Citizenship and Immigration, by Christian Joppke (Polity)

This incisive book provides a succinct overview of the new academic field of citizenship and immigration, as well as presenting a fresh and original argument about changing citizenship in our contemporary human rights era. Instead of being nationally resilient or in “postnational” decline, citizenship in Western states has continued to evolve, converging on a liberal model of inclusive citizenship with diminished rights implications and increasingly universalistic identities.

This convergence is demonstrated through a sustained comparison of developments in North America, Western Europe and Australia. Topics covered in the book include: recent trends in nationality laws; what ethnic diversity does to the welfare state; the decline of multiculturalism accompanied by the continuing rise of antidiscrimination policies; and the new state campaigns to “upgrade” citizenship in the post-2001 period.

The Fence: National Security, Public Safety, and Illegal Immigration along the U.S.-Mexico Border, by Robert Lee Maril (Texas Tech University Press)

To the American public it’s a 2,000-mile-long project to keep illegal immigrants, narcotics, and terrorists on the other side of the U.S.–Mexico border. In the deserts of Arizona, it’s a “virtual fence” of high-tech electronic sensors, cameras, and radar. In some border stretches it’s a huge concrete-and-steel wall; in others it’s a series of solitary posts designed to stop drug runners; in still others it’s rusted barbed-wire cattle fences. For two-thirds of the international boundary it’s nonexistent. Just what is this entity known as “the fence”? And more important, is it working?

Through first-person interviews with defense contractors, border residents, American military, Minutemen, county officials, Customs and Border Protection agents, environmental activists, and others whose voices have never been heard, Robert Lee Maril examines the project’s human and financial costs. Along with Maril’s site visits, his rigorous analysis of government documents from 1999 to the present uncovers fiscal mismanagement by Congress, wasteful defense contracts, and unkept political promises. As drug violence mounts in border cities and increasing numbers of illegal migrants die from heat exhaustion in the Arizona desert, Maril argues how the fence may even be making an incendiary situation worse.

Avoiding preconceived conclusions, he proposes new public policies that take into consideration human issues, political negotiation, and the need for compromise. Maril’s lucid study shows the fence to be a symbol in concrete, steel, microchips, and fiber optics for the crucible of contemporary immigration policy, national security, and public safety.

Immigration Nation: Raids, Detentions, and Deportations in Post-9/11 America, by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza (Paradigm Publishers)

Immigration Nation is a critical analysis of the human rights impact of US immigration policy. In the wake of September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created to prevent terrorist attacks. The creation of DHS led to dramatic increases in immigration law enforcement raids, detentions and deportations have increased six-fold in the past decade. Immigration Nation considers the widespread impact of this new enforcement regime.

Immigration Nation explains how immigration policies in the U.S. have had negative consequences for citizens, families and communities. Even though family reunification is officially a core component of U.S. immigration policy, our policies often tear families apart. Despite the perception that immigration policy primarily affects immigrants, it frequently has devastating effects on citizens. The immigration policy debate is nearly always framed in terms of security and economic needs. In contrast, this book addresses the debate with the human rights of migrants and their families at the center of the analyses.

Living “Illegal”: The Human Face of Unauthorized Immigration, by Marie Friedmann Marquardt, Timothy J. Steigenga, Philip J. Williams, and Manuel A. Vasquez (New Press)

Today’s polarized debates over immigration revolve around a set of one-dimensional characters and unchallenged stereotypes. Yet the resulting policy prescriptions, not least of them Arizona’s draconian new law SB 1070, are dangerously real and profoundly counterproductive. A major new antidote to this trend, Living “Illegal” is an ambitious new account of the least understood and most relevant aspects of the American immigrant experience today. Based on years of research into the lives of ordinary migrants, Living “Illegal” offers richly textured stories of real people—working, building families, and enriching their communities even as the political climate grows more hostile.

Moving far beyond stock images and conventional explanations, Living “Illegal” challenges our assumptions about why immigrants come to the United States, where they settle, and how they have adapted to the often confusing patchwork of local immigration ordinances. This revealing narrative takes us into Southern churches (which have quietly emerged as the only organizations open to migrants), into the fields of Florida, onto the streets of major American cities during the historic immigrant rights marches of 2006, and back and forth across different national boundaries—from Brazil to Mexico and Guatemala.

A deeply humane book, Living “Illegal” will stand as an authoritative new guide to one of the most pressing issues of our time.

The Immigrant Advantage: What We Can Learn from Newcomers to America about Health, Happiness and Hope, by Claudia Kolker (Free Press)

Do you have a relative or friend who would gladly wait on you, hand and foot, for a full month after you had a baby? How about someone to deliver a delicious, piping hot home-cooked meal, just like your mother’s, right to your front door after work? Do you know people you’d trust enough to give several hundred dollars a month to, with no receipt, on the simple promise that the accumulated wealth will come back to you a year later?

Not many of us can answer “yes” to these questions. But as award-winning journalist Claudia Kolker has discovered, each of these is one of a wide variety of cherished customs brought to the United States by immigrant groups, often adapted to American life by the second generation in a distinctive blending of old and new. Taken together, these extraordinary traditions may well contribute to what’s known as “the immigrant paradox,” the growing evidence that immigrants, even those from poor or violence-wracked countries, tend to be both physically and mentally healthier than most native-born Americans.

These customs are unfamiliar to most Americans, but they shouldn’t be. Honed over centuries, they provide ingenious solutions to daily challenges most of us face and provide both social support and comfort. They range from Vietnamese money clubs that help people save and Mexican cuarentenas—a forty-day period of rest for new mothers—to Korean afterschools that offer highly effective tutoring at low cost and Jamaican multigenerational households that help younger family members pay for college and, eventually, their own homes.

Fascinated by the success of immigrant friends, Claudia Kolker embarked on a journey to uncover how these customs are being carried on and adapted by the second and third generations, and how they can enrich all of our lives. In a beautifully written narrative, she takes readers into the living rooms, kitchens, and restaurants of immigrant families and neighborhoods all across the country, exploring the sociable street life of Chicago’s “Little Village,” a Mexican enclave with extraordinarily low rates of asthma and heart disease; the focused quiet of Korean afterschool tutoring centers; and the loving, controlled chaos of a Jamaican extended-family home.

She chronicles the quests of young Indian Americans to find spouses with the close guidance of their parents, revealing the benefits of “assisted marriage,” an American adaptation of arranged marriage. And she dives with gusto into some of the customs herself, experimenting to see how we might all fit them into our lives. She shows us the joy, and excitement, of savoring Vietnamese “monthly rice” meals delivered to her front door, hiring a tutor for her two young girls, and finding a powerful sense of community in a money-lending club she started with friends.

The Immigrant Advantage is an adventurous exploration of little-known traditional wisdom, and how in this nation of immigrants our lives can be enriched by the gifts of our newest arrivals.

Massachusetts is Third State to Reject Obama Immigration Program

• Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick joins his counterparts in New York and Illinois in declining to participate in the controversial federal “Secure Communities” program that critics charge encourage police to round up anyone suspected of being undocumented.

Red-Blue Divide Widens on Issue of Undocumented Immigration

• “America’s red and blue states are increasingly going in exactly opposite directions on the issue of illegal immigration – a testament to how difficult finding middle ground has become on the federal level.”

Better Lives for Mexicans Cut Allure of Going North

• “The extraordinary Mexican migration that delivered millions of illegal immigrants to the United States over the past 30 years has sputtered to a trickle, and research points to a surprising cause: unheralded changes in Mexico that have made staying home more attractive. A growing body of evidence suggests that a mix of developments — expanding economic and educational opportunities, rising border crime and shrinking families — are suppressing illegal traffic as much as economic slowdowns or immigrant crackdowns in the United States.”

Deportations Of Immigrants Hits Record Number Under Obama Administration

• “Huge increases in deportations of people after they were arrested for breaking traffic or immigration laws or driving drunk helped the Obama administration set a record last year for the number of criminal immigrants forced to leave the country, documents show. . . . The spike in the numbers of people deported for traffic offenses as well as a 78 percent increase in people deported for immigration-related offenses renewed skepticism about the administration’s claims that it is focusing on the most dangerous criminals.”

Companies Use Immigration Crackdown to Turn a Profit

• As the U.S. and other western countries ramp up their arrest and deportation of suspected undocumented immigration, private security companies are seeing skyrocketing business and profits.

Immigration Crackdown Also Snares Americans

• “In a spate of recent cases across the country, American citizens have been confined in local jails after federal immigration agents, acting on flawed information from Department of Homeland Security databases, instructed the police to hold them for investigation and possible deportation. Americans said their vehement protests that they were citizens went unheard by local police officers and jailers for days, with no communication with federal immigration agents to clarify the situation. Any case where an American is held, even briefly, for immigration investigation is a potential wrongful arrest because immigration agents lack legal authority to detain citizens.”

Arizona Sheriff Violates Civil Rights of Latinos, Justice Department Says

• “The U.S. government said Thursday that [Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio] who called himself the toughest sheriff in America ran an office that has committed wide-ranging civil rights violations against Latinos, including a pattern of racial profiling and heavy-handed immigration patrols based on racially charged complaints. The U.S. Justice Department’s expert on measuring racial profiling called it the most egregious case he has seen, the department’s civil rights division chief told reporters.”

Arizona Candidate Challenged Over English Skills

• “What began as an effort by political opponents to block Alejandrina Cabrera from the ballot for a seat on the City Council has mushroomed into an uncomfortable discussion of just how fluent Arizona officeholders need to be. Like many other states, Arizona has long required politicians at all levels to speak, read and write English, but the law fails to spell out just what that means. Is grade-school knowledge enough? Must one speak flawlessly? Who is to decide?”

In Lights of Charges of Anti-Latino Abuse, East Haven Mayor Says He’ll Support Latinos by Eating Tacos

• Federal prosecutors charge four East Haven CT police officers with systematically harassing, beating, and retaliating against Latinos in their town and people who spoke up for them. East Haven’s Police Chief is eventually forced to resign. When asked how he would support Latinos in his community in lights of these indictments, East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. answered, “I might have tacos when I go home.”

Asian American Conference: UC Irvine

The Asian Pacific Student Association (APSA) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) is hosting its 27th Annual Asian Pacific American Awareness Conference at the UCI Student Center on Saturday, January 28, 2012. For over 30 years, APSA has been a progressive voice for Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) students in Orange County and Southern California. Through a commitment to advocacy, education, community outreach, and active political participation, APSA strives toward the establishment of equality in a multicultural society.

The 27th Annual Asian Pacific-Islander American Awareness Conference (APAAC) is a day-long event devoted to addressing the issues and redressing the questions raised in the contemporary society of the United States. This year’s theme is “The Movement: Then and Now.” This year we explore cross-cultural activism, intersections of struggles faced by People of Color, and the need to bring back the foundations of the Asian Pacific-Islander American Movement to address the issues that pervade our communities today.

