The "Stereotype Promise": How Policy and Perception Shape Asian American Success
As I explored the disproportionately high representation of Asians and Asian Americans in the world of classical music, I ran across an article that explores a similar phenomenon in another area of society - the disproportionately high representation of Asian Americans in higher education. Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou's article, "From Unassimilable to Exceptional," explores some of the reasons behind that phenomenon.
The authors begin by noting that many Asian immigrants to the United States are highly educated and represent a select group within their countries of origin. This was a direct result of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which, amongst other changes, removed restrictions on immigration based on country of origin and emphasized specialized skills. This change in policy resulted in an influx of highly educated people from Asia immigrating to the US. Lee and Zhou argue that this "positive selection" of immigrants results in the transmission of a culture that values education, often accompanied by supplementary educational practices, from their home countries.
Lee and Zhou further argue that the positive stereotypes arising from the success of Asian Americans become a form of cultural capital, creating a "stereotype promise" that enhances the performance of Asian American students. This "promise" can act as a self-fulfilling prophecy, motivating students to live up to the positive expectations associated with their group.
Finally, teachers, witnessing the success of Asian American students, may develop a bias towards future Asian students, further perpetuating the cycle. This positive feedback loop reinforces the stereotype and contributes to the continued success of subsequent generations. Crucially, Lee and Zhou demonstrate that this phenomenon isn't simply a matter of cultural norms, as Asian immigrants in Spain do not experience the same level of success, suggesting that the "stereotype promise" is specific to the American context.
This analysis raises some interesting questions:
Why don’t Asian immigrants in Spain not experience the same level of success as Asian immigrants in the US? Does this have to do with Spain’s immigration policy (ie. is it a different population that immigrated to Spain vs. the US), or are there systemic differences in Spain that lead to this result?
This article also highlighted for me the importance of public policy and how it can impact the migration of people, values, and culture across borders that can shape a country for decades afterwards.
Lee, Jennifer, and Min Zhou. “From Unassimilable to Exceptional: the Rise of Asian Americans and ‘Stereotype Promise.’” New Diversities 16, no. 1 (2014): 7–22.
