Media Portrayals of Asian Americans

Hong-Le Ha

Historically, media portrayals of Asian Americans have been ambivalent. Asian Americans have been depicted either as a threat—the “yellow peril”— or as a role model for other minority groups. In the late 19th century, Asian Americans were considered a threat because of their differences in physical characteristics, cultures, and work ethics from those of Whites and European Americans. In the 1960s, the term model minority emerged, casting Asian Americans as role models because of their accomplishments. Asian Americans were recognized by the media for their success in business and education; this success was attributed to Asian Americans' close-knit family ties, moral values, and diligent work habits. These two stereotypes are the basis for media portrayal of Asian Americans in movies and television sitcoms, television news, magazines, and newspapers. This entry examines the accomplishments of Asian Americans and how the images depicted of them (favorable or not) have affected their Asian ...

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