Younger-Generation Korean Experiences in the United States: Personal Narratives on Ethnic and Racial Identities

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Younger-Generation Korean Experiences in the United States: Personal Narratives on Ethnic and Racial Identities compares the formation of the ethnic identities of two distinct cohorts of Korean Americans. Through personal essays, the book explores four influential factors of ethnic identity: retention of ethnic culture; participation in ethnic social networks; links to the mother country and its global power and influence; and experiences with racial prejudice and discrimination. The essays reflect certain major changes between the two cohortsthe first growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s and the second growing up during the 1980s and early 1990s and proves how an increase in the Korean population and in the number of ethnic organizations helped the second-cohort Korean Americans retain their cultural heritage in a more voluntary, and therefore meaningful, way. This books combination of first-hand experiences and critical analysis makes it a valuable resource for studies of ethnicity, culture, identity formation, and the Asian-American experience.

Reviews

By presenting the voices of Korean Americansin fascinating and often moving personal narratives that explore identities, networks, and links to South Koreathis book enriches our understanding of the second-generation experience. -- Nancy Foner, Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY
These narratives relate personal recollections about the quest for ethnic identity and belonging, and are full of insights gained from the struggles, frustrations, hopes, and successes throughout the subjects life experiences. Readers, especially Korean American readers but also those of any background, will find the two books [this book and Korean Americans Who Have Empowered the Korean-American Community] in equal measures thought-provoking and touching as they empathize with the various narrators from their own perspectives. * The Review of Korean Studies *
Comparing the experiences of Korean American youth in two different time periods, this unique and insightful book examines the ways in which internal and external factors have contributed to different ethnic and racial identity formations. Drawing on personal narratives, the book is immanently engaging, and thus will appeal to a broad audience of scholars and students, as well as the public at large. -- Mehdi Bozorgmehr, Professor of Sociology, CUNY
By presenting the voices of Korean Americansin fascinating and often moving personal narratives that explore identities, networks, and links to South Koreathis book enriches our understanding of the second-generation experience. -- Nancy Foner, Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY
This is a wonderfully informative study of the complex phenomenon of ethnic identity among Korean Americans. The detailed qualitative analysis reveals the significance of historical context, social ties, and experiences with racial prejudice. This book should be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand the formation of Asian American ethnic identities. -- Arthur Sakamoto, Texas A&M University
Comparing the experiences of Korean American youth in two different time periods, this unique and insightful book examines the ways in which internal and external factors have contributed to different ethnic and racial identity formations. Drawing on personal narratives, the book is immanently engaging, and thus will appeal to a broad audience of scholars and students, as well as the public at large. -- Mehdi Bozorgmehr, Professor of Sociology, CUNY
This is a wonderfully informative study of the complex phenomenon of ethnic identity among Korean Americans. The detailed qualitative analysis reveals the significance of historical context, social ties, and experiences with racial prejudice. This book should be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand the formation of Asian American ethnic identities. -- Arthur Sakamoto, Texas A&M University

Author Bio

Pyong Gap Min is Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He also serves as director of the Research Center for Korean Community at Queens College. Thomas Chung is a writer and editor for the Research Center for Korean Community at Queens College. He is also a PhD student at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York