Library Guides: Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies: Reference &amp; Getting Started

Off-campus Access to Library Resources

There are two ways to connect to library resources from off-campus using the new library proxy:

Links to online resources on library websites, such as UC Library Search, will allow you to login with CalNet directly.
To access library resources found via non-UCB sites, such as Google or Google Scholar, you can add the EZproxy bookmarklet to your browser. Then, whenever you land on a licensed library resource, select your EZproxy bookmarklet to enable CalNet login.

More information is on the EZproxy guide.

The campus VPN provides an alternate method for off-campus access.

The Ethnic Studies Library Asian American Studies Collection

The Ethnic Studies Library Asian American Studies Collection contains books, serials, media, archives, newspapers, and other materials on Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. You can get started by visiting the library and by making an appointment with a librarian to talk through your research topic, sources, or any other questions you might have.

About the Asian American Studies Collection:

The mission of the Asian American Studies Collection (AASC) is primarily to support the curriculum program of the undergraduate and graduate students and the research of the faculty in the Ethnic Studies Department. It is also to provide support in this area to the other University of California campuses and the general community at large. We also have a mission and commitment to preserving and making accessible the history of Asian Americans to all.

Often the term “Asian” and “Asian American” cause confusion in relation to library collections. For example, traditionally, East Asian collections focus on East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, rather than on the distinct experiences of these groups in America or in other countries. The term "Asian American" was coined by historian Yuji Ichioka in the late-1960s in conjunction with the Asian American social movement. It emerged to describe a new pan-ethnic identity forming out of solidarity amongst Asians in the United States. While the term emerged as a political identity, today, it is often used as a demographic marker. The term "Asian," and thus "Asian Americans," encompasses a large number of national and ethnic identities including but not limited to the following groups: Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Sri Lankan, Laotian, Mien, Nepalese, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Thai, Tibetan, and Vietnamese Americans.

The Asian American Studies Collection (AASC) is the result of intensive acquisition for more than forty years. It is today one of the most comprehensive and unique Asian American resources in the United States. It contains materials on the cultural, political, and socio-economic life of Asian Americans. Aside from developing a core collection on the identified Asian American groups, the collection is particularly strong in documenting Asian American social movements. The collection also includes materials on Pacific Islanders. While historically Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been aggregated in demographic data, there is increasing attention paid to the distinct experiences of indigenous Pacific Islander Americans and Asian Americans. The AASC also contains the largest Chinese American archival collection in the world.

Asian American History Timeline

A Different Asian American Timeline

This timeline, created by ChangeLab, covers nearly 600 years of history starting with the early Atlantic slave trade in the 15th Century, tracing the rise of modern nation-states, and covering events that have affected people across racial boundaries.

Selected Reference Sources for Asian American Studies

A great place to start your research is by consulting an encyclopedia. See below for some reference sources on Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies and visit the Reference Section in the Asian American Studies Collection at the Ethnic Studies Library for more.