Information:
The 27th Annual Asian Pacific American Awareness Conference
January 28, 2012
UC Irvine Student Center – University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
Check-In starts at 8:00AM

Highlights:

• Keynote Speaker: Glenn Omatsu
• Indoor Lunch and Performances
• Workshop and Breakout Sessions
• West Coast API Student Coalition Kick-It
• Performances by Hoodini & KinG!, Beau Sia, Andrew Figueroa Chiang, forWORD, Nghiem Le, Victoria Lee, Jazzmine Farol, and more!

Registration:
Early Registration (until January 23, 2012) – $7
Late/On-site Registration – $10
Special Discounts for delegations of 10 people or more. Contact Elaine Won at apaacuci@gmail.com to arrange a delegation.
Lunch and concert are included in registration.
Register Online Here: registration.apaacuci.org

Social Media:

http://www.facebook.com/events/162734167157786/

apaacuci.org
@apsauci
#APAAC2012

Pre-Doctoral Fellowship: Ithaca College

The School of Humanities and Sciences at Ithaca College announces a Pre-Doctoral Diversity Fellowship for 2012-13. The fellowship supports promising scholars who are committed to diversity in the academy in order to better prepare them for tenure track appointments within liberal arts or comprehensive colleges/universities.

Applications are welcome in the following areas: Anthropology, Art History, Communication Studies, Environmental Studies and Sciences, History, Philosophy and Religion, Psychology, and Sociology. The Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity, which houses the African Diaspora Studies and the Latino/a studies minors, also welcomes applications. The School of Humanities and Sciences houses additional interdisciplinary minors that may be of interest to candidates: Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Muslim Cultures, Native American Studies, and Women’s Studies.

Fellows who successfully obtain the Ph.D. and show an exemplary record of teaching and scholarship and engagement in academic service throughout their fellowship, may be considered as candidates for tenure-eligible appointments anticipated to begin in the fall of 2013.
Position Responsibilities and Terms of Fellowship: Fellowship is anticipated for the academic year (August 16, 2012 to May 31, 2013) and is non-renewable. The fellow will receive a $30,000 stipend, $3,000 in travel/professional development support, office space, health benefits, and access to Ithaca College and Cornell University libraries. The fellow will teach one course in the fall semester and one course in the spring semester and be invited to speak about her/his dissertation research in relevant classes and at special events at Ithaca College.

Position/Job Responsibilities: Continued enrollment in an accredited program leading to a Ph.D. degree at a U.S. educational institution, evidence of superior academic achievement, and commitment to a career in teaching at the college or university level required. Candidates must also be authorized to work in the United States. Prior to August 15, 2012, the fellow must be advanced to candidacy at his or her home institution with an approved dissertation proposal. Preference will be given to those candidates in the final writing stages of their dissertation.

Position/Job Qualifications: Successful candidates will show evidence of superior academic achievement, a high degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers, a capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds, sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level, and a likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship.

Instructions for submitting your application: Interested individuals should apply online at www.icjobs.org, and submit a C.V./Resume, a cover letter, two sample syllabi, a list of references and a transcript. Questions about the online application should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (607)274-8000. Screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Quick Link apply.icjobs.org/applicants/Central?quickFind=177781

Call for Participants: HBO 2012 APA Heritage Month Documentary

As mentioned on AngryAsianMan, following up on HBO’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month documentary series East of Main Street last year, HBO is conducting another search for Asian American participants for their 2012 edition to commemorate APA Heritage Month. This year however, they are looking for children ages 4-10, to interviewed for the project:

Project Description
HBO is seeking Asian American children in the age range of 4-10 to be interviewed for their 2012 installment of their Asian Heritage documentary series, brought to you by the producers and director of HBO’s “East of Main Street” that began in 2010.

If you have ever been around small children, you will know that they have as uncensored a view of life. They are wide-eyed, open, curious, and completely unjaded by life and what is “appropriate.” They have not yet been exposed to the harsh realities of racism, sexism or discrimination.

HBO will interview a cross section of Asian American children ranging in age from 4-10 about everything from their heritage, what being Asian American means, how their grandparents differ, what sets them apart from other kids in their schools, religion, their foods, customs and what their hopes and dreams for the future are. The piece would be filled with humor, sweetness and poignancy and help highlight just how insightful and intelligent children really are.

Submission Info
This year, the production will hit the road and interview children in 3 different cities at the end of February. One city will be New York, while the second will either be Los Angeles or San Francisco. The third city is yet to be determined, and will ideally be less metropolitan, to see a cross section of the Asian American experience.

If you’d like to enter your child as a candidate for the series, please upload a short sample clip of your child to a YouTube or Vimeo link and send it to asianheritage2012@gmail.com with a description of your family’s background as well as the name of the city and state which you currently live.

Deadline for submission is January 31.

Postdoc: Korean Families, Univ. of Illinois

The 5-year Korean Family in Comparative Perspective (KFCP, 2010-present) Laboratory for the Globalization of Korean Studies at the University of Illinois, funded by the Academy of Korean Studies, and housed in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, is pleased to announce its second KFCP Postdoctoral Fellowship starting August 16, 2012. This one-year position, with the possibility of a one-year extension, is open to: (1) recent PhD recipients (within the last 5 years) and (2) those who will deposit their dissertation by August 15, 2012.

The KFCP Laboratory aims to bring the Korean family to the center of comparative East Asian and general family studies, highlighting Korea as a productive comparative case of interest to non-Koreanists across a range of disciplines and scholarly locations. KFCP Fellows must be scholars interested in comparative work on the Korean family. Scholars with primary expertise in the family of other East Asian countries (e.g., China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan) are particularly welcome to apply. Scholars with primary research emphasis on the Koreas must have a concrete plan to conduct comparative research (i.e., with another country/region). The Postdoctoral Fellowship is open to scholars in any humanities or social science discipline.

The KFCP Laboratory is directed by anthropologist Nancy Abelmann and includes 3 KFCP Laboratory Fellows: Jungwon Kim (EALC and History, University of Illinois), Seung-Kyung Kim (Women’s Studies, University of Maryland), and Hyunjoon Park (Sociology, University of Pennsylvania). The 2011-13 current Postdoctoral Fellow is historian of China, Elizabeth LaCouture (History, Colby College)

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be welcomed to an active Koreanist community at the University of Illinois that includes a biweekly Korea Workshop (that will actively engage the themes of the Laboratory). The KFCP Fellow will be provided the opportunity to participate in organizing a Korean Family Colloquium Series which graduate students will be able to attend for partial credit. The KFCP Laboratory will be guided by a National Advisory Board (See list below). KFCP Laboratory Director, Fellows, and National Board Members will take an active role in nurturing the comparative scholarship of the Postdoctoral Fellow. The Postdoctoral Fellow will also have the opportunity to “workshop” his or her manuscript/s with experts from both on and off campus.

The KFCP Fellow will be paid $40,000 and benefits. To ensure full consideration, all required application materials must be submitted electronically by February 10, 2012 at http://go.illinois.edu/KFCP_Application Referees will be contacted electronically upon submission of the application. Only electronic applications will be accepted. Applications must include:

1. A cover letter reviewing your research history, including your dissertation and other publications
2. A statement of interest in the Korean family in comparative perspective, including a publication plan that includes the submission of one article for each postdoctoral year (OR a single- or co-authored book manuscript) (this can be integrated into the cover letter)
3. A statement of commitment to active participation in KFCP Laboratory events, including the Korean Family Colloquium Series (this can be a simple statement in the cover letter)
4. One writing sample, 25-40 pages
5. Contact information for three referees who can speak to your scholarly work and abilities and to the feasibility of your research and publications plans for comparative work on the Korean family. Referees will be contacted electronically and asked to submit their letters

Please address inquires to slcl-hr@illinois.edu.

Call for Submissions: Mixed-Race Film & Literary Festival

The 5th Annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival takes place:

Sat. June 16, 2012 – Sun. 17, 2012
Japanese American
National Museum
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Now is your chance to submit your film, writing, workshop, or performance proposal.

There is NO submission fee if you submit your work by February 15, 2012! So don’t wait–send us your stories of the Mixed experience NOW! For complete submission information visit the Festival website. You’ll find the submission forms in the brown navigation bar on the home page.

Please tell your friends via tweets; like us on Facebook; post this call to Facebook; post this announcement on your blog; and forward this email to friends, family and coworkers!

Position: Immigration Policy Special Assistant

Special Assistant for Immigration Policy
Reports to: Vice President for Immigration Policy and Advocacy
Department: Domestic Policy

The Center for American Progress has an immediate opening for an Immigration Assistant. The qualified applicant will be a self-starter and a fast learner with strong written and verbal communications, solid research skills, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. In addition to providing administrative support to the Immigration Team, she/he will help coordinate CAP’s work with key immigrants’ rights organizations and provide assistance in research projects that address gaps in information and data related to immigration.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide administrative support to the Immigration team
• Help coordinate work with key partners
• Use available research tools to identify important issues related to immigration
• Assist with the development of immigration-related short reports

Requirements:

• Excellent written communications skills
• Ability to think strategically and to anticipate and orchestrate next steps
• Ability to initiate, prioritize, and follow through on plans
• Ability to work under pressure/tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to initiate projects and balance multiple projects at once
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well on a team
• Strong attention to detail

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences
• Familiarity with the issue of immigration a plus
• Excellent research and writing skills
• Top-notch organizational skills
• Commitment to organization’s mission and goals
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel
• Nonprofit experience a plus
• Familiarity with the Salesforce CRM system a plus
• Experience working with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations a plus

Additional Information
American Progress operates two separate nonprofit organizations to maximize our progressive agenda: The Center for American Progress and the Center for American Progress Action Fund. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “American Progress.” The Center for American Progress is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) tax-exempt research and educational institute. It undertakes research, public education and a limited amount of lobbying.

The Center for American Progress Action Fund is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization dedicated to achieving progress through action. It works to transform progressive ideas into policy through rapid response communications, legislative action, grassroots organizing, political advocacy, and partnerships with other progressive leaders. The organizations share office space and employees.

American Progress provides a competitive compensation and benefits package. American Progress is an equal opportunity employer; women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To apply, simply e-mail your Word resume and cover letter attachments to: jobs@americanprogress.org.

Or you may write to:
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street, NW, 10th Floor – Domestic Policy Search
Washington, DC 20005

In your correspondence, please reference the exact title of the job you are applying for in the subject line. This announcement will remain posted until the position is filled. No phone calls please. Please note that only those individuals whose qualifications match the current needs of this position will be considered applicants and will receive responses from American Progress.

Summer Service Abroad Program: Viet Nam

Are you planning for an exciting summer abroad? Join us to make an impact through our leadership service project.

Mission
Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network’s (SEALNet) mission is to bring service and to promote the spirit of service leadership among Southeast Asian communities in the US and abroad. We strive to accomplish this by building and nurturing a community of service leaders who are committed to serve, equipped to lead, enterprising in action, and plugged into a network of like hearted individuals who are passionate about social development.

