“I’m Not Going To Be One”: Second Generation Thai-Taiwanese American
Faculty Mentor
Kassahun Kebede
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
5-7-2024 9:55 AM
End Date
5-7-2024 10:15 AM
Location
PAT 306
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Sociology and Justice Studies
Abstract
This paper delves into the experiences of a second-generation Thai-Taiwanese American identity development. According to the United States Census Bureau, the multiracial population increased from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020. With this increasing number of multiracial people in the US, I examine one person's experience with being a Thai-Taiwanese American and how her parental background, life experience from youth to the present, and experiences visiting her parental homeland helped shape her identity. This paper will investigate the interviewee's mixed heritage and how her upbringing created multiple and overlapping identities, utilizing the theory of identity, hybrid identities, and pan-ethnicity. Although my interviewee didn't struggle with her various identities, it did not confuse her about her ethnicity; societal expectations and reactions from her peers resulted in her conforming to an identity. Hence, I discuss my interviewee's sense of belonging as Thai and Taiwanese in America.
Recommended Citation
Paloma, Jasmine Joy A., "“I’m Not Going To Be One”: Second Generation Thai-Taiwanese American" (2024). 2024 Symposium. 2.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/op_2024/o2_2024/2
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
“I’m Not Going To Be One”: Second Generation Thai-Taiwanese American
PAT 306
This paper delves into the experiences of a second-generation Thai-Taiwanese American identity development. According to the United States Census Bureau, the multiracial population increased from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020. With this increasing number of multiracial people in the US, I examine one person's experience with being a Thai-Taiwanese American and how her parental background, life experience from youth to the present, and experiences visiting her parental homeland helped shape her identity. This paper will investigate the interviewee's mixed heritage and how her upbringing created multiple and overlapping identities, utilizing the theory of identity, hybrid identities, and pan-ethnicity. Although my interviewee didn't struggle with her various identities, it did not confuse her about her ethnicity; societal expectations and reactions from her peers resulted in her conforming to an identity. Hence, I discuss my interviewee's sense of belonging as Thai and Taiwanese in America.
Comments
Global Migration Experiences
The four presentations from 9:05am - 10:40am comprise a session on global migration experiences. This session will showcase the experiences of first and second-generation immigrants in the United States. Each paper examines the unique challenges and cultural negotiations faced by these communities, providing insight into the broader themes of assimilation, cultural retention, and identity formation. The first paper investigates the Italian American experience, tracing the historical migration patterns and how they have shaped the community's identity in contemporary America. The paper on Filipino immigrants in the US sheds light on the challenges faced by newer immigrant communities, particularly in relation to mental health. The two remaining papers present the experiences of second-generation immigrants. The first paper explores the identity struggles and cultural negotiations of the Thai-Taiwanese American second generation. Similarly, the second paper on second-generation Mexicans discusses the complexities of identity for those straddling two 'bordering' cultures. Together, these papers provide a comprehensive understanding of the diverse experiences of the global population movement.