The University of California is figuring out that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders don't all look the same.
UC is increasing the number of Asian Pacific Islander racial and ethnic classifications that potential undergraduate students can choose from on their application forms from eight to 23.
Collecting more data and breaking through the model minority myth -- the stereotype that all Asian Pacific Americans get straight A's and get into Berkeley -- is the reasoning behind the change.
On the surface, it seems to be a logical move. But judging by some of the comments posted with an Inside Higher Education article about the change, anything with race and education touches a nerve.
Some of the comments:
If you are going to shape a data form for Asian-Americans with that much specificity then why not have the same level of specificity for people of African, European, and Latin descent (to name but a few cultural markers)?
They (and those who lobbied them to make these changes) are looking for backdoor methods for implementing affirmative discrimination while sidestepping state laws.
See no race, hear no race, speak no race and the obsession with race will disappear.
It's almost comical, but people have a right to their opinions.
Posted by harry at November 21, 2007 11:44 AM
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"The University of California is figuring out that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders don't all look the same."
I think that is the general trend in society to look at all Asians as the same. We are all guilty. When a Chinese looks at a Filipina woman with a white male..his reaction is going to be the same as if it was another Chinese female. A High caste Indian looks at another Indian with a white guy, his reaction is going to be one of anger even if the female is low caste. Of course back in India or even here the rest of his family would disown him if he ever brought her home.
Would actually like to know how children of white and Asian couples are classified. Asian or white? or is there a mixed race category?
Half-Filipino, half-German here.
I usually put "other" or "multiracial" if available. When I was young I looked more Asian and put "Asian," especially since everyone in my all-white school thought I was Asian.
If folks of European, African, and Latino heritage feel that they are being unfairly discriminated because they are being lumped into single categories, they can feel free to lobby for change.
I do think that this is a step in the right direction for Asian Americans because there is no one Asian American diaspora. It is especially true when you look at Pacific Islanders. An even better move would be to stop talking about PIs and Asian Americans in the same breath. Honestly, only some Asians have any ties to Asia. The Samoans, Native Hawaiians, Maori have experiences more similar to that of Native Americans. What kind of complicates this issue are Filipinos and Chinese/Japanese-Hawaiians. The next time you think about going to Hawaii, you should visit the ghettos / tents where all the Native Hawaiians live.
I'm not sure that if we "see no race, hear no race" that race will become a non-factor. I suppose if I cut out my eyes and blow out my ears that will be possible, but otherwise, I don't think that's a way to "solve the race issue."
I'd like you to write an article on the difference between Asians and Pacific Islanders. I still can't figure out whether Filipinos are Asians ... but I don't think even they have figured it out either.