Brief History
SEALNet was founded at Stanford University in 2004. In 2006, SEALNet became a 501(c)(3) organization with a board of directors which oversees the organization and chapters at various universities. In 2008, SEALNet registered a branch in Singapore as a Company Limited by Guarantee.

Project Vietnam 2012
SEALNet projects normally start recruiting during March. However, Project Vietnam 2012 will recruit early this year. The deadline for the application will be on March 10th.

Project Site: Long Hoa Orphanage, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Expected date: 2 – 3 weeks between August 11th and August 31st

We will cover all food, transportation and boarding. However, you are responsible for your airfares to and from Vietnam.

Project Vietnam 2012 seeks to collaborate with Gentle Fund Organization (GFO) in bringing in a sustainable source of local Vietnamese volunteers to support the development of an orphan-led Scout Club for Long Hoa Orphanage. Founded by GFO on the belief that improving self-esteem of orphaned youths will prove vital for their success in school, character development and career choices, the Scout Club is a place where orphaned youths feel safe, free of stigma, encouraged to serve others, and supported through skills workshops. The SEALNet team hopes to supplement and further support GFO’s endeavor at Long Hoa by training a group of local volunteers, committed and capable, to become the program assistants to the GFO administration of the Scout Club and building partnership between the orphanage with a local university.

Community Challenge: Orphans are a large under-served population in Vietnam. 1.4 million Vietnamese orphans (2009) under 18 years old often live in small unregistered institutions and on the streets. During adolescence, orphans’ need for adult guidance and high self-esteem are not met due to the lack of support programs for this special population and their quiet needs. In Long Hoa Orphanage, Ho Chi Minh City, there is currently a lack of support for adolescent orphans who need meaningful extra-curricular activities to develop themselves at the age of 12-16, when they begin to develop their self-worth, character, social skills and self-motivations. Gentle Fund Organization, which has been running a community Learning Center on the orphanage campus for three years, would like to extend their service to providing some psychosocial support for the orphans of this group age. However, challenges remain as their character development program faces a lack of high-quality manpower support from within the organization, the orphanage and external sources.

To apply, please submit your application at http://bit.ly/yLUhXf

For more information about SEALNet, please go to http://www.sealnetonline.org/
For more information about Gentle Fund Organization, please go to http://www.gentlefund.org/en/home.xhtml
For more information about Project Vietnam 2012, please email PV12 Co-Leaders:
Minh Vo: mvo1(at)swarthmore.edu
Phy Tran: tphyntran(at)gmail.com

Summer Internships: Organization of Chinese Americans

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national organization dedicated to advancing the political, social, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), is now accepting applications for its 2012 Summer Internship Program.

Celebrating its 23rd year, the OCA Internship Program seeks to cultivate future leadership by providing students from all over the country an opportunity to be involved in the political process through one of the largest national advocacy organization for APAs. The program has successfully led past interns to become more actively involved in their college campuses and joined the growing movement of APA leadership at the cross section of government, nonprofits, and business.

“As one of OCA’s prestigious programs, the Summer Internship is truly a unique experience. It exposes students to issues affecting the APA community while gaining valuable working experience in the heart of Washington DC,” said Tom Hayashi, Interim Executive Director of OCA.

Participants of this program will be placed in a paid internship in a federal agency, nonprofit, congressional offices, and corporations that matches their backgrounds and interests—including some placements at the OCA National Center. In addition to their work assignments, summer interns will be heavily involved in variety of activities and programming including direct advocacy for critical issues faced by APAs on the Hill.

In addition to connecting interns with the APA community and developing their leadership skills, summer interns are invited to take part in the OCA National Convention. This year’s National Convention will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from August 2 – 5 at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. The Convention will feature inspirational speakers, thrilling entertainment, numerous workshops, and our signature gala to celebrate the impactful and pioneering achievements of community leaders.

Interns are expected to commit to working full-time for ten weeks between the dates of May 28 – August 17, 2012. (Participation in the National Convention is mandatory and applicants are strongly encouraged to make sure they are able to attend.) Applications will be reviewed by the Internship Committee and a telephone interview will be scheduled for qualified applicants.

For more information on the OCA Summer Internship and to apply, go to OCA’s website and click “Internship” under “Programs.” You can also click here to go directly to the online application form. Applications and all materials need to be submitted by March 12, 2012.

Please contact the OCA National Center at 202.223.5500 or email Mary Dynne Montante at mmontante@ocanational.org if you have any questions. Your journey towards empowerment and fulfillment for your personal best starts with the OCA Summer Internship…apply today!

Annual Conference: Social Science History Assn., Vancouver

We serve as co-chairs of the Race/Ethnicity section for the Social Science History Association (SSHA). The meeting is scheduled to take place in Vancouver, Canada, November 1-4, 2012. Our theme this year is “Histories of Capitalism.”

Our main goal is to structure sessions so that they explicitly draw on an interdisciplinary group of scholars who hail from different institutions. The deadline for submission of abstracts is March 1 2011. Note, all SSHA requires at this point is an abstract. We are hoping to put together a number of sessions related to the conference site that were discussed at the planning meeting:

• Indigenous Communities, Land Rights and Natural Resources
• The Rise and Decline of Multiculturalism and/or Cosmopolitanism
• Race and Collective Violence
• Anti-Asian Discrimination and Asian Integration on the West Coast
• The Underground Railroad
• Racialized Immigration Policy
• Bilingualism and Racialized Language Struggles
• Conflicts and Contradictions in Anglo-French Conceptions of Race
• Multiracial Identities and Racial Boundaries in Historical Perspective
• Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism in Contemporary America
• Race and Capitalism
• Race and Eugenics

You are welcome to submit papers regarding any of these topics, or on a topic relating to your own research. If you are interested in putting together an entire session, let us know and we would be happy to provide you with details as to how to do this. Feel free to forward this call widely, particularly to graduate students (there is funding available for graduate students to travel to the conference).

We also had three wonderful Author Meets Critics panels at the 2011 session and are looking to “recreate the magic” this year in Vancouver. So if you have read any great books that you would like to seen discussed and meet the author, please let us know. Or if you would just like to volunteer to be a critic for books to be decided within the next month, please let us know.

Finally, please feel free to check our Facebook page, which you can find by searching for “Race/Ethnicity Network – Social Science History Association.” If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email: mfweiner@holycross.edu or e-onasch@u.northwestern.edu

Sincerely,

Melissa Weiner
Elizabeth Onasch

Call for Applicants: Poll Workers (Paid), Boston

Election Day Officers Needed Throughout Boston for 2012 Election Cycle

Have you ever gone to vote and thought that you might enjoy being an Election Officer “someday,” or have you thought that the poll workers at your precinct are a great group, and you would love to have the opportunity to work with them? The City of Boston Election Department is seeking to expand its pool of available election officers for the 2012 Election cycle, beginning with the March 6 Presidential Primary.

There are a number of openings for Election Day Officers throughout the City. Poll workers in particular are needed in East Boston, Charlestown, South Boston, the North End, and Allston-Brighton. While there is a particular need for bilingual workers, there are also available opportunities for other positions as well. From Wardens, who are responsible for the smooth operations of their polling locations, to Clerks, who oversee the checking in of voters, and keep written records of the day’s events, to Inspectors who direct and assist voters; the need for talented workers exists at all levels.

Requirements include the ability to follow directions precisely, attentiveness to detail, a strong commitment to fairness and impartiality, and a desire to serve. Election Officers must be registered voters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and can come from any city or town. Ideally, potential candidates should have a strong voter history as well. Election Officers work from 6AM-9PM, which includes an hour before and an hour after the polls are open for voters. In some cases there is an allowance for part-time shifts, although a shift must be at least six (6) hours long. Attendance to one of our paid training sessions is mandatory.

For more information, or to download a poll worker application, please visit the Boston Election Department’s website www.cityofboston.gov/elections or call 617-635-4491.

Hello,

My name is Oiyan Poon, and I am a research fellow at the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I am currently conducting a research study to better understand how 1.5 and second generation Asian Americans (those who immigrated to the U.S. at age 12 or younger, or who were born in the U.S.) are informed about applying to and enrolling in post-secondary education. The project seeks to inform practice, policies, and future research on Asian Americans, inequalities, and college access.

This study is being supported by a research grant from the UMass Boston Asian American Student Success Program, which is funded through a U.S. Department of Education Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) grant.

In order to participate in the study, you must:

1. Be between the ages of 18 and 23
2. Not be enrolled in high school
3. Self-identify as a 1.5 OR 2nd generation Asian American
   1. 1.5 generation: Identify as an Asian American who immigrated to the U.S. before the age of 12
   2. 2nd generation: Identify as an Asian American who was born in the U.S. to at least one Asian immigrant parent

Participants who complete the survey will have the option to enter a raffle to win one of 5 cash gift cards worth $25 each. Please cut and paste or click on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/asamcollegechoice to begin the survey.

If you have any questions, please contact me at asianamericancollegeaccess@gmail.com or by phone at 617.682.0831.

Sincerely,
Oiyan Poon, Ph.D.
Research Fellow, Institute for Asian American Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston

In celebration of the 2012 Lunar New Year, American Express today announced a new Gift Card design for the Year of the Dragon. The limited edition Lunar New Year Gift Card, exclusively from American Express, is available for purchase online with a free-shipping offer until January 31, 2012, at americanexpress.com/gift.

“For the third year in a row we have collaborated with the internal Asian Network at American Express to bring to life a unique gift card that celebrates the rich culture of several segments of the Asian community,” said Simran Kalra, Vice President and General Manager, E-Commerce with American Express’ Global Payment Options business. “American Express is excited for what the New Year will bring and we are proud to recognize Asian tradition through the release of this Gift Card.”

The Lunar New Year Gift Card features an intricate dragon image and traditional flower pattern background. The Lunar New Year Gift Card offers the perfect gift option which can serve as an exciting and special alternative to cash. The Gift Card offers the following benefits including:

• Available in denominations of $25, $50, $100, and $200
• Accepted wherever American Express® Cards are accepted in the United States*
• Funds on the Card do not expire and there are no monthly fees
• Gift Card is replaceable at no fee if lost or stolen

Unlike some other gift cards, American Express® Gift Cards have no fees after purchase for activation, checking a balance, maintenance, or card replacement. The online purchase price is $3.95 for all available denominations of this Gift Card.

About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, twitter.com/americanexpress and youtube.com/americanexpress.

* For complete terms and conditions, see Cardholder Agreement at Americanexpress.com/gift. Card may be used at merchants in the U.S. that accept American Express® Cards. Gift Cards cannot be used at cruise lines, for recurring billing charges, at casinos, or ATMs. American Express does not ship Gift Cards to the states of HI and VT.

Here is how to enter:

• In the Comments section at the end of this post (click here if you’re on the blog front page and can’t see it), all you have to do is leave a comment about what you hope for in the new year — that’s all.
• Be sure to include an email address where I can contact you in case you’re chosen as a winner.
• Only one entry per person.
• Deadline to post your comment is January 18 at 6pm ET.

Some time after 6pm on January 18, I will randomly choose 5 lucky winners to receive one of the $50 American Express gift cards. Good luck and Happy Lunar New Year!

