Draws on a historical study of the immigration of nurses from the Philippines to the United States and other countries to illustrate the prevalence of stereotypes in images of Asian American history and to show how to confront stereotypes in the writing of history. (SLD)

Introduces this theme issue in which essays challenge the reader to expand preconceived notions of what Asian and Pacific Islander American histories are and can be, how they are researched and written, and why divergent historical approaches to interpreting the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans can yield insights into the past…

Discusses the position of Asian America labor history as a field of study that, as yet, does not exist within Asian American studies or labor history, but which has the potential to "decenter nationalist narratives and deflect the institutional imperative." (SLD)

Explores the role of oral history in the study of culture and social history, focusing on the experiences of a researcher interested in the Asian American experience. Discusses the importance of recognizing oral history as a process rather than a product. (SLD)

Explores the problems inherent in studying the intellectual and cultural life of Asian Americans in the United States, a country that has understood them first and foremost as exotic "orientals." Discusses the ways "orientals" have been understood in U.S. social thought as a racial "problem" and a racial "solution." (SLD)

Argues that history and historical necessity have shaped current Asian American projects, not the theoretical products of poststructuralism, Anglo American feminism, or postcolonial theory. Through an examination based on new work from scholars in Asian American and ethnic studies, the author explores these historic, demographic, and political…

Addresses how significant the theoretical debates in the humanities and social sciences are for Asian American and ethnic studies and whether theory can be borrowed and applied to Asian American subjects or whether these subjects are too distinctive. The author discusses the intellectual and ideological consequences in deploying postcolonial and…

Whether the conceptual framework involves historical periods, historical themes, or other principles, researchers and writers concerned with Asian Americans and Pacific Americans consider several new themes in addition to the earlier examinations of history, literature, and sociology. The accompanying bibliography reflects the breadth of interest…