Chinanews, May 17th. According to a comprehensive report by the US "World Journal", the successive anti-Asian hate attacks during the epidemic and the major shooting in Atlanta, Georgia in March have not only aroused national attention and discussion in the United States, but also once again excited. Some universities are interested in offering Asian American studies courses, and students have signed a joint request for major courses.
Some Asian-American professors pointed out that now is the “historical turning point” for the establishment of Asian-American research programs, but without permanent decision-making power, such research courses may not be sustainable for long.
Sugiarto, a 19-year-old sophomore Chinese-Indonesian student at Dartmouth College, noticed last semester that the school even had Asian-American-related courses. He majored in biomedical engineering. Gender and Sex"; now he hopes to minor in Asian American studies.
Sugiarto said, "I have never understood the history and legends of Asian Americans in the United States. Many stories have not been reported in the news before, and they have not been included in the history textbooks of American universities."
When Asians unfortunately became the scapegoat of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, many Asian Americans felt that they were regarded as "foreigners." The Asian-Pacific teachers and students on the campuses of universities across the country were able to "be seen by others" for their history and stories in the United States. ", it resonates very much.
Sugiarto was inspired by the Asian literature class and participated in the co-signature that required Dartmouth College to create a major course in Asian studies. Nearly 1,000 people have participated in this co-signature.
In the past 40 years, similar requests have appeared from time to time in Ivy League schools.
Both Sugiarto and his classmates hope that the recent phenomenon of racist attacks will make this petition have different results.
Sugiarto’s teacher and Professor Lin from Dartmouth University pointed out, “If American universities refuse to support the establishment of Asian studies in the way we have set them, they will miss a good opportunity to think deeply about American racism other than African Americans and whites. ."
Gingera, the current president of the Asian American Studies Association and a professor at Amherst College, said that he knows that some East Coast universities are considering conducting Asian American research, or reiterating their emphasis on Asian American research.
Gingella said, “Many ethnic research projects were developed at key turning points in American history and were developed in response to the needs of students; ethnic research projects are often shaped by such a driving force. Now is a turning point, which is to promote Asian Americans. Opportunity for research."
Many people believe that the concept of ethnic studies began in California.
In August last year, California legislation stipulated that state university students must take an ethnic studies course to graduate.
As for the University of Arizona, a minor in Asian-Pacific descent studies just started in April. Assistant Professor Esaki, who assisted in the development of the curriculum, said, “This is an example of the school’s fight against anti-Asian hatred and ignorance. It is also the result of years of hard work before the epidemic. Our short-term and long-term goals are to be stable. Go on; we can’t just think about another disaster so that people can say'you are important'.” (Hu Yuli)