Scholarship: Gates Foundation for Low-Income Minority Students

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) Announces 2012 Scholarship Program for Low-Income Minority Students

Eligibility: Gates’ non-profit organization is giving away 1,000 scholarships for the 2012 school season. Bill Gates’ Millennium Scholarship Program will select 1,000 talented students next year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Scholars will also be provided with personal and professional development through their leadership programs, along with academic support throughout their college career.

The program, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established to provide outstanding low income minority students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any area of interest. To date, the program has given scholarships to more than 15,000 students. Continuing scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following disciplines: education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.

To apply, visit http://www.gmsp.org/. Deadline: The deadline for submitting an application is Wednesday, January 11, 2012. For more information contact Rosalia Fajardo (703-867-6529 or Fajardo@multicultural-families.org).

Postdoc: Asian American Studies, Northwestern

Northwestern University: 2012-13 Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Asian American and American Studies

Northwestern University invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Comparative Ethnic Studies jointly sponsored by the Programs in Asian American Studies and American Studies, to begin Fall 2012. We will accept applications from recent Ph.Ds (degree granted during or after 2010); Applicants must complete all Ph.D. requirements before September 1, 2012.

The Mellon postdoctoral fellow is to be in residence during her/his tenure and make a contribution to the intellectual activities of the College and University. While there is no preference in terms of disciplinary field, we are especially looking for scholars whose research and teaching engage comparative ethnic studies in the U.S. and/or the hemisphere of the Americas. The fellow will teach two courses a year which will be cross-listed in Asian American and American Studies as well as deliver one public talk a year based on their research. The fellow would also be invited to interact with other units across the College and University including African American Studies and Latina/o Studies and initiatives like the Colloquium on Ethnicity and Diaspora.

To apply, candidates should submit an application, in both hard copy and an electronic version, that includes a curriculum vita, research statement of the project to be undertaken during the fellowship year, writing sample of approximately 50 pages, and a sample syllabus for one upper-division undergraduate course. Candidates should also ensure that graduate school transcripts as well as three letters of recommendations (including one letter from the dissertation advisor) are forwarded as part of the application. Please address application to Professors Carolyn Chen and Ivy Wilson. Hard copies should be sent to:

Asian American and American Studies Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship
c/o Cheryl Jue, Asian American Studies Program
1880 Campus Drive
Kresge Hall
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL 60208

Electronic versions should follow and be mailed to: asianamerican@northwestern.edu. Applications are due by February 1, 2012, and the recipient will be notified in April 2012. The salary for the fellowship is $46,000 per year with an additional research account of $2000 per year. There are also modest relocation funds available. For further information on the Mellon postdoctoral fellowship, please contact the Asian American Studies Program director at cechen@northwestern.edu or the American Studies Program director at i-wilson@northwestern.edu.

Position: Community Coordinator (MI)

Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote – Michigan
Announcement – Community Coordinator Position

APIAVote-Michigan seeks a community coordinator to lead key aspects of the organization’s strategic plan, primarily through community/voter engagement, leadership development, and fundraising initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to successfully execute civic participation projects, be self-motivated, and have a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of the Asian American community.

The community coordinator will start part-time and potentially transition to full-time, dependent on available funding. She or he will report to the APIAVote-Michigan Board of Directors. This position is an opportunity to strengthen the Asian American community’s voice in Michigan through civic participation and social change efforts.

About APIAVote-Michigan: Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote – Michigan is a nonpartisan nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves the Asian Pacific Islander American community through civic participation, advocacy, and education.

Job Responsibilities:

• Work with our national organization to coordinate a local Asian American voter engagement training in spring 2012
• Support APIAVote-Michigan’s Youth Leadership Corps and immigration story documentation project
• Coordinate all elements of APIAVote-Michigan’s nonpartisan 2012 voter registration, education and mobilization field plan, including but not limited to: i) recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteers; iii) planning and conducting voter registration drives and Get Out The Vote efforts; ii) planning of candidate forums and other community events; iv) development of multilingual voter guide
• Assist with development/fundraising, events, membership, communications, or other efforts as directed by the Board
• Supervise other staff and interns
• Perform administrative duties, as required

Qualifications:
We seek candidates who excel in community building, are detail-oriented, and have strong management skills.

• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience in relevant field required
• 3-5 years of project coordination experience required, preferably in an Asian American community
• Excellent verbal communication, interpersonal, writing, facilitation, and computer skills required
• Ability to multi-task effectively, work in diverse settings, and work independently required
• Some evening/weekend work required and applicant must have own transportation
• Fluency in one or more Asian languages preferred

Compensation: Compensation will be determined based on experience. This is a part-time contract position at a recommended 20 hours per week; the position may transition to full-time at 40 hours per week, depending on funding. Email cover letter, resume, and two references to contact@apiavotemi.org by February 1, 2012.

Call for Submissions: Nineteen Sixty-Nine (Ethnic Studies)

Nineteen sixty nine (NSN) highlights the critical and innovative work being done in Ethnic Studies by undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines, institutional affiliations, and national boundaries. Being an e-journal with the ability to incorporate various forms of knowledge production (images, film, sound, and text), the journal features academic and creative works as well as book reviews.

We feel that Ethnic Studies, at its core, is an interdisciplinary project that critically underlines how race has and continues to shape our society and the world at large. To this end, this journal provides a venue for the continued evolution of the field, offering a space to discuss timely topics in a rigorous and generative way.

Though the journal emphasizes the work being done by students, NSN accepts and encourages submissions from all segments of the activist, creative, and scholarly communities. As such, true to its namesake, this journal is emblematic of how Ethnic Studies critically redefines what it means to study race, and how the field engages with and is enriched by the multiplicity of knowledge-makers that work within it.

Nineteen sixty nine is accepting creative works (images, film, sound, and text), scholarly essays, and book reviews for its first volume. Submissions may address the volume’s main theme or address another topic (see website).

The deadline for submissions is March 23, 2012 at 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. See here for our submission guidelines. Contact Jason U. Kim (jasonukim@berkeley.edu) for inquiries.

The End of Anger: A New Generation’s Take on Race and Rage, by Ellis Cose (Ecco Books)

From a venerated and bestselling voice on American life comes a contemporary look at the decline of black rage; the demise of white guilt; and the intergenerational shifts in how blacks and whites view, and interact with, each other.

In the heady aftermath of President Obama’s election, conventional wisdom suggested that the bitter, angry, and destructive elements of discrimination were ebbing at last and America was becoming a postracial nation. But with this dawning age that promised so much came shifting demographics and a newfound seat of rage in the polarizing Tea Party movement, even as black optimism gained ground, giving rise to questions about assumed truths concerning race in America.

Combining the talents earned from a lifetime in journalism with the insights and thoughtfulness of a close observer of the American experience, renowned author Ellis Cose offers a fresh, original appraisal of our nation at this extraordinary time, tracking the diminishment of black anger and investigating the “generational shifting of the American mind.”

Weaving material from myriad interviews as well as two large and ambitious surveys that he conducted—one of black Harvard MBAs and the other of graduates of A Better Chance, a program offering elite educational opportunities to thousands of young people of color since 1963—Cose offers an invaluable portrait of contemporary America that attempts to make sense of what a people do when the dream, for some, is finally within reach as one historical era ends and another begins.

In short, The End of Anger is not just about blacks but about America—its past and its hoped-for future—and may well be the most important book dealing with race to be published in recent decades.

New Destination Dreaming: Immigration, Race, and Legal Status in the Rural American South, by Helen Marrow (Stanford University Press)

New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles have long been shaped by immigration. These gateway cities have traditionally been assumed to be the major flashpoints in American debates over immigration policy—but the reality on the ground is proving different. Since the 1980s, new immigrants have increasingly settled in rural and suburban areas, particularly within the South. Couple this demographic change with an increase in unauthorized immigrants, and the rural South, once perhaps the most culturally and racially “settled” part of the country, now offers a window into the changing dynamics of immigration and, more generally, the changing face of America.

New Destination Dreaming explores how the rural context impacts the immigrant experience, how rapid Hispanic immigration influences southern race relations, and how institutions like schools and law enforcement agencies deal with unauthorized residents. Though the South is assumed to be an economically depressed region, low-wage food processing jobs are offering Hispanic newcomers the opportunity to carve out a living and join the rural working class, though this is not without its problems. Inattention from politicians to this growing population and rising black-brown tensions are both factors in contemporary rural southern life.

Ultimately, Marrow presents a cautiously optimistic view of Hispanic newcomers’ opportunities for upward mobility in the rural South, while underscoring the threat of anti-immigrant sentiment and restrictive policymaking that has gripped the region in recent years. Lack of citizenship and legal status still threatens many Hispanic newcomers’ opportunities. This book uncovers what more we can do to ensure that America’s newest residents become productive and integrated members of rural southern society rather than a newly excluded underclass.

Rallying for Immigrant Rights: The Fight for Inclusion in 21st Century America, edited by Kim Voss and Irene Bloemraad (University of California Press)

From Alaska to Florida, millions of immigrants and their supporters took to the streets across the United States to rally for immigrant rights in the spring of 2006. The scope and size of their protests, rallies, and boycotts made these the most significant events of political activism in the United States since the 1960s. This accessibly written volume offers the first comprehensive analysis of this historic moment.

Perfect for students and general readers, its essays, written by a multidisciplinary group of scholars and grassroots organizers, trace the evolution and legacy of the 2006 protest movement in engaging, theoretically informed discussions. The contributors cover topics including unions, churches, the media, immigrant organizations, and immigrant politics. Today, one in eight U.S. residents was born outside the country, but for many, lack of citizenship makes political voice through the ballot box impossible. This book helps us better understand how immigrants are making their voices heard in other ways.

Rethinking the Asian American Movement, by Daryl Joji Maeda (Routledge)

Although it is one of the least-known social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the Asian American movement drew upon some of the most powerful currents of the era, and had a wide-ranging impact on the political landscape of Asian America, and more generally, the United States. Using the racial discourse of the black power and other movements, as well as antiwar activist and the global decolonization movements, the Asian American movement succeeded in creating a multi-ethnic alliance of Asians in the United States and gave them a voice in their own destinies.

Rethinking the Asian American Movement provides a short, accessible overview of this important social and political movement, highlighting key events and key figures, the movement’s strengths and weaknesses, how it intersected with other social and political movements of the time, and its lasting effect on the country. It is perfect for anyone wanting to obtain an introduction to the Asian American movement of the twentieth century.

Asian American Political Participation: Emerging Constituents and Their Political Identities, edited by Janelle Wong, S. Karthick Ramakrishnan, Taeku Lee, and Jane Junn (Russell Sage Foundation)

Asian Americans are the most heavily immigrant population and their numbers are steadily rising from less than a million in 1960 to more than 15 million today. They are also a remarkably diverse population representing a vast array of ethnic groups, religions, and languages and they enjoy higher levels of education and income than any other U.S. racial group. Historically, socioeconomic status has been a reliable predictor of political behavior.

