Identity Construction among Chinese-Vietnamese Americans: Being, Becoming, and Belonging

Identity Construction among Chinese-Vietnamese Americans: Being, Becoming, and Belonging
Monica M. Trieu
November 2009

ISBN-13:  978-1-59332-374-5 / Hardcover
Dimensions:  5.5 x 8.5 / viii, 218 pages

Price   $62.00

Description

Trieu explores the ethnic identity formation of second-generation Chinese-Vietnamese. Many Chinese-Vietnamese Americans grew up questioning which ethnicity they belonged to. By disentangling the experiences of Chinese-Vietnamese Americans from the Vietnamese Americans, Trieu reveals the distinctions that exist because of socioeconomic indicators and the adaptation process. An examination of the factors affecting ethnic identity formation reveals the importance of context in the social construction of racial and ethnic identity. Findings show that while these second-generation members are in the preliminary stages of assimilation, cultural and structural contexts still influence their paths. Trieu argues that delving within ethnic categories yields internal differences in modes of adaptation and provides a significant nuance to the studies on the second-generation.

About the Author

Monica M. Trieu received her PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Irvine. Her research interests include immigration, race and ethnicity, and Asian Americans. She is currently a SBS Diversity Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the Ohio State University.