Week 2 Photography (Kaishan Wang, Ziyang Huang, Zhao Xu)

As you can see, this is a family picture with two different races, Chinese and Uyghur, an ethics minority in Xinjiang Province, China, which originally belongs to Karluk branch of Turkic family. The left person in the photo is Kaishan Wang, who is one of our classmates in ASA 115, the person who is on the right side of him is his Uyghur grandmother, the woman next to his grandmother is his Uyghur mother, and the man on the right side is Kaishan’s father, a 100% Chinese man. Therefore, we are easily aware of the fact that Kaishan is a race-mixed person, and he lives in a family with two different races and cultures. 

Kaishan often tells his friends about his family by addressing how he lived in such a race-mixture family, how he attempted to adapt two different cultures at the same time, and more importantly, how he suffered from a torrent of questions and confusions of his true identity even since he was born. He said there were always some people asking about his identity, religion and even his future marriage. “Are you going to marry a Chinese girl or a Uyghur girl? Are you considering yourself as a Chinese or a Uyghur? Are you a Muslim?”. Such questions have virtually overwhelmed him, and even worse, he used to be doubtful about his race-mixture identity and thought he shouldn’t be living in such a confused world. He was lost. 

However, when he became an adult and witnessed the love of two different races living together for 18 years, he realized that being a race-mixture individual is the best thing ever happened to him. A lovely family grants him so much more, especially different perspectives and understanding that he perceives races and the world. He said mutual understanding and tolerance are quite essential for family, in particular race-mixture family. Now, he is not confused anymore, but he is confident in who he is. 

If there is anyone who asks him whether he is a Chinese or Uyghur, he said he would respond in this way: I am both Chinese and Uyghur, and I am undivided.

Xu Zhao, ASA115, week 2 blog

This week we focus on the reading, “Part Asian, 100% Hapa: A Retrospective” by Kip Fulbeck. The article inspired my interest on those mixed who feel isolated in the society. Relate those material to this week’s presentation, the Hapa and the Asian kid in the video actually has similar situation. The hardship of being mixed is not common, since being mixed means that their identities are not easily defined. The major conflict of them is “ Do you define yourself as white or Hapa?” According to the reading, we know that self-identification or self-embracement is very essential for mixed individuals, although the difference matters, but the common humanity matters more. 

Similar events happened on today’s immigrant and other none white race in United State. I still remember the presentation on Tuesday, the Video of the Asian kid actually remind me the situation when I first came to USA. I didn't feel that isolated since there are lots of Asian Americans and Chinese international students in my high school, but I still feels difference between me and those white teens, such as I don't understand their joke, and its hard for me to join their conversation. I understand its not because of the language difficulties, it was the culture difference. The only moment we got along with each other is the time we play basketball. The sport eliminates the distance between us. 

USA has diversified culture background, so it is important to understand the history behind those races. 

Ziqi Yin ASA 115, Week 3 Reading blog

      In the article written by Deenesh Sohoni titled “Unsuitable Suitors: Anti-Miscegenation Laws, Naturalization Laws, and the Construction of Asia”, there were many points that stood out and made me realize that these anti-miscegenation laws tend to have a long term effect on the Asians who are deemed legally distinct, especially in state-level.

       During the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Asian ethnic groups were put together within the American racial system. Nationally deemed eligible to be US citizens, those Asian ethnic groups were however exposed to the state-level anti-miscegenation laws which I personally believe should be abolished. Every human being has a right to be with whoever they choose to be with, regardless of race, nationality or skin color. Some states in the US have passed the anti-miscegenation laws and it is sad that such a thing exists. The Asian ethnic groups after being recognized both racially and ethnically legal are using that recognition to gain certain social rights to their favor. I believe that this sounds fair enough in a national-level.

       The main point of this article is the fact that the members of the groups recognized legal in both aspects are in the search for social privileges. In my opinion, these groups should be allowed access to equal social rights and privileges just as any other legally distinct US citizens. The anti-miscegenation laws also helped contribute to the non-inclusion of people with Asian background compiling of Asians born in the US as well in foreign soil. This social exclusion is something that struck me as a wrong move on so many levels.

       I personally despise anything related to discrimination amongst us human beings due to race, religion, gender or nationality. I believe we all humans are equal and should be allowed to make their own choices in life without certain state governments trying to hinder in their freedom of expression. This article was a hard one to read as there were many things that I disagreed upon because of my own philosophy and way of looking at life.       

QIAN ZHANG ASA 115, Week 3 Reading blog

I found Thomas Teo’s article, The Historical Problematization of “Mixed Race” in Psychological and Human-Scientific Discourses, highly intriguing and informative. His analysis of pre-World War II discourse on miscegenation, specifically the academic problematization of progeny emerging from the intermarriage of individuals from different racial backgrounds, was eye-opening. It demonstrated how personal prejudices can cloud the reasoning of even the most distinguished thinkers. Teo’s analysis of the paradigm shift after World War II also illuminated the slow departure from the problematization of mixed-race groups. While it was amusing to read about the attempts to reconcile hearsay and empiricism by the likes of Charles Davenport, knowing the effects that this reasoning had is sobering. Moreover, I was disappointed to see that some of the philosophers I look up to, held these beliefs. Even so, I was happy to see that some scientists were courageous enough to oppose the misguided beliefs of the great thinkers of their time.

