Stacey Lee’s (2002) Unraveling the “Model Minority” Stereotype
• How does the model minority stereotype affect students’ identity development?
• In what ways do other stereotypes affect identity development in general?
• What are the implications in choosing to identify as American (e.g. Asian vs. Asian American, Mexican vs. Mexican-American)?
• How do students navigate gender and class norms in ethnic identity development?
For a live performance on the topic, check out this video link!
Also, if you’re interested, check out a related clip from Jane Elliott’s Iowa School Children Experiment.
- by Takeo/Diana/Michael T.
I believe that the model minority stereotype affects students’ identity development by setting standards for minority students that not only they realize but that their peers come to expect. These stereotypes place students in categories and it is their job to either accept it or try to go against the grain and maybe get rejected for that. An example of this from Lee is when she talks about the new wave students who were Asian Americans that dressed differently then their peers and did not conform to the academic beliefs and expectations that their peers lived by. As a consequence they became a distinct group apart from the rest of their race and the other Asian Americans and Asians looked down on them because of their low achievement in school and because of the unique ways they dressed. Though the new wave students are removing themselves from the model minority stereotype, they in turn are losing acceptance from the more mainstream members of their racial group. As one can see it is hard for people like the new wave Asians to break away because that reflects on the way that their peers look at them and treat them.
Due to this struggle there is a constraint on an individual’s ability to develop their own identity since the group identity is so powerful in this country. As Lee showed through her examples, any group that wanted to be separate in terms of who they were and how they expressed themselves, were no longer part of the mainstream and were no longer accepted. It is so difficult for students to understand the implications of developing their own identity away from their race when they know they will be rejected for it.
I completely agree with what Stany said. It is amazing how our personal identities are developed by the expectations of others. In cultural psychology, Hazel Markus calls this phenomenon mutual consitiution in which “people are mutually shaped shapers.” This means that our identity is developed by the world around us and the world around us is shaped by our personal attributes. This is seen especially through stereotypes. While we may accept or reject certain stereotypes these stereotypes still become apart of our identity development. This is seen through Claude Steele’s stereptype threat because even if we do not believe a certain stereotype is valid it still affects our psyche and possibly our performance. In Lee’s chapter, all of the different groups are clearly affected by the stereotypes around them and yet have chosen to combat these stereptypes in different ways as Stany pointed out. However, whether they choose to accept or reject the stereotype, the stereotype is still extremely salient in their identity development. I think that there is a personal identity and a group identity that contribute to the development of our identity. Therefore, it is inevitable that each individual is affected in one way or another by the stereotypes present in our society.
As we discussed last week, I think that ethnics stdies courses are essential in high school. High School is a time in which identity development is at its peak and yet it can be extremely confusing to sparse through the ever present stereotypes. At the heart of all stereotypes is ignorance and therefore, I believe that to combat such stereotypes ethnic studies are essential for high school students. In Lee’s chapter, besides the Korean students, the asian students stuck together because outsiders were unable to decipher between the different ethnicities and therefore, they band together to fight as one. I think that on a personal level, the development of their specific ethnicities outside of just being asian is extremely important and this could be done in an asian studies class.
I agree with the points that Stany and Jessie have made above. The model minority stereotype depicts individuals who are hardworking and have success stories to tell. But for minority students, this stereotype can have serious consequences on their identity development. Some may view the stereotype as a goal, something to achieve, but along the way, they may come to the harsh realization that the path to success comes with obstacles – prejudice, feelings of not fitting in, the inevitable stresses of school, etc. And when these obstacles hit the students hard, they may lose confidence in themselves, in their abilities, and in the system. Other minority students may view this stereotype as racist and derogatory in that it over-emphasizes the success stories that these minorities have to tell, consequently making society feel less pressured to make changes to eliminate the prejudices that minorities face today.
However, if the minority student wants to break away from this model minority stereotype, or even attach “–American” to his ethnicity, he might face hostility or humiliation by other people of his ethnicity who hold extreme pride in being labeled as the model minority. The others may view this student as a traitor to their values and culture, when really, this student might still uphold the same beliefs and customs as them, but just not want to conform to their version of their ethnic identity. This was the case with Kay, a student that Lee interviewed in her “What’s in a name?” piece.
There’s no doubt that rejecting the stereotype and detaching yourself from one’s ethnic norms is difficult, especially when you know you might be rejected for rejecting those norms. But would you rather suppress you feelings and assume an identity you’re not comfortable with?
