FYS 66 Claiming Asian America
This course will examine the history of Asian America and its representations in essays, short stories, novels, poems, films, and other media. To define the identity of Asian American has meant powerfully rebuking images of the coolie, the exotic Oriental, the “yellow peril,” and the suspicious foreign enemy. At the same time, however, the banner of Asian American has proven to be an imperfect ‘one size fits all’ category. Our conversations will consider these issues by engaging with authors including Cathy Park Hong, Jhumpa Lahiri, Brian Ascalon Roley, Susan Sontag, and Tony Tulathimutte.
Open only to first-year frosh.