CTSJ 290 Asian American Radical Movements
As the fastest-growing racial group in the US, Asian Americans are becoming increasingly important in the political sphere. But the rubric of ‘Asian America’ encompasses cultural identities as diverse as its political ones. This course will explore these fissures from the viewpoint of the past and present of Asian American participation in radical politics. How has the struggle for radical systemic change generated dividing lines within not only Asian American politics more broadly, but also within Asian American radical movements? How have different generations of Asian Americans developed counter-institutional spaces to advance their political initiatives? Many of the course’s readings will center on independent and ephemeral publications created by these activists, from Marxist periodicals to online feminist zines. We will touch on some key issues that have concerned these communities, including but not limited to anti-Asian racism, Chinatowns, sex work, incarceration, and internationalism.