So why has this fast-growing American population, which is doing so well economically, been so overlooked the U.S. political system? Asian American Political Participation is the most comprehensive study to date of Asian American political behavior, including such key measures as voting, political donations, community organizing, and political protests. The book examines why some groups participate while others do not, why certain civic activities are deemed preferable to others, and why Asian socioeconomic advantage has so far not led to increased political clout.

Asian American Political Participation is based on data from the authors groundbreaking 2008 National Asian American Survey of more than 5,000 Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, and Japanese Americans. The book shows that the motivations for and impediments to political participation are as diverse as the Asian American population. For example, native-born Asians have higher rates of political participation than their immigrant counterparts, particularly recent adult arrivals who were socialized outside of the United States. Protest activity is the exception, which tends to be higher among immigrants who maintain connections abroad and who engaged in such activity in their country of origin.

Surprisingly, factors such as living in a new immigrant destination or in a city with an Asian American elected official do not seem to motivate political behavior neither does ethnic group solidarity. Instead, hate crimes and racial victimization are the factors that most motivate Asian Americans to participate politically. Involvement in non-political activities such as civic and religious groups also bolsters political participation. Even among Asian groups, socioeconomic advantage does not necessarily translate into high levels of political participation. Chinese Americans, for example, have significantly higher levels of educational attainment than Japanese Americans, but Japanese Americans are far more likely to vote and make political contributions. And Vietnamese Americans, with the lowest levels of education and income, vote and engage in protest politics more than any other group.

Lawmakers tend to favor the interests of groups who actively engage the political system, and groups who do not participate at high levels are likely to suffer political consequences in the future. Asian American Political Participation demonstrates that understanding Asian political behavior today can have significant repercussions for Asian American political influence tomorrow.

Creating a New Racial Order: How Immigration, Multiracialism, Genomics, and the Young Can Remake Race in America, by Jennifer L. Hochschild, Vesla M. Weaver, and Traci R. Burch (Princeton University Press)

The American racial order–the beliefs, institutions, and practices that organize relationships among the nation’s races and ethnicities–is undergoing its greatest transformation since the 1960s. Creating a New Racial Order takes a groundbreaking look at the reasons behind this dramatic change, and considers how different groups of Americans are being affected. Through revealing narrative and striking research, the authors show that the personal and political choices of Americans will be critical to how, and how much, racial hierarchy is redefined in decades to come.

The authors outline the components that make up a racial order and examine the specific mechanisms influencing group dynamics in the United States: immigration, multiracialism, genomic science, and generational change. Cumulatively, these mechanisms increase heterogeneity within each racial or ethnic group, and decrease the distance separating groups from each other. The authors show that individuals are moving across group boundaries, that genomic science is challenging the whole concept of race, and that economic variation within groups is increasing.

Above all, young adults understand and practice race differently from their elders: their formative memories are 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Obama’s election–not civil rights marches, riots, or the early stages of immigration. Blockages could stymie or distort these changes, however, so the authors point to essential policy and political choices.

Portraying a vision, not of a postracial America, but of a different racial America, Creating a New Racial Order examines how the structures of race and ethnicity are altering a nation.

Call for Papers: Migration, Ethnicity, and Urban Inequality in Europe, UCLA

Migration, Ethnicity, and Urban Inequality in Europe
Graduate Student Conference
UCLA
March 2-3, 2012

Organized by:
UCLA Center for European and Eurasian Studies
UCLA Program on International Migration
Department of Sociology
Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences

Over the past several decades, Europe and North America have been at once confronted and transformed by the advent of large-scale international migration. While the migrants may sometimes have been wanted, they have rarely been welcomed, with frontiers made ever tighter, a change to which migrants have responded by finding new ways of crossing borders. While issues of border management, smuggling, and trafficking have become increasingly important, control policies have had limited effect, with the result that both irregular migrants and efforts to police them are pervasive.

In addition, the countries of immigration find problems taking new form, as the migrants’ children have come of age, often understanding themselves as members of the societies in which they have grown up, and yet finding themselves not fully accepted. The challenge of incorporation has been heightened by a complex set of factors. First, immigrant-origin populations have responded to their situation in a variety of ways, whether through protest, the development of new ethnic and religious identities, or more conventional forms of political mobilization and engagement.

Second, exclusion has taken new form, driven by growing levels of inequality, changes in the fabric of urban areas, and the expansion of non-standard or precarious employment. Simultaneously, migration is feeding back to sending countries, whether through migrants’ remittances, investments, or political engagements, activities which complicate incorporation trajectories in the destination countries.

These are the topics to be discussed at a graduate student conference, to be held at UCLA on March 2-3, 2012. Part of an effort to both build an interdisciplinary network of young researchers and to begin a trans-Atlantic conversation, the conference is organized by the UCLA Center for European and Eurasian Studies and the interdisciplinary Program on International Migration, in cooperation with the the Department of Sociology at Sciences Po and the Berlin Graduate School of Social Science.

Up to 10 partially-funded invitations will be made to North American (US and Canadian based) graduate researchers to present a paper and participate in a two day conference with faculty and graduate students from UCLA, Sciences Po, and the Berlin Graduate School of Social Science. Commentary, advice, and discussion will be offered to help authors develop their papers for journal publication. The bulk of the conference time will take place in workshop sessions, each of which will feature three presentations by graduate students and a comment by a faculty member. All papers will be available beforehand on a password protected webpage.

Researchers working on European aspects of migration, ethnicity, and urban inequality are invited. We welcome papers from a broad variety
of disciplines, including anthropology, economics, geography, law, political science, sociology, urban studies, women’s studies, addressing any one of the topics below:

• Incorporation of the first, second, and later immigrant generations
• New forms of urban, ethnic protest and mobilization
• Immigrant and ethnic politics
• Spatial inequalities and their impacts
• Ethnic/racial discrimination: impacts, mechanisms, responses
• Ethnic identity and movements
• Anti-immigrant politics and mobilization
• Policies and implementation of policing, security, control and border management issues
• International legal and human rights issues in the management of new migration in Europe
• Ethnographies of mobility, trafficking, labor migration and refugee movements into Europe from Eurasia, the Balkans, the Middle East or Africa
• Cross-border connections: remittances, investment, politics, development
• Ethnic and racial inequality: education, labor market and housing
• Ethnic and racial categorization

The conference will take place at UCLA. Invited participants will be offered 3 nights accommodation in Westwood in a shared room, together
with a fixed rate contribution to their travel costs according to distance (max $500 each). Sending institutions will be invited to contribute partially to funding their students.

Interested participants should submit an application, including a 750 word abstract (max), a one-page short c.v., and an airfare estimate, to be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a faculty advisor. Applications must be submitted by no later than January 1, 2012. Applications will be taken electronically at the following site: http://apply.international.ucla.edu/?cees. Invitations will be sent by January 15. Completed papers must be delivered by February 10.

Internship: JACL Congressional Internship

John Moy & Southwest Airlines Congressional Internship

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) is now accepting applications for the John Moy & Southwest Airlines Congressional Internship program. During the program’s inaugural cycle in Summer 2011, interns were placed in the offices of Representatives Xavier Becerra (CA-31) and Mike Honda (CA-15). JACL is proud to continue providing experience-based training for emerging young leaders through this program.

Duties and responsibilities will be outlined by the congressional member’s office in which the intern is placed. Placement offices have yet to be determined. Congressional interns will have a unique opportunity to experience the policymaking process and gain exposure to Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues.

This internship program is made possible by a generous donation from John Moy, longtime supporter and member of JACL, and roundtrip tickets provided by JACL’s official airline, Southwest Airlines.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for two eight-week, paid internships beginning in Winter 2012. Preference will be given to rising undergraduate juniors and seniors and recent graduates. If you have any questions, please contact (202) 223-1240 or policy@jacl.org.

Internship: International Leadership Foundation

The International Leadership Foundation promotes the civic awareness, public service and economic effectiveness of the Asian Pacific American community and develops young leaders in the United States and other Pacific Rim countries in the fields of public service, entrepreneurship and the international arena through a network of business and community leaders. ILF has provided scholarships, educational seminars and leadership training for over 1,000 select college students from across the country and placed them in structured internships in government agencies for the past 10 years.

Our partner federal agencies are focusing on “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathmatics — to include finance and accounting) for their summer interns. Students studying in these fields are especially encouraged to apply. ILF welcomes applications from all students seeking federal government experience.

ILF is accepting applications for the 2012 Civic Fellowship program. The eight week internship program will begin June 11, 2012. ILF has provided scholarships, educational seminars and leadership training for over 500 Asian American college students from across the country and placed them in structured internships in government agencies and the private sector.

For the thirteenth year, the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) will award over 30 fellowships to Asian Pacific American college students who exhibit the qualities for and potential as future business, community, or professional leaders. The ILF Civic Fellows will spend eight weeks in the summer interning for a federal government agency in Washington, DC and gaining firsthand knowledge of the workings of the American government. Any Asian Pacific American undergraduate student with at least a 3.0 GPA is eligible to apply. Applicants must be United States citizens. Interested students can visit ILF’s website to apply and obtain more information.

Deadline: February 1, 2012.

Internship: APA Institute for Congressional Studies

The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) is currently accepting applicants for its 2012 Summer Internship Program in Washington, DC.

The APAICS Summer Internship Program provides select undergraduate students the opportunity to experience American politics and public policy. During the eight-week program, APAICS Summer Interns are placed in the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, or partner Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) non-profit organizations. APAICS Interns have the opportunity to engage in leadership and relationship-building events to foster a strong interest in public service.

To apply for the 2012 APAICS Summer Internship Program, please fill out the 2012 APAICS Internship Program Application here: http://bit.ly/APAICSSummerInternshipApplication2012. For additional information, please contact our Program Director, Laila Mohib at Internship@apaics.org or 202-296-9200.

Internship: Queer APA Alliance

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
Queer Asian Internships
Winter/ Spring 2012

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is a federation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations. We seek to build the organizational capacity of local LGBT AAPI groups, develop leadership, promote visibility, educate our community, enhance grassroots organizing, expand collaborations, and challenge homophobia and racism.

NQAPIA is seeking talented young people for internships in the following:

• National Conference Planning
  Interns will assist in administration, programming, communications, and outreach for a national, pan-ethnic, multi-gender conference for LGBT AAPIs and their networks. The conference will be held in the Washington, DC area July 2012.
• National Advocacy for LGBT AAPIs
  Interns will attend high level national policy meetings, congressional briefings, and other events to raise the concerns of LGBTs in mainstream civil rights issues, and of AAPIs in LGBT rights issues. Interns will assist in coordinating a national conference of grassroots LGBT AAPI activists from across the nation to educate the community on policy matters.
• LGBT Immigrants’ Rights and Immigration Reform
  The intern will work directly with queer Asian immigrants and media professionals to develop testimonials and personal narratives that can be posted on websites, printed for publication, and developed for audio and video distribution. The goal is to bring the real lives of queer Asian immigrants to the fore and to inspire others to come out and take action. The intern will also assist in coordinating community press conferences and other community meetings.
• Federation of AAPI LGBT Organizations
  NQAPIA serves as a national convenor for LGBT AAPI communities and organizations. Interns will support national efforts to reach out to LGBT AAPI organizations and initiatives to coordinate activity to build capacity and to amplify their voice.
• Capacity Building Resources, Workshops, and Trainings
  Interns will also have an opportunity to participate in developing an organizational tool kit with best practices and model documents; special trainings/workshops; being a voice for LGBT AAPI on current issues, and explore ways to promote LGBT AAPI engagement.

