

Prof. Gina Masequesmay

Course Description

Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examines Asian immigration to the U.S. from a world systems perspective. Examines immigration process and the implication of this process for contemporary interest in the Pacific Rim. Topics include origins of Asian immigration, major U.S. immigration legislation, demographic structure of contemporary Asian immigration, and cross-cultural comparisons of other world groups. Regular writing assignments required. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies)

Instructor's Course Description

This course teaches students to critically examine the issues of migration from the contexts of emigration (pre-migration), migration, settlements or immigration, and resettlements. Starting from a global perspective of migration of people around the world and theories to help understand these selective patterns of migration and settlement, we zoom in on a few case examples of Asian emigration, migration and settlement in the Americas. Starting with a quick overview of the past (Pre-1965), we explore more closely current (post-1965) trends and the economic, social, political dimensions of today’s migrant groups’ experiences and how they have transformed our local and international landscapes. This course is writing intensive (GE WI) and requires of students individual and group papers. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Section A.1 (Composition) and Passing of the Writing Proficiency Exam.

Course Prerequisites

Completion of GE Section A.1 (Composition) and Passing of the Writing Proficiency Exam.

Goal of Comparative Cultural Studies / Gender, Race, Class, Ethnicity Studies

Students will understand the diversity and multiplicity of cultural forces that shape the world through the study of cultures, gender, sexuality, race, religion, class, ethnicities and languages with special focus on the contributions, differences, and global perspectives of diverse cultures and societies.

GE Student Learning Outcomes

1. Explain how various cultures contribute to the development of our multicultural world.
2. Describe and explain how race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, sexuality and other markers of social identity impact life experiences and social relations.
3. Analyze and explain the deleterious impact and the privileges sustained by racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, classism, homophobia, religious intolerance or stereotyping on all sectors of society.

The Course's Student Learning Objectives

1. Use a global perspective to understand that migration is a selective process based on the contexts of emigration, migration and reception.
2. Critically examine how globalization influences migration, adaptation, and ethnic community formation, and in turn, how migrants transform their lives and community of origin and of destination(s).
3. Understand how race, immigration and nationalism are interconnected processes of the global political economy.
4. Have general knowledge of the experiences of Asian migrants and their offsprings, particular those in the U.S. in the first wave and second wave of migration.
5. Examine case studies of selected contemporary Asian migrant groups with regards to their economic, cultural and political incorporation into the host society and their transnational connections.
6. Compare Asian migrants in the U.S. to those in other parts of the Americas.

Goal of a Writing Intensive Designation Course

Students will develop their abilities to express themselves and the knowledge they have obtained through practicing various forms of writing within different disciplinary contexts. Writing intensive courses will build upon the skills gained in the Analytical Reading and Expository Writing section of Basic Skills. In each WI course students will be required to complete writing assignments totaling a minimum of 2500 words.

Student Learning Outcomes for GE WI Designation

1. Develop and clearly define their ideas through writing
2. Ethically integrate sources of various kinds into their writing
3. Compose texts through drafting, revising, and completing a finished product
4. Express themselves through their writing by posing questions, making original claims, and coherently structuring complex ideas
5. Revise their writing for greater cogency and clarity
6. Utilize adopted communication modes and documentation styles of specific disciplines (MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE, etc) where appropriate.

Course Format and Requirements

The course format consists of short lectures, films (4), group activities, in-class writing assignments, homework writing assignments, and class discussions. Students should read the assigned material(s) BEFORE coming to class. I expect students to be prepared and ready to engage in class discussion based on the readings. Homework assignments will be given to help students through the readings and in-class assignments and pop quizzes are to ensure students have done the readings and achieved basic level understanding and application of the materials.

Attendance accounts for 10% of your grade or 40 points, where 10 points are give-away points. An absence means a deduction of 1 point; tardiness or leaving class early leads to a subtraction of 0.5 point. I take attendance at the beginning of class. If you are late, make sure I mark you down at the end of class; otherwise, my record will show you have an absence. You are given automatic excuses for 2 absences and 2 tardies; after that, I accept no excuses unless it’s life threatening. You will need to provide proof of emergencies.

Class participation is required for full course credit and is based on the student’s thoughtful contribution to class discussion. Babbling without having read class materials does not count. Please note that participation correlates with attendance and involvement in class activities (40 points). I will intermittently record students’ participations during class. In addition to class participation, students can also use the class web discussion forum (via Moodle) as a way to further discuss issues raised in class. Thoughtfully asking relevant questions, answering others’ questions, and commenting on others’ responses are ways of earning participation points aside from in-class participation.

