论美国华裔如何被塑造为模范少数族裔 = How American Chinese become the model minority in the United States

• Main Author: 萧愉洁 Seow, Yee Jiat
• Other Authors: Ong Soon Keong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: Chinese
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/69704
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Chinese community in the United States of America before WWII were a particularly hardworking group of immigrants that were pivotal to the development of the West Coast area. They were, however, widely regarded by the local population at that time to be ‘overly hardworking’ and became the subject of racial discrimination that is now known in history as the Yellow Peril. In response to widespread discontentment, the American government passed the “Chinese Exclusion Law” that served to suspend Chinese immigration to the country. Post WWII, the American Chinese community transformed into the ‘model minority’ whom are often looked up upon. They were widely regarded to have attained socioeconomic and education success through their sheer hard work, and now have succeeded in realizing the American Dream. Their socioeconomic success has started a discussion into the root of their success in the country. Arguments for their cultural superiority are often backed by claims of their “tribute to hard work, passion for education and strong familial ties.” Despite being regarded as the model minority; they are still challenged by the glass ceiling in the corporate world, and face higher entry requirements to universities. In an attempt to increase awareness on this intriguing topic, this paper will attempt to investigate the circumstances and political motives that lead to the outset of model minority communities.