Description of Internships
The intern will learn strategies in using public policy, grassroots organizing, and the media to advance social justice. Interns are supervised by NQAPIA professional staff. Interns work primarily on research and writing, policy advocacy, community outreach and organizing.

These internships are not paid positions, but academic credit can be arranged. During the winter and spring, interns work anywhere between 15-40 hours per week. Internships are usually about ten weeks.

To Apply:
Any bilingual ability should be stated in the resume. Bilingual ability is helpful but not required. Applications should also state the number of hours the intern is able to work per week. Send a resume and cover letter to:

NQAPIA Intern Search
1322 18th Street, NW Washington, DC
Email: nqapia@gmail.com
Electronic submissions strongly preferred. Please write: “Intern Applicant” in the Subject.

For more information, contact Ben de Guzman at ben_deguzman@nqapia.org or 202-422-4909.

Undergraduate Research Forum, Asian American Studies, UPenn

Faces of Asian America: The First Undergraduate Research Forum on Asian American Studies
Deadline: March 17, 2012
Where: University of Pennsylvania

Please submit your original work to the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania for their Faces of Asian America: The First Undergraduate Research Forum on Asian American Studies on March 17, 2012. The Research Forum explores the issues surrounding the Asian American experience with the goal of promoting a more profound understanding of Asian America. Faces of Asian America welcomes research from all disciplines including but not limited to History, Literature, Sociology, and Cinema.

All students are invited to enter their work such as papers from current or past academic courses or independent study. All submitted research will be reviewed by a panel, and twelve outstanding papers will be selected to participate at the Forum. One exceptional work will be selected for an award of $300.

Dr. Elaine Kim will be their Keynote Speaker for the event. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here. If you are also interested in submitting your work, please send it to upennasam@gmail.com. For questions or concerns, please email Susan Hirai at hirai@sas.upenn.edu.

Position: Director, Asian/Asian American Studies, Syracuse

Syracuse University seeks nominations and applications for the position of Director, Asian/Asian- American Studies, an interdisciplinary program housed in The College of Arts and Sciences. The successful candidate will be a senior tenured professor who demonstrates a strong commitment to teaching, advising students, and conducting a serious research agenda in an area of Asian-American Studies that is consistent with the University’s vision of “Scholarship in Action.” The specific research area and discipline of the Director is open.

The charge for the Director is to lead this quickly growing interdisciplinary program in Asian/Asian- American Studies, which recently established a minor in the curriculum of The College of Arts and Sciences but is available for every undergraduate major at Syracuse University. There are currently over 30 courses offered on campus and abroad that contribute to this minor. More courses are expected, and the potential to offer a major in Asian/Asian-American Studies within a few years is extremely strong. The Director will provide local and national leadership in the field of Asian/Asian-American studies; identify areas of future growth; coordinate the curriculum offered by faculty members in this area; and work to enhance the profile of the program.

A spirit of creativity, ingenuity, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial approach to leadership are essential qualities for the Director. S/he must be a strong leader and a believer in collaborative decision-making and open communication. The Director will teach undergraduate courses in the Program, coordinate courses that contribute to the Program, work to develop the Program, and advise students who are interested in this area of study.

For full consideration candidates should complete an online Dean/ Senior Executive/Faculty application at www.sujobopps.com for job # 028604 and attach curriculum vitae with a list of 3 references, statement of teaching philosophy, cover letter describing your history in Asian/Asian American Studies. The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on February 10, 2012 and continue until the position is filled. Inquiries regarding the position may be directed to the search committee chair, Gina Lee- Glauser, Vice President for Research (315-443-2492; leeglaug@syr.edu).

AALDEF Lunar New Year Gala

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
4710, Year of the Dragon

Lunar New Year Gala
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, NYC

2012 Justice in Action Award Recipients
Parkin Lee, The Rockefeller Group
Jean Koh Peters, Yale Law School
Fareed Zakaria, CNN and Time

Emcees: Juju Chang & Sree Sreenivasan

6:00 PM Reception & Silent Auction
7:00 PM Dinner

RSVP by February 1, 2012
For more information or to purchase tickets,
email events@aaldef.org or call 212.966.5932.

Hello,

My name is Danielle Godon, and I am pursuing my M.A. in psychology at Mount Holyoke College. I would like to invite Korean adoptees to participate in a study that focuses on sense of belonging to one’s birth and adoptive groups.

Being a Korean adoptee myself, I know what it is like to look one way, but sometimes feel another way. For my thesis, I am exploring how we navigate between feelings of similarity and difference. Since past studies have indicated some Korean adoptees feel like outsiders amongst both White people and Korean people, I hope to discover factors that facilitate positive interpretations of difference.

I am looking for people who were adopted from Korea, by a White parent or parents, to participate in an online survey that takes about 30 minutes to complete. To compensate you for your time, at the end of the survey, you will have the option to be entered into three raffles for $50 each. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QC2KXZ2.

Thank you very much for considering my request. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email me (godon22d@mtholyoke.edu). If you have children, friends, family, etc. who might be willing to complete this survey, please send them the link!

Thank you,
Danielle Godon
godon22d@mtholyoke.edu

Unfortunately, the Pearl Harbor attacks also prompted the U.S. government to strip 120,000 Japanese Americans of their legal rights and imprison them without any due process, based largely on the “fear” that Japanese Americans would be loyal to Japan and engage in espionage or treason against their adopted U.S. homeland.

This entire “internment” episode has been recounted and analyzed over the years, most notably by the bipartisan Congressional “Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians,” which ultimately conducted a thorough investigation and in their final report titled “Personal Justice Denied: Report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians,” finally concluded that the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II was a “grave injustice” and resulted from “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” Congress then approved and distributed a reparation payment of $20,000 to all surviving Japanese Americans who were imprisoned. To my knowledge, this is the only instance in which the U.S. government has officially apologized and provided monetary reparations to any of the injustices that they’ve committed in its history.

As it turns out, this week’s anniversary commemoration unfortunately prompted some to once again bring up the old argument that there was a logical rationale to the U.S.’s imprisonment of Japanese Americans, or that it was even completely justified. For example, in a museum review of Heart Mountain Interpretive Center (in Wyoming, site of one of the prison camps) in the Dec. 9, 2011 edition of the New York Times, ‘art critic’ Edward Rothstein engages in such musings.

Specifically, Rothstein uses a few historical examples of misdeeds by Japanese and Japanese Americans to argue that “the threat was palpable” and that therefore, there was a “rationale” for the U.S.’s subsequent imprisonment of 120,000 Japanese Americans. While Rothstein does state, “I am not suggesting that such factors justified the relocations,” the tone of his piece displays an ignorant accounting of the entire collection of historical facts surrounding how isolated incidents of Japanese and Japanese Americans misdeeds were exaggerated and generalized to an entire population, how many allegations of espionage and sabotage by Japanese Americans were never substantiated and even completely fabricated, and how similar and even more pernicious acts by Germans and German Americans were largely ignored.

Unfortunately, Rothstein’s piece is a sad example of selective memory, if not outright revisionist history. The examples he cited as providing “rationale” for the mass imprisonment are of dubious historical accuracy and value and even if valid, only reinforce and perpetuate the tired notion that the acts of a few can be taken out of context and generalized to an entire population. In response to Rothstein, I would like to share the responses of some of my colleagues who provide a more clear and comprehensive picture of the supposed “palpable” threat of Japanese Americans after the Pearl Harbor attacks:

In his attempt to understand the wartime removal of Japanese Americans, Edward Rothstein (“the How of Internment, but not all the Whys”, NYT, December 9) repeats a set of falsehoods and distortions about its causes. He insists that because Japan engaged in widespread espionage, and decoded Japanese messages (in reality a mere handful) spoke of contacts, surely Japanese Americans were implicated in espionage. In fact, Tokyo’s spymasters shied away from using Americans of Japanese ancestry, whose loyalty to Japan they rightly suspected, and made use of non-Japanese. Col. Kenneth Ringle, the prewar agent of the Office of Naval Information who broke the most important Japanese spy ring in Los Angeles and was in a position to know the facts, was an outspoken defender of the loyalty of Japanese Americans.

Similarly, Rothstein declares that the Japanese “threat was palpable” since a Japanese submarine had sunk American shops and shelled a California oil field. In fact, only a single American ship was sunk, compared to the hundreds sunk by German submarines off the East Coast, and the single shelling incident took place after the order to remove Japanese Americans had already been issued. Worse, Rothstein argues that the “treasonous” conduct of a Nisei couple in Hawaii validated the fears of government authorities about West Coast Japanese Americans. The absurdity of this statement is easily demonstrated by the fact that there was no mass roundup of the large Japanese community in Hawaii itself.

Although he insists that he is not justifying removal, cultural critic Rothstein sadly displays not only a carelessness toward history, but reveals how much the baseless ideas about “Japanese” disloyalty that led to mass removal still remain in the culture.

Greg Robinson
Associate Professor of History
Université du Québec a Montréal

I write this disappointed letter in response to Edward Rothstein’s December 9, 2011 piece, “The How of an Internment, but Not All the Whys.” Notwithstanding the express reason for this piece (as a review), I was particularly struck by Mr. Rothstein’s incomplete and incendiary reading of not only U.S. history but Japanese American history. Dismissing the “now standard” evaluation of the internment as the “result of wartime hysteria and racism,” Mr. Rothstein offers an allegedly “clearer understanding of the prewar Japanese-American population” rooted in familiar characterizations of yellow peril takeovers, perpetual foreign frames, and traitorous subjects. What is especially remarkable and distressing is that Mr. Rothstein manages – quite irresponsibly — to take NYT readers “back in time” to aforementioned “wartime hysteria and racism.”

Cathy J. Schlund-Vials
Assistant Professor, English and Asian American Studies
University of Connecticut

I teach Asian American Studies to graduates of this city’s k-12 system, and I am continuously disheartened by the many young people who have never heard of Japanese American internment, or, if they have, possess no meaningful understanding of the nature of the event. With that lack of information in mind, I was appalled to see your paper repeat long since discredited misinformation in apparent disregard for rigorous scholarly work, and the trauma inflicted upon thousands upon thousands of individuals and families who did nothing but look like “the enemy.” Despite his assurance to the contrary, Edward Rothstein’s review of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center implies that we should explore long since debunked (dare I say “fringe”) theories that justify the racial stereotype of Japanese Americans as inherently treasonous, and thereby make excuses for what scholars agree is a racially motivated and shameful event in U.S. civil rights history.