I agree with all the points made above. The reading gives the impression that the “model minority stereotype” places an incredible amount of pressure on these students. It is a pressure to conform to or shatter the stereotype depending on personal identification. It is also affected by awareness of racism done by non-Asians to Asians and the implications of this racism on an individual vs. group level.
I think that despite the differences expressed by the Asian students at Academic High School and the conflict within the Asian Students Association (ASA) it is important for students of Asian descent to be confronted with and acknowledge a pan-ethnic identity and to be presented with other ways of existing in the world. This makes people, especially young people, more tolerant and accepting of others. It also takes pressure off students to conform to the stereotype and gives them options and new possible selves.
Exploring possibilities is probably one of the best ways to navigate identity formation. As long as one has options, he/she has a better chance at becoming a well-rounded individual that feels empowered to transcend institutional, ethnic, racial, sexual, and gender boundaries.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding the concept, but I’m a little vexed by the importance Lee places on the creation of pan-Asian identities to battle Asian stereotypes. At one point Lee suggests that pan-Asian identities are a useful way for Asian students to cohere as a community of disparate immigrants. And that while Asian students can maintain their specific ethnic identities within groups of other Asians, they self identify as simply “Asian” among mixed groups. Lee quotes one student as saying that pan-ethnic identities are important for educating the general American population about Asian cultures. To me, this seems fairly counterintuitive and problematic.
Might it be shortsighted to suggest that all Asian cultures fall into one general culture? Certainly, I think it’s important to have inter-ethnic alliances, but I think it’s also think it’s a way to group people into generalized categories. How does presenting a pan-Asian alliance to a mainstreamed, uniformed white culture teach anyone anything?
I know Lee was focusing on a specific high school, but it also troubled me that she never took the time to define what she meant by Asian, because she did have a highly specific definition. In this essay, she talks exclusively about East Asian students, in her rubric of Asian identity she doesn’t mention South East Asian, or Middle Eastern. Perhaps I’m getting caught up in semantics, but I think it’s important to point out nonetheless.
It maybe necessary to acknowledge population when critiquing Lee’s essay. She does not spend much time talking about every single culture the comprises the pan-Asian ASA, but she does mention that the KSA are able to have their own club (not only because they prefer not to be apart of the ASA) because they are the only group with a large enough population of students to form an organization. It is unfortunate that other cultures go completely unacknowledged because there are not enough students to give it credibility on campus.
At my high school, these organizations we welcome on campus, but were not financially supported and were seen as outcasts who were attempting to isolate themselves from mainstream culture. Students don’t often see the value of having these clubs exist; in fact, these groups don’t often view themselves as a resource non-identifying students. I would have liked to hear that the ASA and the KSA often invited non-Asians in to learn about Asian or Korean culture, but this is not always the purpose of these groups. From an outside perspective I can see how one would find these groups to be exclusive. This would lead to more stereotypes about minority students and their right to identify as “-American.”
Something that is especially concerning to me relates to the final question posed. Lee talks about how many cultures have strong beliefs about the inferiority of women. As Lee shows, these ideals influence the way women are treated in school. What she doesn’t mention is how severe of a risk factor this type of treatment is for women at this period in their lives.
I was also struck by the disjointed relations between the KSA and the ASA. The KSA believed themselves to be the elite. I’m not saying that everyone of any sort of Asian background should get along, but this is a direct example of how class plays into ethnic identity development.
I find the Lee chapter to be somewhat inadequate in its treatment of the model minority stereotype, but excellent in presenting a case study of a multifaceted Asian American population that speaks to the representation of Asian American youth across this country. To be fair, the explicit recognition of diversity and the fact that many Asian Americans* do not conform to the stereotype is a way of unraveling the model minority myth, but I did not see a very strong or specific focus. One way she could have improved was perhaps to acquire and discuss disaggregated income, graduation rates, college completion rates, and other statistics of the students of Academic High.
To answer the question about identify development, Lee’s article shows that the various Asian American groups reacted in vastly dissimilar manners. Some Asian Americans, like the Koreans at the high school, choose to internalize and uphold the model minority myth while emulating the suburban white upper-middle class, pointing to it as a sign of acceptance and success in America. Others, like the new waves, decided to rebel against the image by the way their dress (e.g. spiked hair, baggy clothes) and the way their carry themselves (e.g. heterosexual flirtation). The Asian American community, alternatively, recognizes that the model minority image is not a reality when they worked with underserved Asian American youth who were not “successful” by social standards. In many ways, the existence and continual persistence of stereotypes push individuals, especially youth who are still finding a place to be comfortable in, to take a reactionary approach to these stereotypes. The model minority stereotype is a unique one because it is superficially complimentary to Asian Americans. Therefore, we see groups like the Koreans at Academic High actually embracing these stereotypes. However, this seemingly flattering identity also serves to marginalize and put undue pressure on those Asian Americans who aren’t middle class or good at school or quiet or subservient and plays down the potential to excel in other ways (such as being creative or athletic). In a similar vein, blacks are stereotyped to be athletic. This, again, might be a praise, but serves as a tool of exclusion of those who aren’t, of downplaying the hard work that goes into the results (since it’s supposed to be innate), and hides the possibility to succeed academically and intellectually.
