Professor

Seungeun Lee (University of Massachusetts, Lowell)

Course Overview

This course examines the past, present, and future of Korean Americans. First, we will examine the history of the Korean diaspora. The history of Korean Americans living in the United States is the longest of any immigrant settlement. The history of Korean immigration to the United States can be broadly categorized into three phases: the initial phase, which was triggered by the Hawaiian immigration, the post-war immigration period, and the large-scale immigration through the 1965 immigration reform. The first phase includes immigration to Hawaiian sugar cane plantations, migration to the American West, and pre-Korean War immigration, while the second phase includes the period of increased immigration from Korea and other parts of Asia, beginning with the 1965 immigration reform. The Los Angeles riots of the early 1990s brought about a fundamental change in the Korean American community in the U.S. After the riots, Korean Americans began to diversify their resources beyond the traditional “ethnic” economic centers of Korean American social networks to form alliances with multiracial, multiethnic, and Asian Americans. Second, the book examines the diverse characteristics of Korean Americans by type of immigration, time of immigration, and generation. As a result of the long history of Korean American migration, younger generations (the next generation) have experienced quite different migration experiences (birthplace and nationality, migration status, mode, timing, purpose, socioeconomic status, etc.) and life in the United States than older generations. In addition, Korean Americans who migrated to the United States from a third country, as well as “biracial/multiracial” Korean Americans and Korean adoptees who have one (grand)parent of a different race/ethnicity, are also covered. It also explores return/reverse immigration, retirement immigration, and naturalization. This course examines the next generation of Korean American individuals and organizations and Asian American history. The course concludes with an examination of Korean American political participation, Korean language education, policy directions, and the future of Korean Americans.

Course Schedule