Jennifer Hayashida
Director, Asian American Studies Program
Hunter College, City University of New York

In Edward Rothstein’s review of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center (“the How of Internment, but not all the Whys”, NYT, December 9) he declares that the unconstitutional incarceration of over 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry was “a geographic rationale, not simply a racial one.” Yet Mr. Rothstein fails to account for the fact that mass removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans did not occur at the site that propelled the U.S. into WWII—Hawaii. Indeed, all reputable scholars of the Japanese American Internment note that it was war time xenophobia and racism that spurred Executive Order 9066—an order that never specified ethnic ancestry and that effectively nullified the constitutional rights of every person living on the West Coast during WWII. FDR ordered the military to target Japanese Americans using EO9066. If that’s not a racial rationale, I’m not sure what is.

Jennifer Ho
Associate Professor
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Unfortunately, as a country, we are now poised to repeat the same mistake that was committed 70 years against Japanese Americans. Specifically, Congress is currently debating the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013. One of the proposed provisions is to give U.S. government authorities the ability to arrest and indefinitely detain anybody who they deem to be a threat to national security — including U.S. citizens — without charging them with a crime or giving them a trial. In other words, it would basically legalize what happened to Japanese Americans after the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Fortunately, there is opposition to these provisions from both sides of the political spectrum. If you also oppose these provisions, I urge you to contact your Representative and Senator and tell them to vote against these provisions. As George Santayana’s quote goes, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

The Best

• Ed Lee and Vang Pao: Asian American Leadership in Transition
  News about two prominent Asian American community leaders highlight transitions within the Asian American population and American society in general.
• Thoughts on the ‘Tiger Mother’ Controversy
  The firestorm over Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother book highlights some key lessons for Asian Americans and non-Asians in terms of parenting and cultural differences.
• Happy 10th Birthday to Asian-Nation
  Reflections on where this website and blog has been as I celebrate the 10th birthday of Asian-Nation.org.
• Asians & Asian Americans in Time’s Top 100 Most Influential 2011
  Profiling Asians and Asian American among Time magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential for 2011.
• More Asian American Faces in Advertisements: The Double-Edged Sword
  Mainstream ads and commercials include more Asian American faces — this is a time of both new opportunities and increased danger.
• We’re a Culture, Not a Costume
  A student media campaign from Ohio University fights back against racist Halloween costumes.

The Worst

• ECAASU 2011: Lessons in Mis/Understanding Different Levels of Analysis
  Success and controversy at the 2011 ECAASU conference highlights the need to understand social issues at different levels.
• White Privilege, Colorblindness, & the Model Minority Image: Asians in the Library Video
  Examining the sociological background and lessons of Alexandra Wallace’s racist ‘Asians in the library’ video rant.
• The Racial Undertones of the Birther Movement
  A look at the racial assumptions and dynamics of the birther and White backlash movement.
• Asian Stereotypes in ‘Hangover 2′: When Enough is Enough
  Complaining about racist stereotypes in movies like Hangover 2 is easy — doing something about them is a harder, but still important.

What are your best and worst memories about racial/ethnic relations from this past year, individually and institutionally?

Position: Campaign Manager, Immigrant Rights

Define American Campaign Manager
Define American is changing the way we think and talk about immigration. Our mission: change the public conversation by reaching new audiences with fresh content about, and by, immigrants and their champions.

About Us:
We’re a unique social media campaign launched in June 2011 that is already creating dramatic waves across the country. We draw on the stories of immigrants and their non-immigrant champions – telling the untold truths about how our nation’s immigration is impacting real communities. The effort was launched by a small team of dynamic leaders, inspired by our co-founder Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer prize winning former journalist, who “came out” as an undocumented immigrant in a courageous piece in the New York Times Magazine. Unlike many non-profits that want to live forever, we are hoping to be so successful that we work ourselves out of existence.

About You:
You are a fierce self-starter with black-belt multi-tasking ability. You are tenacious, and ambitious, and somehow, maintain an ability to laugh at yourself. You can work remotely and still drive the project forward. You know how to tell stories and produce content. You’re able to manage big personalities and balance competing interests. You’re able to think creatively and outside-the-box about everything, but particularly immigration. You have a start-up attitude that is less Washington-centric and more mainstream-pop culture-social media savant.

Let’s be honest: This job is an all-consuming, multi-layered position that will require your utmost focus and commitment. We know we’re coming on strong, but if you’re hungry to make a mark and help own one of the most exciting movements of our time, then we know you’re picking up what we’re putting down.

Responsibilities:

• Work with Executive Team to determine priorities and implement Define American’s overall strategy for promoting a new national conversation around immigration
• Manage daily operations including relationship with Tides Center
• Manage a growing team of interns, volunteers and support staff
• Initiate, plan, and coordinate public events that encourage a public dialogue on immigration
• Plan and coordinate private meetings with opinion leaders and key stakeholders
• Manage production and dissemination of written and video content for DefineAmerican.com and social media collateral
• Work in coalition with other organizations with related interests
• Manage incoming requests for partnership, events, etc.
• Establish work flow systems and process to manage the work of multiple team members

Requirements and Qualifications:

• Experience and demonstrated creativity with campaigns, organizing and communications
• Exceptional project and time management skills – with the ability to balance multiple projects at once
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an emphasis on editing and writing for the web
• Team management experience, and ability to manage up
• Proficiency in social media tools and web-centric communities (such as list-serves and other groups)
• Demonstrated knowledge of immigration reform and commitment to Define American’s goals

Physical Demands:
(These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the job.)

• Requires sitting, talking, keying and/or listening for up to 5 hours per day
• Standing and moving for up to 3 hours per day, reaching with hands and arms for up to 3 hours per day
• An average of 3-5 hours per day spent at computer
• Occasional stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and lifting up to 25 pounds
• Requires moving from place to place, sitting, and talking for 5+ hours per day

Define American, a project of Tides Center, is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related) or conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions (ARC). Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

To Apply:
Please send a letter of intent outlining who you are, why you do what you do, what are you most proud of, how you fit into this conversation and how you will expand it, along with your resume to jobs@defineamerican.com by December 3rd, 2011. Salary commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package.

Position: Sociology, State Univ. of New York, Plattsburgh

The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the State University of
New York College at Plattsburgh is seeking an Assistant Professor in Sociology, effective fall 2012.

Responsibilities include: The successful candidate must be well qualified to teach in two or more of the following areas: qualitative methods, race & ethnicity, gender, globalization, or social stratification. Teaching will occasionally include the introductory course in sociology. Responsibilities also include engaging in scholarly work, student advising, and department
and university service.

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in Sociology from an accredited institution required. ABD’s will be considered for appointment at a lesser rank. Evidence of promise in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Salary: $45,000 per year minimum, plus excellent benefits. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Materials received by January 16, 2012 will be guaranteed full consideration. Please apply to http://jobs.plattsburgh.edu/postings/3029 and include CV, cover letter of interest, evidence of teaching effectiveness and contact information for 3 current references. Official transcripts from an accredited institution will be required prior to employment.

Summer Leadership Workshop: South Asians

The Washington Leadership Program (WLP) is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications from high-potential South Asian college students for the 2012 summer leadership program scheduled to take place from June 9, 2012 to August 3, 2012. The WLP cultivates the South Asian American community’s next generation of leaders by placing them in Congressional offices or Government Agencies for eight-week summer internships and a structured leadership-training curriculum. The students gain a firsthand view of the policy-making and legislative process, as well as gain access to high-profile South-Asian leaders in the nation’s capitol. Applications are available online. The deadline for submitting applications is January 20, 2012.

All students who are either US citizens or legal permanent residents are encouraged to apply. Selection to the WLP is highly competitive and not limited to students pursuing majors in social sciences. The backgrounds of past participants have ranged from medical school to art and business.

Interns will receive a total stipend of $1,500 and will be required to complete 2-3 short writing assignments during the internship.

The WLP has over 180 alumni who have interned for notable elected officials including Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), and Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA). Alumni from the program have gone on to win Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, and Mitchell Scholarships, as well as acceptances into top-flight medical, law, public policy, and other post-graduate programs. Several alums are currently senior advisors to government officials, and one is an elected representative from the State of Maryland.

The original program built a strong reputation on both the Hill and in the community and continues to receive favorable reviews from former participants. Former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) called the WLP “the best program of its kind on the Hill.” The program has continued to receive generous support from alumni, the community-at-large, and community organizations and corporations.

Scholarships: Japanese American Citizens League

The National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) has kicked off its Scholarship Program for the 2012 academic year. The JACL offers over 30 awards, with an annual total of over $70,000 in scholarships. Awards are available in the following categories: Freshman, Undergraduate, Graduate, Law, Creative & Performing Arts, and Financial Aid.

The 2012 National JACL Scholarship Program informational brochure and applications were recently posted on the JACL website.

Freshman applications are to be submitted to the applicant’s local JACL Chapter by March 1, 2012. The chapters shall then review the applications and forward the “outstanding” ones to the National JACL Freshman Scholarship Committee (c/o Salt Lake City JACL, P.O. Box 584, Salt Lake City, UT 84110) by April 1, 2012.

All other National JACL Scholarship applications are to be sent directly by the applicants to: National JACL Scholarship Program, c/o Portland JACL, P.O. Box 86310, Portland, OR 97286. The deadline for these applications is April 1, 2012. For additional information regarding the JACL National Scholarship Program, please contact JACL Regional Director Patty Wada at (415) 345-1075, jacl-ncwnpro@msn.com or Jason Chang, National JACL Vice President for Planning & Development, at vpp-d@jacl.org.

Positions: MinKwon Center for Community Action

The MinKwon Center for Community Action (formerly YKASEC) was established in 1984 to meet the needs and concerns of the Korean American community through our five program areas: Community Organizing and Advocacy, Social Services, Civic Participation, Youth, and Culture. Since our founding, we have made a profound presence in the Korean American community through various grassroots organizing, education, and advocacy initiatives that address important community issues, including immigration policies at the national, state and city levels, voter rights, and cultural awareness.

The MinKwon Center places a special emphasis on meeting the needs of our marginalized community members who have less access to resources, including the youth, the elderly, recent immigrants, low-income residents, and limited English proficient residents.

Our goals are to educate community members about issues that are impacting immigrant communities, including the Korean American community; to increase Korean American civic participation and to promote immigrant rights through long-term organizing, advocacy and education programs; to serve the marginalized members of our community through various social service programs; and to preserve our cultural roots by involving members of our community in projects that promote our ethnic and cultural heritage.