There are six writing assignments to help students better understand the reading or film materials. Each writing assignment is worth 20 points for a total of 120 points or 30% of your class grade. No late work is accepted except for emergency cases. These assignments are to help students further apply concepts learned in class and to help them flush out ideas for their final paper. For the most part, students are given full credit for doing and correcting their assignments. However, the professor also “randomly” selects papers to grade, especially papers that look like there have not been much effort put into the assignment. At times, students are encouraged to work in producing a group paper so that they could learn from one another.

To have a better grasp of issues surrounding immigration, students are assigned to interview an Asian American immigrant and/or their descendants. Students will be grouped into teams to work on different ethnic groups (e.g., Pilipino, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese).  Through class work and homework, students are to come up with questions to ask their interviewees and from which data are gathered about their subjects. Applying concepts learned in class, each student is then to write an essay about their interviewee with special attention to contexts of emigration, migration and settlement.  This essay is the midterm essay that is 25% of your grade or 100 points. Further guides will be given on this assignment.

The final is not an exam but a final essay that will be collected on final day. Students who finish their essays ahead of time are welcomed to turn them in early. The final essay is a means of assessing students’ comprehension of class materials by requiring that they apply concepts learned in class to rewrite and expand ideas from their midterm essay. The final essay is worth 100 points or 25% of your grade.

Grading

Grading Breakdown

Required Components	Points	Percent
Attendance	40	10
Participation	40	10
Class Notes & Presentations (2)	120	30
Midterm Paper	100	25
Final Paper	100	25
Total	400 points	100%

 

Grading is based on a strict scale of 400 points.

Grading Summary Table

380-400 points is an A	293-308 is a C
360-379 is an A-	280-292 is a C
349-359 is a B+	269-279 is a D+
333-348 is a B	253-268 is a D
320-332 is a B-	240-252 is a D-
309-319 is a C+	Below 240 is an F

Details of Course Components

The course format consists of short lectures, films (4), group activities, group presentations of assigned readings, posting of reading notes on the class web forum (via Moodle), and class discussions. Students should read the assigned material(s) BEFORE coming to class. I expect students to be prepared and ready to engage in class discussion based on the readings.

Attendance accounts for 10% of your grade or 40 points, where 10 points are give-away points. An absence means a deduction of 1 point; tardiness or leaving class early leads to a subtraction of 0.5 point. I take attendance at the beginning of class. If you are late, make sure I mark you down at the end of class; otherwise, my record will show you have an absence. You are given automatic excuses for 2 absences and 2 tardies; after that, I accept no excuses unless it’s life threatening. You will need to provide proof of emergencies.

Class participation is required for full course credit and is based on the student’s thoughtful contribution to class discussion. Babbling without having read class materials does not count. Please note that participation correlates with attendance and involvement in class activities (40 points). I will intermittently record students’ participations during class. In addition to class participation, students can also use the class web discussion forum (via Moodle) as a way to further discuss issues raised in class. Thoughtfully asking relevant questions, answering others’ questions, and commenting on others’ responses are ways of earning participation points aside from in-class participation.

To facilitate class engagement and students’ better understanding of the reading materials, 2 notes and 2 group presentations are required of students to earn 30% of the total grade. Students are required to sign up for 2 selected class readings, take notes on them, post their notes on the class web forum, and present them in class (10-15 minutes). Students can present individually or in a group of 2 to 3 students. After each class presentation and discussion, students are then to post a revised version of the notes on the class web forum. Each note is worth 30 points (initial=10; revised=20) and each group presentation is worth 30 points for a subtotal of 60 points on one reading. After 2 readings, a student should earn a maximum of 120 points in this section on Class Notes and Presentations. Given that readings are assigned on specific weeks, no late work is accepted except for emergency cases where students will need to consult the professor for an alternative assignment. [Note that 2 assignments have been taken out and points redistributed b/c of furlough.]