       While I originally considered Hitler’s autobiographical manifesto, Mein Kampf, to be the misguided ramblings of a frustrated nationalist, I was surprised to learn that his reasoning hinged on the ongoing sentiments by philosophers, historians, and scientists at the time. In his article, Teo observed that the ideology of scientific racism by Count Arthur de Gobineau featured Hitler’s discourse on hybridity (80). Further, Eugen Fischer, inspired by his deluded assumptions on mixing races, went on to participate in the atrocities of the Nazi regime (Teo 89). While it is not the objective of Teo’s article, the evolution of these ideologies to concerted efforts to implement eugenics, demonstrates the potency of biased reasoning to inspire action.

       As an admirer of Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy, I was surprised to learn of his view of race mixing as problematic. While Teo asserts that “Kant may not have had bad intentions when he wrote and expressed his views,” the fact that he neither consorted empirical research nor provided evidence for his reasoning, mitigates his position as a moral authority (84). It does not help his case that scientists like William Castle were able to see past their biases and even predict the criticism with which future generations would view their assertions (Teo 91).

       In all, Teo’s characterization of the two eras of thinking, which is to say the pre-WWII problematization of mixing races and the post-WWII paradigm shift, was very engaging. It allowed me to reflect critically on my personal biases when conducting research. Teo’s article also increased my intrigue in the evolution of the discourse on race mixture in Western nations.

Ziqi Yin ASA 115, Week 2 Reading blog

This week we are focusing on “Mixed-Race Experiences: Race Traitors,” which is an attempt to create awareness on the fact that there are people who are more privileged in America due to their White skin while going through part of the social prejudices imposed on people from the Black community. The phrase “race traitor” illustrates a form of treason towards Whiteness as a strategy to achieve loyalty to humanity. It is very likely for mixed-race persons to be interrogated based on their identity with statements like “what are you?” Also, some mixed-race individuals are called race traitors for opting to identify with all of their heritage instead of a specific one.

In the series “Part Asian, 100% Hapa: A Retrospective,” Kip Fulbeck explores the experiences of Hapa in an exhibition of portraits featuring subjects from different walks of life and ages. The project also involves a series of interviews with the participants to document their experiences in terms of self-perceptions and identities to combat the stigma associated with the topic. The Hapa Project delves deeper into the subject by exploring how a person’s memory can influence their confidence, close association, and identity with their roots, upbringing, and also appearance. Fulbeck’s work is an attempt to address the question “what are you?” by combining portraits of Hapa – with no clothing, make-up or jewelry- alongside statements of who they identify as to offer an intimate and compelling perspective on the complexity surrounding contemporary American identity. As I read through the individual accounts, it is nearly impossible to predict the subject’s feelings about being mixed-race. The article prompts me to ask, “Are there people who feel betrayed by personal accounts of mixed-race identities because they fail to understand these specific individuals?”

QIAN ZHANG ASA 115, Week 2 Reading blog

In the article “Part Asian, 100% Hapa: A Retrospective,” Kip Fullbeck acknowledges the role of specific bodies in the society in making individuals aware and proud of their races. I feel that through the Hapa project, there is a real need for both mixed races and multiracial individuals to uphold their origin and culture. I feel that Fullbeck wanted every individual, especially those that belong to the mixed race to avoid the confusion and embrace their origin. Further, I feel that Fullbeck wanted mixed races to feel part and parcel of the society to help eliminate stigma. Besides, l feel that the Hapa project is a full representation of the strategies that have been put in place to help reduce racism.

I feel that through Terasa’s story, women are the most vulnerable individuals in the society. They are easily discouraged with how society views them. In this case, women, as opposed to men, suffer specific gender stereotypes as well as racial stereotypes. Does this mean that women will forever be viewed as the weakest gender from one generation to the other? Can society entirely change their perception about women and their place in society?

From the idea of relieving the multiracial from the burdens they face, I feel that Kip Fullbeck wanted readers to identify the danger of a single story. Single stories make other racial groups form a negative perception about other racial groups. These ideas eliminate the chances of positive attitudes and knowledge. Most importantly, I feel that through the stories, multiracial individuals understand the nature of belonging to different races. What still keeps me surprised is the increased chances of a single story about specific races. Does it mean that society does not have positive minded individuals who can completely eradicate racial discrimination?     

Kaishan Wang: Week 3 Blog Entry

 In week 3, our theme is about “Criminals, Deviants, and Outcasts Passing as Privilege, Authenticity, and Tragedy”. I am focus on the reading, “The Historical Problematization of “Mixed Race” In Psychological and Human -Scientific Discourses” by Thomas Teo. The main theme of the reading is the discovery or research on whether hybridity generates problems for society. The author quotes a large amount of information from Adolf Hitler and several other authors trying to address the fact that racial mixture or hybridity is a problematization for human/cultures. The research Thomas conducted from several aspects, such as psychology, physical, economic, and political and etc. by using empirical techniques to demonstrate there actually have problems for hybridity. 

Indeed, Thomas Teo provided some evidence to prove there exists the problematization of race mixture, and western culture in the past had already criticized and discriminated hybridity and the behavior of intermarriage in order to resume the power of the white. However, I regard it as pure racisms that we should avoid today and future. Nowadays, globalization becomes the main tendency in human history, and intermarriage is unstoppable. More importantly, people are willing to accept other races and welcome them to live together. People should be respectful to each other, and different people with different cultures could bring so much new knowledge from which everybody can learn. If we attempt to stop this evolution, we lost a great opportunity to develop ourselves. 

I really hope that one day all different races could live peacefully and respect each other, but I just don’t know when. Is there any way that we can make it fast or just wait? 

https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/charles-krafft-is-a-white-nationalist-who-believes-the-holocaust-is-a-deliberately-exaggerated-myth/Content?oid=15995245