Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies 121: History of the Chinese in the U.S.

This course covers the entire history of the Chinese in the U.S., from the Gold Rush period in the mid-l9th century to the present. Since Chinese immigration and exclusion are two continuous processes throughout this history, both will be the focus of the course. The two processes and their interaction with each other also generated considerable political, economic, and cultural dynamism in the settlement and development of the Chinese American community throughout the U.S. Adding to the complexity of the two processes and the community dynamics has been the continuous impact of the volatile diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. and the ever-present tension and multi-level interactions between the Chinese American community and its homeland, including, the clan, village, county, province, and China, as a nation and a culture. Finally, since Chinese have settled in over 140 countries throughout the world, the continuous Chinese immigration has brought Chinese from Latin America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe to the U.S., contributing not only to the diversity and hybridity in the Chinese American population but also to growing global networks, connections, interactions, and cross-fertilization for Chinese Americans. Globalization and global influence of the U.S. have had a tremendous impact on the Chinese diaspora at the grassroots level, at the center of which is the Chinese in the U.S.

Instructional Materials

• Course Syllabus
• Final Project Guide