In lieu of a midterm exam, we have a midterm paper. To enable students to have a deeper understanding about immigration, students are assigned to interview an Asian American immigrant and/or their descendants. Students will be grouped into teams to work on different groups (e.g., Pilipino, Chinese, Korean, South Asian, Southeast Asian refugees, Southeast Asian immigrants, and Japanese). A guide will be given to help students come up with questions to ask their interviewees. Students are to document their subject’s migration and adaptation story. Applying concepts and ideas learned in class, each student is then to write an essay about their interviewee with special attention to contexts of emigration, migration and settlement. This midterm essay is 25% of your grade or 100 points and is due on Thursday of Week 6. Further guides will be given on this assignment

The final is not an exam but a final paper that will be collected on final day. Students who finish their essays ahead of time are welcomed to turn them in early. The final essay is a means of assessing students’ comprehension of class materials by requiring that they apply concepts learned in class to rewrite and expand ideas from their midterm essay. Students will need to provide an analysis of their case study to the larger patterns of Asian migration. The final paper is worth 100 points or 25% of the total grade. Further guides will be given on this assignment.

Additional Advice from Your Professor

Let’s humanize our experience! I highly encourage you to see me during office hour or by appointment at least once so that I will have a chance to know you and that you can ask me questions about class, majoring/minoring, graduate school, and career options. If you have any struggles (e.g., financial difficulties, family obligations, learning disability), please let me know ahead so we can work around them. However, scheduling in work or a doctor appointment during class time is not excusable unless it is life threatening.  If you are really shy, you can bring along another classmate to make the experience less intimidating.

To get the most out of this class, you should:

• actively engage in the course materials (do the assigned work on time)
• listen mindfully to thoughts, experiences, and emotions shared by others (to understand; not to judge)
• accept that there are usually more than two ways of viewing the world and that your perspective is shaped by your limited experience in the world
• remain open to new ideas that may conflict with your own for it is in conflict that we can learn and grow.

Because the issues discussed in this class can be controversial and can evoke strong emotions, please temper your questions, answers and comments with respect for others' differences in opinions and with patience for others' unskilled expressions so that we can create a safe environment for learning issues of which we might be ignorant or misinformed. The best way to do this is to first see our common humanity with our strengths and weaknesses in a struggle to survive and to be accepted/loved. Once we can see this, we can become more open to differences and can always remember to return to this commonality when we are frustrated, angry, confused, condescending, hurt, etc. As a class, if we can be mindful that what we know and feel are based on our limited experiences in the world, then we can try to be less judgmental and more aware of how our reactions and emotions to differing ideas are based on our own limited interaction in the world. While logic and social scientific evidence can help us through muddy thinking, our strong emotions can steer us in other ways. Hence, be thoughtful, self-reflexive and committed to fostering a safe space in the classroom to discuss difficult issues that will encourage each of us to grow and expand our mind, and in the process, hopefully to also open our heart.

This class has a Moodle webpage where the class schedule is listed and frequently updated. Students are encouraged to view it to stay on top of things they might have missed when absent. Please also befriend your classmates for help in catching up and to collaborate on some class assignments and to study together. The class Moodle page also has a “forum” or web discussion board and you need to log in to post messages there.

Quick Outline of Schedule

Please go to Moodle site for details and updates.

Date	Reading & Writing Assignments and Class Activities
Week 1 8/25 & 8/27	Introduction: Syllabus, Professor, Students
	Overview on World Migration and Its Impacts
Week 2 9/1 & 9/3	Issues and Theories
Week 3 9/8 & 9/10	More Theories and Globalization
Week 4 9/15 & 9/17	Pre-1945: A Glance into the Past
Week 5 9/22 & 9/24	Since 1945 and the Asian Pacific Rim
Week 6 9/29 & 10/1	Policies and Agency Midterm Paper Due!
	Case Studies of Different Migrant Groups
Week 7 10/6 & 10/8	Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Ethnic Enclaves
Week 8 10/13 & 10/15	Migrant Professionals
Week 9 10/20 & 10/22	Refugeess from Southeast Asia
Week 10 10/27 & 10/29	Challenges for 1.5 and 2nd Generations
Week 11 11/3 & 11/5	The Undocumented and the Marginalized
Week 12 11/10 & 11/12	Politics and Community
Week 13 11/17 & 11/19	Transnationalism and Identity
Week 14 11/24	Furlough Day! No Class!
Week 15 12/1 & 12/3	Stories from the Other Part of the Americas
Week 16 12/8	Conclusion - cancelled and replaced by research paper day. Furlough Day!
Week 16 & 17 12/10 to 12/16	Thursday 12/10 from 12:45 to 2:45 PM is Final time. Final Paper is due in class during final time.