At my middle school, there were the Asians, the FOBS, the AZNs, and no “Asian Americans.” I identified Asian, which is the same Asian identification that Lee describes, while wishing I were a cool enough to be in the AZN circle. My Asian identification continued all through high school. I was comfortable with that identification, but always felt like I wanted to be something else (either whiter or AZNer). It wasn’t until senior year when I met a self-identified Asian American mentor and started reading and learning about Asian American issues such as the Wen Ho Lee case and the Japanese American internment that I began to develop a political consciousness as Asian American. Therefore, the implication in my life for identifying as an Asian American was a political one. Identifying Asian American (or Mexican American) automatically asserts one as a “type” of American (e.g. I’m the type with Asian ancestry). This assertion argues first of all that we belong on this soil, but also recognizes a specific kind of American experience. Identifying as Anything American thus recognizes we need a common identification that can be used to acknowledge, validate, and address common experiences. Some may argue that a pan-ethnic identification obscures the diversity of language, culture, status, and experiences within the community. However, as Lee points out, non-Asians often cannot distinguish between various Asian ethnic communities anyway, so there is value in an Asian/Asian American identification. In response to Dan’s concern, I think this is a way that student can educate others about “Asians” — not necessarily meaning Asian cultures because she doesn’t specify culture – and shared Asian (American) experiences in this country such as marginalization and discrimination of various forms.
*Rather than using “Asians” to describe all individuals of Asian descent at an American high school, I use the term “Asian Americans” to emphasize the fact that these students’ experiences are unique because of their being situated in an American institution and that, although not deeply explored by the article, their existence also shapes their American high school.
What I found interesting in the Lee reading was the contrast drawn between the Asian-identified students and the Asian American-identified students. She explains how despite some similarities in terms of diversity in ethnicity and social class, Asian American-identified students are more likely to challenge social norms put in place by the white majority. Asian-identified students, on the other hand, are less confrontational and instead spend little to no time interacting with non-Asians outside of class. Indeed, Asian-identified students feel most comfortable around other Asians, forming panethnic bonds with common discriminatory treatment by non-Asians as their common denominator. As one student (Teddy) explained, it was a matter of staying comfortable and relieving some of the school pressures that Alison touched on earlier.
The academic success of Asian-identified students, coupled with exclusion of non-Asians and lack of progressive mentality makes them susceptible to the model minority stereotype, described by Lee as being “quiet, respectful of authority, and hardworking.” The distinctions between the two Asian American groups grow when we consider how Asian-identified students accept the stereotype placed on them and hope that all Asian American groups follow these standards, while Asian American-students fight vehemently against the stereotype, deeming it a racist and inaccurate portrayal of all Asian Americans. In the end, I was surprised to find such a divide in ideology between these two groups of students who, perhaps with the exception of duration in the U.S., had otherwise comparable backgrounds.
I echo many of the sentiments mentioned above. The model minority stereotype can greatly affect the student in a variety of ways. The Lee reading emphasized the many different ways in which individual students dealt with the pressures of stereotypes. Some felt the pressure to uphold or conform to the stereotype, while others attempted to break free of the stereotypes restrictive mold.
I find the work of my psychologists such as Claude Steele to be fascinating. According to this work, an individual’s personal belief in a stereotype is not necessary for the effects of the stereotype to be felt. The mere presence of the stereotype by others is enough for the stereotype to have a devastating effect. This realization is astonishing, because it suggests it does not matter how you have been raised, or what you believe, the labels others place on you will always have an effect. These tendencies to take on the labels others impose make it incredibly difficult to develop an independent ethnic identity. How is one supposed to develop and ‘find’ themselves if they are constantly bound by the notions and beliefs of society?
I think one of the interesting things Lee’s article showed in regards to the model minority stereotype is its ability to polarize the different groups to the extent that some groups strive to live up to it and other groups strive to get away from it. What was extremely troubling to me has to do with what Stany mentioned above. As the new wavers tried to redefine themselves outside of the stereotypes established for them and in some sense lose the respect of some of the people who share the same of similar cultures as they do.
