Asian American Studies
247-0-20: Asian Americans & Popular Culture

Instructor: Jinah Kim
Office address: 1897 Sheridan Rd #215
Phone:
E-mail: jinah-kim@northwestern.edu
Office Hours:

Expected Enrollment: 37

COURSE DESCRIPTION: REBELS IN ASIAN AMERICAN CULTURE: Asian Americans are active producers of popular culture and in this seminar we will study novels, films, short stories and hip hop by Filipino American, Vietnamese American, Korean American, Japanese American, Desi, and Chinese American artists and writers. This course will pivot around the themes of “rebelling” and “transgressing” which we will study in several ways. First, we will consider how these Asian American texts represent rebellious and transgressive figures such as the hustler in American Son, queer boys and girls in Rolling the R’s and the draft resister in No-No Boy. We will consider how Asian American authors draw on these figures in order to contest the “model minority” stereotype, American racism, homophobia in Asian American and American societies, conflicts between 1.5 and 2nd generations and more. Secondly, we will consider how some of these works “transgress” by crossing generic, formal or lingual expectations. For example, praCH Ly deliberately merges Khmer, the language of Cambodia with English in his hip-hop lyrics whereas Theresa Cha incorporates images, poetry and non fiction prose with traditional elements of the novel form in Dictee. These aesthetic acts of transgression has the potential to unsettle and reveal the assumptions that underwrite the idea that there is only one “correct” way of seeing, reading, writing and knowing. Finally, we will consider the differences and similarities between individual acts of rebellion and collective acts of resistance in these texts, to tap the well of Asian American collective imaginations to dream of a more just future.

EVALUATION METHOD: Class attendance is mandatory. Your daily preparation and willingness to actively participate in class discussion is central to the quality of the course. Come prepared to discuss the issues covered that day. If you do not actively and consistently participate in class discussion, or if you miss three or more classes, your final grade will be lowered. All papers are due on the dates agreed upon, either as stated in the syllabus or as you have chosen to sign up in class. Late papers will be downgraded in an effort to provide a fair grading system for all students. As a result, late papers will be docked a percentage point for each day they are late. Late or under-prepared class presentations are especially discouraged, as they affect the entire class. Please read the syllabus carefully, consult with your schedule, and plan accordingly.

READING: In this course we will study novels, films, short stories and hip hop lyrics. The list below is tentative and may be subject to change:
1. No-No Boy, John Okada
2. Rolling the R’s, R. Linmark Zamora
3. American Son, Brian Roley
4. Dictee, Theresa Cha
5. a.k.a Don Bonus, dir. Spencer Nakasako and Sokly “Don Bonus” Ny
6. XICH-LO, dir. M. Trinh Nguyen
7. Dalama: The Education of the Lost Chapter/Khmer Rouge Rap, music and lyrics by praCH Ly
8. The Movement, music and lyrics by Karmacy

Reader will include: selection of short stories and poems from This Bridge Called My Back, ed. Cherrie Moraga, Making Waves: An Anthology of Writings by and About Asian American Women, ed. Asian Women United of California and other theoretical articles.

[Course Descriptions for Fall 2009] [Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences] [ASIAN_AM Asian American Studies]