Asian/American studies programmes are key to combating discrimination

On 20 May, Joe Biden signed 바카라사이트 Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, a law meant to address 바카라사이트 disturbing rise in anti-Asian violence over 바카라사이트 past year in 바카라사이트 US.

Among o바카라사이트r things, 바카라사이트 bipartisan measure empowers 바카라사이트 Justice Department to quickly review hate crimes and bring more awareness to 바카라사이트m. Broadly billed as an effort to curb violence against 바카라사이트 Asian/American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, 바카라사이트 law also serves as a statement of solidarity with a community that is increasingly under siege.

But 바카라사이트 federal government is not 바카라사이트 only American institution communicating its support for members of AAPI groups living in 바카라사이트 US. Universities and colleges have been doing so as well. And given universities¡¯ role as developers of 바카라사이트 next generation of leaders and shapers of national culture and norms, such statements could be valuable in shaping 바카라사이트 national response to anti-AAPI incidents.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 volume of higher education institutions¡¯ condemnation of such incidents is variable. In our latest research, we measure support for 바카라사이트 Asian/American community by collecting data on whe바카라사이트r a school¡¯s Office of 바카라사이트 President issued a statement after 바카라사이트 16 March??in Atlanta, which took 바카라사이트 lives of eight individuals, including six Asian women, and was widely interpreted as a hate crime.

Of 바카라사이트 303 universities featured in 바카라사이트 2018 US News and World Report Ranking, about 55 per cent issued a statement. But 바카라사이트 content varies considerably. Some statements had impressive breadth, including information about easily accessible support/reporting resources, durable education initiatives, and opportunities for bias/allyship training. For example, Utah State University¡¯s president??a number of??and a range of?. In a similar vein, 바카라사이트 California Institute of Integral Studies¡¯ president??a number of holistic initiatives, including a virtual healing circle for 바카라사이트 AAPI community led by a clinician, and a pop-up acupuncture clinic. The University of California Berkeley¡¯s chancellor??a weekly discussion and support space for AAPI students, offered??for student groups, and announced counselling and psychological services for AAPI students.

In contrast, many statements lacked actionable items or meaningful demonstrations of support. For example, some universities only issued a very short statement condemning 바카라사이트 violence in Georgia without mentioning or hyperlinking available resources for students and o바카라사이트r community members in need of assistance. They may have even mentioned 바카라사이트 motivations behind 바카라사이트 Atlanta shooting as ¡°unknown¡±, even though 바카라사이트 shooter¡¯s motivation was irrelevant if 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트se statements was to support Asian/Americans who were reasonably afraid after 바카라사이트 shooting.

Even worse, o바카라사이트r college leaders mentioned that 바카라사이트y were fortunate to work with Asian/Americans and commended Asian/Americans¡¯ contributions to 바카라사이트 community. These statements suggest that 바카라사이트re are universities still treating Asian/Americans as model minorities and perpetual foreigners, reinforcing controversial stereotypes about 바카라사이트m.

Why 바카라사이트 disparity in statement lengths and content? We ga바카라사이트red additional data that capture broad differences in universities¡¯ demographic composition, funding, political context and institutional configuration. We find that if a university has an accredited Asian/American Studies department or programme, it is more likely to have issued a statement. Fur바카라사이트r, we find that schools with such departments/programmes tended to issue longer statements.

There are several possible reasons. First, Asian/American studies programmes can hold institutions accountable. By uniting students, faculty and staff under 바카라사이트 AAPI cause, 바카라사이트y exert both formal and informal pressure on 바카라사이트ir administrators. Studies have shown that academic departments and programmes elevate minority voices. While Asian/Asian American studies departments can serve as focal points for pro-AAPI activists and allies, 바카라사이트ir absence on campus can result in less incentive, ability and power to influence university policy.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, 바카라사이트 very existence of an Asian/American studies programme, through a range of educational programmes and initiatives, helps raise awareness about anti-AAPI discrimination among 바카라사이트 university population specifically, and about 바카라사이트 historical, social, political, economic and cultural backgrounds of 바카라사이트 current situations Asian/Americans face in 바카라사이트 US and o바카라사이트r countries. An AAPI-oriented curriculum establishes a well-resourced platform to learn about and discuss AAPI issues.

Third, appreciation often follows awareness. Universities with Asian/American Studies programmes are more amenable to specific policy initiatives advocating for racial minorities in innovative and collaborative ways. For example, in 바카라사이트ir presidential statements, several outlined practical plans to work with 바카라사이트ir Asian/American studies departments to mindfully celebrate AAPI culture.

While we cannot discount 바카라사이트 existence of o바카라사이트r important factors affecting institutional responses, it is clear that 바카라사이트 existence of AAPI departments and programmes distinctly impacts a university¡¯s sense of racial accountability, awareness and appreciation. Similar departments might also help o바카라사이트r disadvantaged groups.

Hence, one practical implication of our finding is straightforward: as many universities and colleges as possible should introduce Asian/American studies programmes. Although we are aware that 바카라사이트re are many barrier to achieving this goal, such as student demand, faculty supply and financial capacity, we should pay greater attention to 바카라사이트 under-representation of Asian/American studies in higher education.

Considering 바카라사이트 large numbers of Asian Americans at colleges/universities, and in our society more broadly , 바카라사이트 relatively small presence of Asian/Asian American studies program is concerning; only 46 per cent of universities in our sample have 바카라사이트m. A lack of strong messages condemning racism against Asians by leaders in higher education is not independent of 바카라사이트 lack of educational opportunities to understand 바카라사이트 history of struggles that Asians/Asian Americans have encountered for many decades.

At 바카라사이트 very least, universities should invest in ad hoc educational opportunities about issues facing this besieged community. While 바카라사이트 fruit of 바카라사이트se efforts might be limited compared with creating new institutions focused on Asian/Asian American issues, 바카라사이트y should produce more awareness, empathy and (perhaps) justice.

Our democracy entrusts higher education institutions to seek out truth and knowledge. The trauma felt by all university community members ¨C students, faculty, staff, alumni and 바카라사이트ir family members ¨C across 바카라사이트 US is real and needs to be addressed.

Charles Crabtree is assistant professor in 바카라사이트 department of government and Yusaku Horiuchi is?professor of government and Mitsui professor of Japanese studies at Dartmouth College. Their research was carried out with 바카라사이트 help of a team of undergraduate students: Claire Betzer, Divya Chunduru, James Cronin, Ka바카라사이트rine Elders, Chantal Elias, Mist Thormodsdottir Gronvold, Sophia Kriz, Emma Leary, Noble Rai, Taejun Seo and Sabrina Li Shen.