2. Objective & Rationale
Kathleen Wong (Lau) examines the
cultural differences in different
generations of immigrants from the same
home country
At different points in time, immigrants from
the same country bring a very different
culture, Wong is interested in reconciling
these different cultures
For example, Chinese Americans who
emigrated to the US before 1960 have
brought the ideas of Confusious with them
3. Method & Process
Thisstudy is conducted through both
interview and reviewing available
research and writing on the subject
4. Findings & Significance
Wong finds that different generations of
immigrants from the same home country
vary greatly in their culture
Wong’s cousin came to the US in the
1990s, much later than Wong’s mother,
their culture is markedly different:
“You are so old fashioned and strict! […]
You know how to make wonton and pot-
stickers. […] I can’t believe you are
Chinese. Chinese are supposed to be
“tight,” you know, good dressers, good in
business, “tight” cars, go out to eat all the
time” says Wong’s cousin. (Wong, p. 96).
5. Findings & Significance
The quote points out specific differences
between 1990’s immigrants from China and
pre-1960’s/American born Chinese
I picked this because it most thoroughly
explains what Wong is trying to
communicate
Neither culture should be considered “right
or wrong” Wong cautions (p. 96)
She recommends constructing a framework
for understanding
6. Findings & Significance
Wong uses the term “diaspora” to help
put culture in context
A diaspora is a dispersion of a minority
group within a majority group (Wong, p.
97).
Examples: Asian Americans within America,
Italian Americans within America
7. Findings & Significance
Wong suggests many times the culture of
the home country is “frozen” at the time
of immigration
“Immigrants often preserve and
incorporate dimensions of their cultural
practices in the diaspora, often contructing
their ethnic identity around beliefs and
memories of cultural values and practices
that existed in their home country at the
time of immigration” (Wong, p. 98)
I chose this because it explains differences
with the “same culture” for example
Chinese Americans do not all have the
“same culture”
8. Approach
Wong uses the critical approach
She considers the historical context in all
parts of the study
Analysis of texts
Wong notes that culture is always
changing: “trying to pinpoint […] ethnic
and racial identity […] is like shooting at a
moving target” (p, 99)
Power struggles are present, especially
Wong mentions in the diaspora of all Asian
Americans in a struggle with the white
American majority
9. Questions
Do you think that Wong is correct that
culture is always changing? For example
Wong mentions that Americans born of
Greek descent are very different from
Greeks living in Greece today because
Greek Americans have held onto the
culture their parents or grandparents
knew at the time of immigration.
Can you think of a diaspora in the way
that Wong mentions all Asian Americans
become part of a diaspora in order to
combat racialization by the white
American majority?
