Statement of the Problem
1. Background of the Study For decades in the United States, immigration has been a topic of intense interest. Many important studies have been done on the immigrants and their offspring. One report (Vox Magazine in July 31st 2014), states that mid-western Asian Americans struggle to find their self-identity. It demonstrates that young Asian Americans discover their identities amidst stereotypes. Moreover, the newspaper MISSOURIAN Feb 3rd2016, released a report that Asian students at the University of Missouri – Columbia are reluctant to report episodes of discrimination, and racism. Furthermore, it is significant to know that the total Asian American population in Columbia, Missouri is 5628 in 2016, 2017 which makes up 5.6% in the whole population. The current circumstances are readily apparent but few people question the reason for these circumstances. In my opinio, in seeking the answer, it would be worthy to consider the environment, the campus itself, and the society. Certainly, the first step which I think is the most important part is to get to know Asian Americans, and to understand how they self-identify themselves, how they feel towards life here, and what they value most. It is vital to give them opportunities for introspection, to explore themselves, and to voice and defend their personal identities and value systems. 2. Purpose of the Study This research explores Asian Americans’ self-identity through a/r/tography. A/r/tography is a research methodology which does not create the invention while it does gain new understanding based on existing knowledge (Irwin, 2013). Based on this research methodology, the purpose of this study is to provide a safe place for Asian Americans to explore their own identities, and also to gain a new understanding according to their exploration. The process of making art is paralleled with the reality that they encounter. The artworks they have created are not just a means of expressing themselves, it is also a way of recognizing and thinking about the real world. Research Questions and Sub-questions How do Asian Americans currently self-identify themselves in terms of nationality, culture and ethnicity?
Related Research 1. Theoretical Framework The definition designated as Asian American has changed markedly through a very short history. Prior to the late 1960s, people of Asian ancestry were usually referred to as Oriental Asiatic, and Mongolold (Mio, Jeffery Scott, 1999). The term Asian American was coined by historian Yuji Ichioka, who is credited with popularizing the term, to frame a new “inner-ethnic-pan-Asian American self-defining political group” in the late 1960s. Today, Asian American is the accepted term for most formal purposes, such as government and academic research. In the US Census, people with origins or ancestry in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent are classified as part of the Asian race (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). Based on those theories, the participants – Asian Americans – can be classified quickly. All cultures are equal; diversity is an asset; cultures evolve and cannot be confined to boundaries; cultural processes are as important as products; and cultural forms of expression are effective means for social transformation. (Adams and Goldbard 2001:14) 2. Key Literature Areas IRWIN, RL; et al. The City of Richgate: A/r/tographic Cartography as Public Pedagogy. The process of this research could be divided into three parts. First, the definition of the appropriate research topic. Richmond is a city of many immigrants and therefore full of many different cultures. It is worthwhile to research the immigrants’ situations and feelings. The researchers interviewed eight groups of immigrants by integrating themselves into the community. They collected their immigrant experiences and stories. Finally, they created “the gates” as the topic for making artwork. Secondly, in order to explore the actual reality of their daily lives, they collected the research data in the form of art. The researchers in this study collected the interviewees’ photos, and took observational notes as well as analyzing/categorizing them, and made a documentary. Third, the researchers presented the research results in a delicate and multicultural form. The study shows that culture and memory can be transformed and maintained. Site, home and location can be more than one place, and more likely somewhere in between. The metaphor of “the gates” represents each family’s journey, describing a flow of their immigration, and the establishment of place, identity, and transformation. SHIN, Ryan. Promotion of Ethnic and Cultural identity through Visual and Material Culture among Immigrant Koreans. This study focuses on visual and material culture in the Korean immigrant community in Tuscon as an example of immigrant ethnic culture in North America. Korean markets, restaurants, Korean language schools, Korean churches play significant roles in the life of Korean immigrants. Korean ethnic infrastructure, organizational activities, leisure, media consumption, and lifestyle indicate that Korean visual and material culture helps immigrants sustain or promote their native identity. In addition, the internet is vital to maintain and strengthen ethnic and cultural identity of immigrants. (Rios & Gaines, 1998; Soruco, 1996; Viswanath & Arora, 2000) Many Korean, at least those of the first immigrant generation, rather than being completely assimilated into American culture, have formed their own unique visual and material cultural practices as an important part of their American experience. They have protected and continued to share among Koreans many forms and expressions of Korean visual and material culture as valuable reminders and communicators of their Korean ethnic identity. 