Vulnerable Asian Americans: From Intra-Asian Diversity to Narrative Plentitude

Van Tran, Professor, Sociology and International Migration Studies, City University of New York, Graduate Center

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8417 William H. Sewell Social Sciences Building
@ 12:15 pm
https://www.irp.wisc.edu/2025-spring-irp-seminar-calendar/

As a high-achieving minority group, Asians—on average—have surpassed Whites in education, income, and wealth. This “controlling” narrative, however, is incomplete because it renders intra-Asian disparities invisible. One consequence of intra-Asian diversity is the divergent destinies of hyper-selected Asians and vulnerable Asians. This talk shifts the academic focus away from narratives of Asian American “success” to vulnerable Asian Americans. This least advantaged segment of the Asian population includes refugees and the elderly population. Future data collection efforts should also address the inherent bias toward the inclusion of the largest Asian groups at the exclusion of more vulnerable Asian groups in prior research. Investing in a robust data infrastructure, especially national surveys on health, aging, and retirement, will contribute to the narrative plentitude in future research and the cultural representations of U.S. Asians.