October 9, 2021
Despite popular pronouncements about the importance of “diversity” and “multiculturalism” in American society, Asian Americans have been either neglected or poorly understood in many contemporary discussions. Utilizing a perspective that is based on social science rather than fashionable political rhetoric such as the “Model Minority Myth,” this lecture will provide a broad overview on the history, demography, and sociology of Asian Americans. Cultural factors will also be considered because they are important in understanding socioeconomic outcomes especially for Asian Americans. The investigation of Asian Americans not only yields significant insights about the nature of racial inequality, but also promotes a deeper understanding of mainstream American culture and society.
Click here to download Prof. Sakamoto’s presentation used during the webinar.
Speaker
Arthur Sakamoto
Arthur Sakamoto is Cornerstone Faculty Fellow Professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University. His areas of research interest include social stratification, economic sociology, racial and ethnic relations, demography, and East Asia. A native of St. Louis, he received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard in 1981. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin in 1988. He is a third-generation Japanese-American of mixed racial heritage, and has published widely on Asian Americans.
Moderator
Yu Xie
Yu Xie is Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Sociology and has a faculty appointment at the Princeton Institute of International and Regional Studies, Princeton University. He is also a Visiting Chair Professor of the Center for Social Research, Peking University. His main areas of interest are social stratification, demography, statistical methods, Chinese studies, and sociology of science. His recently published works include: Marriage and Cohabitation (University of Chicago Press 2007) with Arland Thornton and William Axinn, Statistical Methods for Categorical Data Analysis with Daniel Powers (Emerald 2008, second edition), and Is American Science in Decline? (Harvard University Press, 2012) with Alexandra Killewald. Xie’s main areas of interest are social stratification, demography, statistical methods, Chinese studies and sociology of science. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academia Sinica and the National Academy of Sciences. His appointment is part of a University initiative to deepen the regional studies curriculum in the social sciences. The Center on Contemporary China is part of PIIRS, and Xie’s appointment marks the first joint faculty appointment by PIIRS and a department in the social sciences.
This webinar was co-hosted by:
Asian American Unity Coalition
Civic Leadership USA
New England Chinese American Alliance
Ohio Chinese American Association
San Diego Asian Americans for Equality