The interesting thing brought up in this study is how these stereotypes affect the lives of the people who live within in. The model minority stereotype becomes something to either live up to or get away from. This is very similar to what we saw in Noguera where, for black children, success was associated with “white.” In this case, black children shy away from academic success in order to avoid being looked at that way just as the new wavers shied away from being viewed as “nerds.” I think stereotypes affect people because they make it so that it is difficult to define yourself outside of the stereotype. New wavers were trying to escape it, but they only managed of finding away to identify within it.
Another thing I found interesting was that when Lee spoke of Asian American-identifiers, she was speaking mostly of kids who associated with the “American” values of chasing for women’s rights, freedom, equality. This was interesting because the Korean students were chasing after the American values of wealth, social status, acceptance and whiteness. Which is truly American identifying? I think that’s a difficult thing to answer.
After reading Lee’s chapter in Unraveling the Model Minority Stereotype, it becomes apparent that the model minority stereotype plays a crucial factor in affecting how students come to identify themselves. Like many of my classmates have stated, these MMS set expected standards for minority students to fulfill. This presents problems for, student groups such as the new-wave Asians, because they are all of a sudden expected to confine to the limited stereotypes saying that these minorities should be quiet, respectful, hard-working, and academically successful. I agree with Lee when he says that there is both a positive and negative regard to these minority stereotypes: good because it encourages the specific minority group to live work hard to live up to the model or bad because in essence, it is wrong or “racist” to generalize a minority group.
What I found particular interesting about this reading was the fact that they singled out only Koreans as having that assimilation-into-an-American-culture-for-acceptance mentality. From what I have experienced in my educational career, several minority groups have that mentality and as a result, try to buy “white”, preppy clothing so that they may be respected by their “American” peer. In my middle school and High school (which was predominantly white), all the minority students felt the need to juggle living up to the model minority stereotype, which was to be an excellent student and athlete (because we were all on full rides), and at the same time, what Lee called, “accommodate without assimilating.” We would dress with certain name brands for school and then change to take the subway to our different boroughs. This is important to realize because I am sure that it is a prominent problem in today’s society, for many minority student groups feel the need to juggle those two academic success through assimilation and at the same time, retention of their culture in the home or respective neighborhoods.
On the subject of feeling out American values and identity, I was surprised by the direct association consistently made between America and whiteness by the kids in Lee’s study. Be it the Americans they aspired to be like or would consider marrying, Lee clarified that American always meant white. This was a lesson about another example of labeling, which would logically affect how Asian students relate to being in/an America/n. So another stereotype affecting their identity development is the way they themselves label America and the way that is influenced by the stereotypes projected onto them by non-Asians (if mainstream admires the “model minority” and high-achieving Asians respect whiteness, the two sides are alienating huge parts of either population). This demonstrates the complexity of the implications of labels, and because the topic can obviously be so problematic I was really surprised that Lee wrote (in her talk about the term Oriental) that while Asian-Americans fought against it, members of the 3 other identifying groups “thought it was ridiculous to get upset over labels.” That part jumped out at me and perhaps goes to show that labels tend to take on importance through personal experience.
I agree with Yaa that the model minority stereotype (and many stereotypes for that matter) force students to believe that they can only have a binary relationship with those stereotypes: they either match the stereotype, or they don’t. There’s no room for variation.
Ever since 2nd grade, I definitely felt the pull to disprove any stereotypes being made about me, thinking less about how that desire to disprove the stereotypes might be just as harmful as proving them. Even with an oppositional mindset, the binary relationship that I thought existed was completely dictating my behavior.
In 2nd grade I always made sure to use awesome words and be smart, because I didn’t want people to think that because I was Chinese, I was weird and couldn’t speak English. Somewhere around 5th grade, I started hiding my good grades and pretending I did poorly on tests, so people wouldn’t think I was a nerd. I scoffed at musically inclined Asian-Americans, because I knew that that would distance myself from the stereotype that all Asians play violin.
Right before high school, I went through a major nonconformist phase, when I didn’t want to do anything the way other people (regardless of their race) were doing it. I did my hair in funky styles, I wore mismatched shoes and skinny leg jeans when flares were in fashion. I basically made it my identity to “not be like others.”
