Assignment Paper

Contemporary Asian Pacific American Experiences, Communities, Cultures, Politics
For the final section of the course, you will select our materials and topics for discussion. The following is a
two-part assignment:
PART I: Due by Wednesday, April 22nd (Brightspace Discussions)
● First, retrieve a brief current-event article, media clip (e.g., video, podcast excerpt, etc.), or
cultural “artifact” (e.g., Tweet/Twitter thread, Instagram account, song/lyrics, literary excerpt,
etc.) that pertains to contemporary Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences, politics,
cultures, and/or communities.
○ The “material” you select should be relatively brief (i.e., anywhere between five to 20 min. to
consume).
○ The “material” you select should be readily accessible to the public (i.e., no paid
subscriptions necessary to access).
○ You are welcome to use a specific article or retrieve material from a website I’ve linked to on
Brightspace under the content folder “Happenings in Asian Pacific America Today”
(Brightspace>Content>Happenings in Asian Pacific America Today). However, try to limit
duplicates: if you see that a classmate has already posted about a particular article, clip, or
artifact, select a different one.
● Second, select and read one of the following chapters from P. Dhingra’s and R.M. Rodriguez’s
Asian America: Sociological & Interdisciplinary Perspectives (e-book available through LMU:
https://linus.lmu.edu/record=b3560117~S2) based on the overarching theme of the selected
article, media clip, or cultural artifact:
○ “Class & Work Lives”
○ “Education”
○ “Family & Personal Relations”
○ “Citizenship”
○ “Media & Popular Culture”
○ “Inter-Minority Relations”
○ “Social Movements & Politics”
As you’re reading the chapter, note key passages and major concepts that relate to the article, clip, or
artifact you selected and help facilitate a deeper, more critical understanding of the issues it raises.
● Third, in 500 words, complete a write-up that critically synthesizes a few of the key
passages and major concepts from the chapter with the article, media clip, or cultural
artifact you selected (i.e., as pertaining to aspects of contemporary ‘Asian Pacific
America’). At the end of the write-up, include a relevant, critical question for discussion.
○ You may also include any relevant background context for the material you selected and
your general reflections, but the majority of the write-up should be dedicated to
connecting it with the selected chapter.
○ Include citations of page numbers or e-book locations
● Fourth, by Wednesday, April 22nd, post the following in the Brightspace Discussions
Forum “Contemporary APA Communities, Cultures, Experiences” under the
corresponding chapter topic:
○ Title, author(s) or producer(s), and original source of the article, media clip, or cultural
artifact you selected (e.g., “The Rise (and Stall) of the Boba Tea Generation,” Jenny G.
Zhang, Eater.com);
○ A link to the article, media clip, or cultural artifact you selected (if you’re able to upload
the material directly via an embed code, screenshot(s), mp3, etc., then all the better!);
○ Your write-up and discussion question
Label your post: Title or Identifier of Material – Your Name (e.g., The Rise (and Stall) of the
Boba Tea Generation – Katelyn Hancock)
Part II: Due by Sunday, May 3rd (Brightspace Discussions)
● First, quickly scan and select two of your classmates’ sub-topics in the Brightspace
Discussions Forum.
○ Each of the two should be from a different “topic” heading and by a different classmate
(e.g., if you select Agatha’s sub-topic under the heading “Education,” then, for your
second, you should select a sub-topic by someone other than Agatha and under a different
topic than “Education”).
● Second, for each sub-topic, read/view/listen to the article, media clip, or cultural artifact
your classmate selected, as well as the corresponding write-up. You might also scan the
corresponding chapter from Asian American: Sociological and Interdisciplinary
Perspectives.
● Third, by Sunday, May 3rd, in 250 to 300 words per sub-topic/comment, engage critically
with the selected material and reflect thoughtfully on the themes and question your
classmate raised in their write-up. You might also contribute other relevant information
and insights about the selected material, based on your own knowledge/experiences, that
your classmate didn’t address in the write-up.
○ The maximum number of people who may comment on a single classmate’s sub-topic is
three. Try to spread the attention around.