Open Position #1: Advocacy & Organizing Director (Full-Time)

The Advocacy & Organizing Director would help lead our Advocacy and Community Organizing Program to engage in advocacy campaigns on issues such as comprehensive immigration reform, fairer allocation of city and state budgets and other social justice issues; and to develop an informed, active base of community members engaged on these issues. The Director would have the following specific responsibilities:

• Work closely with senior-level staff and Board to plan, develop and strengthen both existing and new campaigns
• Represent MinKwon and play leadership role in meetings with other coalition groups on joint campaigns
• Supervise and work closely with MinKwon’s Community Organizers
• Work with organizers to engage in intensive outreach to Korean community members
• Mobilize community members to participate in MinKwon campaign events
• Work with Organizers to develop members’ leadership’ abilities, coordinate regular member meetings, and track members contacts in our membership database
• Speak at rallies, campaigns and media appearances on behalf of organization
• Work closely with development staff & Administrative Director on grant reports & applications

Job Requirements/Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of the following:

• Experience in advocacy and/or community organizing (strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated interest, experience and commitment to working on social justice issues, such as immigrants’ rights and civil rights
• Ability to work closely and cordially with co-workers and allies in close-knit team environment
• Excellent communications skills and ability to guide and help lead group meetings
• Ability and willingness to participate in regular evening/weekend events
• Ability to be highly organized, adapt to simultaneous timelines, and take initiative on projects
• Strong communication skills in Korean

Open Position #2: Development Director (Full-Time)

The Development Director will work closely with the Executive Director and with other staff, Board and volunteers to plan, execute and implement a robust fundraising strategy for the organization. Specifically, the Development Director will have the following responsibilities:

• Help develop, oversee and strengthen our organization’s long-term fundraising strategy, working closely with Program Directors and Board
• Set annual fundraising goals together with organization’s leadership, and meet goals through strong execution of development efforts
• Prospect potential funding streams of all sources (foundation, major donor, individual, corporate, government), and develop new funding partnership opportunities
• Lead cultivation and solicitation of donor prospects and coordinate with leadership, program staff, and Board
• Help plan, execute and implement annual Gala and a Spring Reception to raise funds and awareness of the MinKwon Center and its mission
• Plan and execute at least two mailed fundraising appeals per year
• Develop, draft and edit proposals for our specific program areas as well as for general organizational support
• Prepare, draft and edit grant reports to funders, and work with Administrative Director and other staff to gather needed financials, statistics and budget information
• Maintain detailed grants management database, records, and systems
• Help manage and grow volunteer Friends of MinKwon group
• Ensure regular communication with current and prospective program officers and funders

Job Requirements

• 2+ years experience in development and fundraising efforts and developing relationships with funders (strongly preferred)
• Interest, experience and demonstrated commitment in working on social justice issues, such as immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, and civil rights
• Ability to work closely and cordially with co-workers and allies
• Excellent ability to communicate our mission, impact, growth trajectory, and programs
• Strong project management skills working in team environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to manage funder relationships
• Ability to be highly organized, adapt to simultaneous timelines, and take initiative on projects with minimal supervision
• Ability and willingness to participate in occasional evening/weekend events
• Demonstrated strong writing skills

Open Position #3: Youth Program Associate (Part-Time)

The MinKwon Center views young people as potential leaders, both now and in the future. Our Youth Empowerment Program provides the opportunity for local Asian American high school youth to become future leaders for the community, by educating them on critical issues and providing them opportunities to advocate for themselves on these issues. Through our work, we hope to raise a generation of socially conscious individuals that understand the importance of community engagement and civic involvement. The Associate would have the following specific responsibilities:

• Help plan, coordinate, and facilitate weekly meetings with youth
• Help maintain direct contact with youth through follow-ups
• Participate in community organizing efforts to engage youth
• Help conduct educational activities for youth to inform them of issues that are impacting immigrant youth communities, including the Korean American community
• Engage in advocacy efforts on behalf of youth, immigrants, and low-income community members

Job Requirements/Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of the following:

• Strong interest in social justice issues
• Have the desire to empower the Asian American community
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and independence, requiring minimal supervision
• Experience in working with youth (strongly preferred)

For all three open positions, the MinKwon Center will accept applications on a rolling basis until each position is filled. Please prepare a detailed cover letter and resume describing your interest in the organization and position to:

Steven Choi
Executive Director
schoi@minkwon.org

The latest issue of the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies focuses on issues and dynamics of racial/ethnic diversity and multiculturalism in East Asian countries. As I’m sure you know, countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan tend to be rather racially/ethnically/culturally homogeneous. At the same, as a reflection of the ongoing evolution of globalization around the world, these societies have also become more multicultural in recent decades. In recognition of this, these articles looks at the political, economic, and cultural consequences of such societal changes.

Salazar Parreñas, Rhacel and Joon K. Kim. 2011. “Multicultural East Asia: An Introduction.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1555-1561.

• Abstract: This introduction to the special issue of JEMS on multicultural East Asia underscores the nexus between national identity and multiculturalism in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Demographic and structural changes are assumed to serve as levers of change toward multiculturalism. However, the articles in this issue demonstrate the cultural and social challenges engendered by multiculturalism, and the salience of race, gender, ethnicity and class in the structuring of immigration policies and the social integration of international migrants.

Kim, Hyuk-Rae and Ingyu Oh. 2011. “Migration and Multicultural Contention in East Asia.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1563-1581.

• Abstract: Japan, Korea and Taiwan have experienced rapid and dramatic demographic changes during the last three decades. In all three countries, changes of fertility decline, aging and sex imbalances preceded massive increases in international marriages and labor migration. In this article, we analyze how these demographic and social transformations affect policies of migration and integration in this region. Demographics are changing with the integration of foreign brides and professional migrants and with declining fertility rates. Despite this, the magnitude and speed of change within the policy provisions for migration and integration are still very limited and slow—Japan, Korea and Taiwan, for instance, all maintain ‘assimilationist’ or ‘passive multicultural’ migration and integration policies.

Kim, Joon. 2011. “The Politics of Culture in Multicultural Korea.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1583-1604.

• Abstract: The South Korean government has demonstrated a strong commitment towards the social integration of international brides and the children of mixed ethnic heritage by establishing 100 ‘multicultural family support centres’ throughout the country. Given its record of opposing the long-term settlement of foreigners in Korea, this recent government announcement signals a very significant change in its policies concerning international migrants. Consequently, the proliferation of migrant support programs bearing the title ‘multiculturalism’ unwittingly suggests that Korean society is receptive toward the internationalization of families.

  In this article I show that the establishment of these support centers represents a governmental response to the accumulated societal pressure from below that sought to improve the precarious social conditions of international migrants and to embrace multiculturalism as an inevitable, but positive, social force. Despite their impressive scope and resource allocation, the contents and approaches of the newly emerging multicultural programs reproduce, rather than minimize, the cultural hierarchy between Koreans and non-Koreans. I utilize the concepts of ‘cultural paternalism’ and ‘cultural fetishism’ in order to capture the manner in which the dominant members of Korean society define the terms of and approaches to dealing with cultural diversity, reduce the complex issues of social equality to cultural differences, and treat culture as a fetish by uniformly emphasizing the expressive dimensions of culture.

Ishiwata, Eric. 2011. “‘Probably Impossible’: Multiculturalism and Pluralisation in Present-Day Japan.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1605-1626.

• Abstract: This article offers a critical engagement with multiculturalism and pluralisation in Japan. While recent efforts to introduce multicultural policies such as ‘domestic internationalisation’ policies and the textbook reform movement are encouraging, I suggest that they are limited as they fail to address notions of exclusivity—those founded on the ideology of nihonjinron—that shape Japanese identity. Moreover, mere recognition of minority populations works to entrench rather than undermine ethno-cultural hierarchies. That is, if official engagements with the ethno-cultural ‘Other’ simply reinscribe notions of exclusivity, exceptionality and even superiority, the hierarchalised distinctions drawn between inside/outside and ‘Japanese’/foreigner will continue to persist and minority populations will be relegated permanently to a second-class citizenry.

  Therefore, this contribution turns to the recently opened Kyushu National Museum as a means of addressing multiculturalism and pluralisation in Japan. Themed ‘Ocean Ways, Asian Paths’, the Kyushu National Museum is actually a transnational museum as it focuses not on artefacts specific to Japanese identity, but instead on the variegated ways in which Japan is inextricably connected with and indebted to its Asian neighbours. Thus, by exhibiting the miscegenated character of Japan’s national origins, the Kyushu National Museum stands as a concrete example whereby notions of exclusivity are refashioned into a more accommodating, and perhaps ethical, engagement with alterity.

Cheng, Sealing. 2011. “Sexual Protection, Citizenship and Nationhood: Prostituted Women and Migrant Wives in South Korea.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1627-1648.

• Abstract: This article examines the making of two distinct groups of women—‘prostituted women’ and migrant wives—into citizen-subjects in South Korea at the turn of the twenty-first century. Though the lives of these women barely intersect, they become visible in the public sphere as victims of sexual violence and therefore in urgent need of state protection. Defined as such, prostitutes and migrant wives come under the gaze of the state and civil society through anti-prostitution policy and multiculturalism policy respectively.

  I suggest that, through the language of protection, the South Korean state and civil society seek to redefine moral order and national borders through the regulation of a woman’s body and sexuality. For prostituted women, leaving prostitution restores them to the embrace of the nation as good Korean daughters. For immigrant wives, reproduction is their gendered path to citizenship as good Korean mothers. Through an analysis of the gender ideals reproduced in these policies, and their repercussions on the lives of women, I tease out the gendering of citizenship and nationhood and its tensions with the universalist ideals of gender equality and human rights in the modernising project in South Korea.

Kim, Denis. 2011. “Catalysers in the Promotion of Migrants’ Rights: Church-Based NGOs in South Korea.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1649-1667.

• Abstract: The scholarship on Korean migration indicates that pro-immigrant NGOs are significant social actors who have influenced the formation and transformation of Korean immigration policy. Nevertheless, it has neglected the conspicuous impact of both church-based NGOs and the leadership of activist-clergy upon the promotion of immigrant rights and status. This article explores the origins of advocacy, its contribution and the unintended consequences. It argues that both the transnational characteristics of the church and the historical experience of church-based activism for democratisation have stimulated activist-clergy into spearheading the immigrant advocacy effort. Korea offers an exemplary case in which transnational religion has played a profound role in enhancing the social and political inclusion of immigrants.

Lan, Pei-Chia. 2011. “White Privilege, Language Capital and Cultural Ghettoisation: Western High-Skilled Migrants in Taiwan.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 37:10:1669-1693.

• Abstract: Drawing on the case of Taiwan, this article looks at high-skilled migration from the West to Asia. I explore how Western high-skilled migrants exert agency to negotiate their positions as non-citizens, privileged others and professional workers. I have coined the term ‘flexible cultural capital conversion’ to describe how English-speaking Westerners convert their native-language skills, as a form of global linguistic capital, into economic, social and symbolic capitals.

  Their privileged positions are nevertheless mediated and constrained by their class, nationality, race/ethnicity and gender. In the global context, whiteness is marked as a visible identity and the ‘superior other’. Such cultural essentialism functions as a double-edged sword that places white foreigners in privileged yet segregated job niches. Their flexibility in capital conversion and transnational mobility is territory-bound. Many experience the predicament of ‘cultural ghettoisation’ in the global South, and they often face grim job prospects on returning home to the North.