After careful consideration and taking feedback from the community, we're proud to introduce the third edition of the Asian American Man Study. Our theme is social institutions: School, Work, Groups, and Friendship.
Perhaps one of the things that most unites Asian Americans in general is the family expectations that are placed upon us. Starting from childhood, we are challenged to do well in school, learn our culture and history, and pursue a career that will make our family proud. But those expectations from our Asian culture sometimes seem at odds with the ethos we encounter in our new American home. Whether be it in films, books, or even our teachers, we hear messages like Follow your heart. Go off the beaten path. Expand your horizons. Question everything. Every Asian American man responds to this juxtaposition a little differently. Then when we enter the workplace, we encounter a complex system where what we may have learned in school. Working hard, getting the right answer — these are just one aspect of an often bewildering web of rules, stakeholders, and power plays. We were curious to better understand how our Asian identity plays a role in our ambition, our perspective, and how we are treated. And finally, we have the groups that bring us together. From fraternities to professional networks to circles of friends, our identities are often shaped by the people we surround ourselves with. Given the emphasis on relationships in career success, health, and happiness, as well as the painful story of Michael Deng at Baruch College, our study explores what these social groups mean to us. I am grateful to our research fellow Alan Yang, who has been a tremendous partner in developing this year's study, as well as the many who gave feedback and perspective. Special shoutout to to Kifah Shah and Mahait Gollamudi, two wise Asian American women, who provided important perspectives on survey design and shed a light on issues central to the South Asian community. Comments are closed.
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AuthorThe Asian American Man Study is an annual study an annual survey of the experiences and beliefs of American men of East, Southeast, and South Asian descent. It is administered by Jason Shen, a first-generation Chinese-American. Archives
March 2019
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