Towards An Understanding Of Chinese Americans-Status, Problems And Contributions

As a nation of immigrants, the United States has attracted millions of peoplefrom all over the world, including the Chinese. Chinese immigrants’ number andinfluence are growing strongly, which may signal a new shift in the ethniccomposition of the United States. Their status, their problems, and their contributionsand achievements, deserve the earnest attentions of all public-spirited Americans andChinese.In China, scholarship on the Chinese Americans’ issues has been quite extensive.Many of these works are devoted to the research on Chinese American historicalexperience, the backwardness of Chinatown, and Model Minority and so on. However,few efforts have been made to explore the current social status of Chinese immigrantsin America, their outstanding contributions, the existing problems and hardships theyencounter. Therefore, the aim of the thesis is to examine these areas to add to theunderstanding of Chinese Americans in multiply directions.To be specific, this thesis attempts to raise and address the following questions.(1) Living in the country like the United States that highly values freedom, equalityand democracy, how is Chinese immigrants’ social, political and economic status?What are the factors that determine their status?(2) For a long period of time, theAmerican media have labeled the Chinese immigrants as Model Minority. Is such alabel appropriate and realistic? Since they are deemed as Model Minority, does thatmean that the Chinese immigrants are immune to any obstacles?(3) What are thecontributions the Chinese immigrants have made in the United States? Under whatcircumstances are these contributions made? How significant are they to thedevelopment of the United States? The author of these believes that through thediscussion of all these questions, much more light will be shed on the issuessurrounding Chinese Americans. Toward this end, this thesis carries out the discussion from the historical, socialand cultural perspectives. From the historical point of view, the thesis explores theevolution of Chinese immigrants’ occupation, and the development of the Chinesecommunity, particularly Chinatown. From the social perspective, it analyzes theproblems and difficulties faced by the Chinese immigrants. For example, ModelMinority stereotype has engendered many negative effects, causing misunderstandingand sometimes cultural conflicts between Chinese and Americans. Finally, from thecultural perspective, the thesis will discuss and examine the influence of Chineseculture on American mainstream society.The thesis argues that only by a serious examination of Chinese immigrants’current status and Chinese community’s situation, an in-depth probe into the problemsand barriers they have to confront with, and finally a balanced assessment of theoutstanding contributions and achievements they have made, can we possibly presenta relatively objective and accurate picture of Chinese immigrants in the United States.To this end, the thesis wants to make an effort, and hopefully a contribution as well.