Of course, I eventually realized that nonconformists were trapped too – always being opposite was just as dependent on the times as being “in.” Unfortunately, that realization didn’t make my reactionary identity formation stop. Once I hit high school, I always made a point of eating a lot of food at lunch, because my predominantly white friends always assumed that since I was skinny, I didn’t eat much. In my second, urban high school, I always played hip hop in my car so people wouldn’t assume that since I was from Nevada, I would be a “poser” who thought she was a gangster. I wanted to be the real deal.
Standing here now, I can’t say that I’ve lost all those impulses while being in college. There are often still times when I can sense someone judging me based on my outward appearance or something they know about me, and feeling that same urgent desire to prove them wrong.
I think the model minority stereotype is a strong example of the much deeper pull that many of the students Lee describes fall subject to. The problem is that reacting against the model minority stereotype doesn’t just mean eating more, or listening to hip hop when your friends are in the car, it calls for a complete reconceptualization of one’s identity and one’s place in society. In a binary world, the opposite of success is failure, and to embrace failure just so people stop grouping you into a category or prejudging you, is the tragic result of a stereotype like the model minority, one that doesn’t allow for all the differences that people actually have.
Identity grouping in particular settings, in this case American high schools, is a phenomenon that also raises the issue of the social and the role that plays in how individuals act/see/feel about themselves and those around them (and vice versa). Think about when you enter certain spaces; what happens when you first walk in? What do you do? How do you assess your surrounding? Do you sit down, stand up, keep to the corner, mingle, etc? What shapes that? Does this happen in every context? Why or why not? [Also, what would be interesting to add here is the role media plays? Let's pick this up in class.]
I agree with everyone about the pressure placed on a student due to the perpetuation of the “model minority.” Thinking about last week’s Perry reading that discussed identities of achievement, i wonder what is the line between creating communities of students with identities of achievement without crossing over into the unfair pressures of the model minority? How are they separate and how are they different? Will identities of achievement inevitably become model minority pressures?
I was really interested in what Korina said in her last post. She suggested that we think about what happens when you enter certain spaces, how you assess your surroundings, how you decide to mingle or keep to yourself, and why. I really connected with these questions, because they are ones that I often ask myself. While I am half Chinese and half Latina, to those who do not know me I am simply ethnically ambiguous. When I walk into a room, my actions are determined by (among other things such as age, type of event, location, etc) the ethnic make-up of others within the room. In the movie Selena, Edward James Olmos (the father) says about being Mexican-American, “We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans, and more American than the Americans.” I never try to out-Asian or out-Latina anyone, but I do change the way I approach people based on who I am meeting. For example, when I am in a well-mixed room, I always introduce myself as Pilar Wong, if the room is mostly Hispanic, I will only state my first name, and if the majority of the people are Asian, I will include my last as well. Simple things like that are always on my mind whenever I am around people who don’t know me.
I agree with what has already been mentioned about the pressure stereotypes place on ethnic minority students. Whether the stereotype is “positive” or negative, the repercussions on these students’ identities and perceptions of their peers is frustrating to observe. I was baffled by one of the Korean students’ response that she felt Koreans were superior to the other Asians and that she found other Asians “hideous.” The pride in being the model minority may not be the only factor in driving this girl’s ideas but the pressure to be in the “model minority” category definitely adds to the need to feel superior to your peers. I agree with Dan’s comment about the need for inter-ethnic alliances instead of a simple pan-asian alliance as suggested by one of the students. From an outsiders perspective it is common to place Asians under one category of “Asian.” This is common with other ethnic groups as well. As a Mexican, it is easier for people to try and place me in a category of “hispanic” or “latino” but I don’t consider myself either. When stereotypes are linked to these overarching labels for groups it complicates the development of ones identity if you are a member of a group under a label. The pressure to meet the standards of stereotypes like being a “model minority” or defying negative stereotypes like “lazy” for Mexicans can be really frustrating and detract from developing ones individual identity.
The model minority stereotype is something that I feel is still strongly seen in urban high schools. I was mentioning to my group last week in class how my little brothers act and dress a certain way because they feel they are expected to, not only by their peers, but by their teachers. If they are in an above average class, they must have some extra help or they are the exception. It’s a pressure that they shouldn’t have, and even though more minorities are excelling, it’s still a prevailing idea.
In regards to identification, something I have experienced over and over is the decision of either being your ethnicity (Asian) or American. When you choose the latter, sometimes you are rejected by those you consider “your people.” It could result in a loss of identity and/or acceptance. In high school, these two concepts are more important than ever in shaping who you are. This is why when we walk into a room, we immediately look around and we tend to go with people we “identify” with, which usually, for me, happen to be people of my ethnicity or other minorities.