3. Key Terms A/r/tography: A/r/tography is an arts-based research methodology, and the name itself examplifies these features by setting art and graphy, and the identities of artist, researcher, and teacher (a/r/t), in contiguous relations (Irwin, R. L., Beer, R., Springgay, S., Grauer, K., Xiong, G., & Bickel, B, 2006). The A/r/tography includes self-realization, self-development and the relationship between the self and the outside world, and extends to the reflection on education and teaching as well as personal life through artistic and aesthetic approaches to self-consciousness in education and social phenomena. This methodology does not place emphasis on the identity of the researcher, nor on the artist or the educator, while it focuses on when he/she is the researcher, or the artist, or the educator, including the transition between or among them. Moreover, these roles of “A/R/T” are not separate, they are united. Artist-researcher-teachers are inhabitants of these borderlands as they re-create, re-search, and re-learn ways of understanding, appreciating, and representing the world (Finley and Knowles 1995). A/r/tography places more emphasis on the close relationship between theory and practice, cognition and art than in previous educational research. Art is not just a means of expressing itself, it is also a way of recognizing and thinking about the world in reality. “A/r/tography is a living practice of art, research and teaching: a living message; a life-writing, life-creating experience (Irwin et al. 2001)”. It poses the questions - what does life look like? What are your feelings towards life? How can you capture the aspect of life? How can you achieve the goal of a/r/tography? Most importantly, a/r/tography as a research methodology does not create the invention while it does gain the new understanding based on the existing knowledge. As Irwin describes, researchers establish the condition for becoming a/r/tography. She claims that “the condition of possibility or the inventive potential creates the conditions for becoming (Irwin, 2013)”. In her view, the lines of intensity, movement, and events that entangle across time and place unfolds a cartography of a/r/tography. Asian Americans: Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The term refers to a panethnic group that includes diverse populations who have ancestral origins in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (Karen R. Humes; Nicholas A. Jones; Roberto R. Ramirez, March 2011). In this study, Asian Americans refers to those who were born and raised in the U.S and have ancestral origins in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia. Permissions & Protection of Human Rights I think the topic of “Asian American Identity” would be a sensitive topic on MU campus since the racism issues happened at MU in Fall 2015. As a result, it could be difficult to recruit some Asian American students to participate in this research. Moreover, Asian American students would be reluctant to express their true thinking even though they are willing to join in this research. Furthermore, truth-speaking plays an important part when conducting the research, but it requires courage, a safe places, most importantly, gaining trust from the participants. Based on this point, it is hard to maintain the veracity of the results. Finally, it could be difficult to get the permissions from IRB. Data Sources I would conduct this research in the Asian American Association at the University of Missouri – Columbia located in the city of Columbia, Missouri. Participants would be College students aged from 18 – 22 during the fall semester where the study occurs. These participants may have previous art instruction during their high school education. Methods and Data Analysis Intended Sampling Procedures
Data Collection and Analysis Procedures Data Collection: In this study, I would collect data through the processes of interview, observation, and creation of artworks. Meanwhile, the data would be recorded through digital camera. Analysis Procedures:
Discussion/Possible Findings This study has potential to gain some new insights about how Asian American self-identify themselves according to culture, ethnicity, etc. However, this study would be limited by the time and length of meeting times. Reference Zou, Dandan. (Jul 31, 2014). Asian-Americans Struggle to Find Sense of Self in Midwest. VOX Magazine. The article can be seen at http://www.voxmagazine.com/news/features/asian-americans-struggle-to-find-sense-of-self-in-midwest/article_8a0c4f72-c234-5d81-8123-14e7e9b0b14d.html Na, Sean. (Feb 3, 2016). MU’S Asian Students Reluctant to Report Episode of Discrimination, Racism. MISSOURIAN. The article can be seen at http://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/mu-s-asian-students-reluctant-to-report-episodes-of-discrimination/article_e384936e-963b-11e5-8813-c34632bd9101.html Current Columbia, Missouri Population, Demographics and Stats in 2016, 2017 can be reached at https://suburbanstats.org/population/missouri/how-many-people-live-in-columbia Mio, Jeffrey Scott, ed. (1999). Key Words in Multicultural Interventions: A Dictionary. ABC-Clio ebook. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 20. ISBN 9780313295478. Retrieved August 19, 2014. The use of the term Asian American began in the late 1960s alongside the civil rights movement (Uba, 1994) and replaced disparaging labels of Oriental, Asiatic, and Mongoloid. "State & County QuickFacts: Race". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 31, 2009. Adams, D. and Goldbard, A. (2001). Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development, NY, New York: Rockefeller Foundation. Irwin, R. L. (2013). Becoming A/r/tography. Studies In Art Education, 54(3), 198-215. Shin, R. (2009). Promotion of Ethnic and Cultural Identity through Visual Material Culture Among Immigrant Koreans. In E. M. Delcruz, A. Arnold, A, Kuo, & M. Parsons (Eds), Globalization, Art and Education (pp. 47-53). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association. Irwin, R. L. (2001). A/r/tography: A Metonymic Metissage. Irwin, R. L., Beer, R., Springgay, S., Grauer, K., Xiong, G., & Bickel, B. (2006). The Rhizomatic Relations of A/r/tography. Studies in Art Education, (1). 70. Karen R. Humes; Nicholas A. Jones; Roberto R. Ramirez (March 2011). "Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
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