Asian/American: Historical Crossings of a Racial Frontier
The thesis of this intense and intriguing study is initiated through the slash inserted between "Asian" and "American." Palumbo-Liu (comparative literature, Stanford Univ.) argues repeatedly that the slash, signaling a "split" as well as a "sliding over" between two concepts, is a persistent phenomenon threatening the identity of Asians and Americans as well as Asian Americans. Through the dynamic play of the implied meanings of the slashAinclusion and exclusion at the same timeAPalumbo-Liu questions the validity of the notion that Asians are a "model minority." He probes deeply into social, cultural, and political processes to examine how Asians have been assimilated into American society at different junctions throughout history. This is comprehensive and complicated research, recommended for research libraries only.AMark Meng, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.