Asian American Literature: an Encyclopedia for Students by Keith Lawrence (Editor)
Publication Date: 2021
This volume collects, in one place, a breadth of information about Asian American literary and cultural history as well as the authors and texts that best define it. A dozen contextual essays introduce fundamental elements or subcategories of Asian American literature, expanding on social and literary concerns or tensions that are familiar and relevant. Essays include the origins and development of the term "Asian American"; overviews of Asian American and Asian Canadian social and literary histories; essays on Asian American identity, gender issues, and sexuality; and discussions of Asian American rhetoric and children's literature. More than 120 alphabetical entries round out the volume and cover important Asian North American authors. Historical information is presented in clear and engaging ways, and author entries emphasize biographical or textual details that are significant to contemporary young adults. Special attention has been given to pioneering authors from the late 19th century through the early 1970s and to influential or well-known contemporary authors, especially those likely to be studied in high school or university classrooms.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture by Josephine Lee
Publication Date: 2020
This project offers the largest and most comprehensive collection of scholarship on Asian American literature and culture to date. More than one hundred original and in-depth articles survey the historical foundations of this rich field, showing the exciting and profound new directions that currently drive the study of Asian American literary and cultural traditions. Along with literary works from the late-19th century to the 21st century, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture covers a wide-ranging selection of Asian American theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, television, and media.
The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History by David K. Yoo (Editor); Eiichiro Azuma (Editor)
ISBN: 9780199860463
Publication Date: 2016-02-01
After emerging from the tumult of social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the field of Asian American studies has enjoyed rapid and extraordinary growth. Nonetheless, many aspects of Asian American history still remain open to debate. The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History offers thefirst comprehensive commentary on the state of the field, simultaneously assessing where Asian American studies came from and what the future holds. In this volume, thirty leading scholars offer original essays on a wide range of topics. The chapters trace Asian American history from the beginning of the migration flows toward the Pacific Islands and the American continent to Japanese American incarceration and Asian American participation inWorld War II, from the experience of exclusion, violence, and racism to the social and political activism of the late twentieth century. The authors explore many of the key aspects of the Asian American experience, including politics, economy, intellectual life, the arts, education, religion, labor,gender, family, urban development, and legal history.The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History demonstrates how the roots of Asian American history are linked to visions of a nation marked by justice and equity and to a deep effort to participate in a global project aimed at liberation. The contributors to this volume attest to the ongoingimportance of these ideals, showing how the mass politics, creative expressions, and the imagination that emerged during the 1960s are still relevant today. It is an unprecedentedly detailed portrait of Asian Americans and how they have helped change the face of the United States.
Keywords for Asian American Studies by Cathy J. Schlund-Vials (Editor); K. Scott Wong (Editor); Linda Trinh Võ (Editor); Linda Trinh Võ (Editor)
ISBN: 9781479874538
Publication Date: 2015-05-08
Introduces key terms, research frameworks, debates, and histories for Asian American Studies Born out of the Civil Rights and Third World Liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s, Asian American Studies has grown significantly over the past four decades, both as a distinct field of inquiry and as a potent site of critique. Characterized by transnational, trans-Pacific, and trans-hemispheric considerations of race, ethnicity, migration, immigration, gender, sexuality, and class, this multidisciplinary field engages with a set of concepts profoundly shaped by past and present histories of racialization and social formation. The keywords included in this collection are central to social sciences, humanities, and cultural studies and reflect the ways in which Asian American Studies has transformed scholarly discourses, research agendas, and pedagogical frameworks. Spanning multiple histories, numerous migrations, and diverse populations, Keywords for Asian American Studies reconsiders and recalibrates the ever-shifting borders of Asian American studies as a distinctly interdisciplinary field. Visit keywords.nyupress.org for online essays, teaching resources, and more.
Asian American Society by Mary Yu Danico (Editor)
ISBN: 9781452281902
Publication Date: 2014-09-05
Asian Americans are a growing, minority population in the United States. After a 46 percent population growth between 2000 and 2010 according to the 2010 Census, there are 17.3 million Asian Americans today. Yet Asian Americans as a category are a diverse set of peoples from over 30 distinctive Asian-origin subgroups that defy simplistic descriptions or generalizations. They face a wide range of issues and problems within the larger American social universe despite the persistence of common stereotypes that label them as a "model minority" for the generalized attributes offered uncritically in many media depictions. Asian American Society: An Encyclopedianbsp;provides a thorough introduction to the wide-ranging and fast-developing field of Asian American studies. Published with the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS), two volumes of the four-volume encyclopedia feature more than 300 A-to-Z articles authored by AAAS members and experts in the field who examine the social, cultural, psychological, economic, and political dimensions of the Asian American experience. The next two volumes of this work contain approximately 200 annotated primary documents, organized chronologically, that detail the impact American society has had on reshaping Asian American identities and social structures over time. Features: More than 300 articles authored by experts in the field, organized in A-to-Z format, help students understand Asian American influences on American life, as well as the impact of American society on reshaping Asian American identities and social structures over time. A core collection of primary documents and key demographic and social science data provide historical context and key information. A Reader's Guide groups related entries by broad topic areas and themes; a Glossary defines key terms; and a Resource Guide provides lists of books, academic journals, websites and cross references. The multimedia digital edition is enhanced with 75 video clips and features strong search-and-browse capabilities through the electronic Reader's Guide, detailed index, and cross references. Available in both print and online formats, this collection of essays is a must-have resource for general and research libraries, Asian American/ethnic studies libraries, and social science libraries.
Asian American History and Culture by Huping Ling; Allan W. Austin
Call Number: E184.A75 A8287 2010
ISBN: 9780765680778
Publication Date: 2010-02-15
With overview essays and more than 400 A-Z entries, this exhaustive encyclopedia documents the history of Asians in America from earliest contact to the present day. Organized topically by group, with an in-depth overview essay on each group, the encyclopedia examines the myriad ethnic groups and histories that make up the Asian American population in the United States. "Asian American History and Culture" covers the political, social, and cultural history of immigrants from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Pacific Islands, and their descendants, as well as the social and cultural issues faced by Asian American communities, families, and individuals in contemporary society. In addition to entries on various groups and cultures, the encyclopedia also includes articles on general topics such as parenting and child rearing, assimilation and acculturation, business, education, and literature. More than 100 images round out the set.
Asian Americans: An Encyclopedia of Social, Cultural, Economic, and Political History by Xiaojian Zhao (Editor); Ph.D., Edward JW Park (Editor)
ISBN: 9781598842395
Publication Date: 2013-11-26
This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference work on Asian Americans, comprising three volumes that address a broad range of topics on various Asian and Pacific Islander American groups from 1848 to the present day. * Presents information on Asian Americans and individual Asian ethnic groups that provides comprehensive overviews of the respective groups * Includes special topic entries that contain source information regarding major historical events * Comprises work from a truly outstanding list of contributors that include scholars, journalists, writers, community activists, graduate students, and other specialists * Expands the boundaries of Asian American studies through innovative entries that address transnationalism, gender and sexuality, and inter- and cross-disciplinarity
Contemporary Asian America by Min Zhou (Editor); J. V. Gatewood (Editor)
Call Number: E184.A75 C66 2007
ISBN: 9780814797129
Publication Date: 2007-10-01
When Contemporary Asian America was first published, it exposed its readers to developments within the discipline, from its inception as part of the ethnic consciousness movement of the 1960s to the more contemporary theoretical and practical issues facing Asian America at the century’s end. This new edition features a number of fresh entries and updated material. It covers such topics as Asian American activism, immigration, community formation, family relations, gender roles, sexuality, identity, struggle for social justice, interethnic conflict/coalition, and political participation. As in the first edition, Contemporary Asian America provides an expansive introduction to the central readings in Asian American Studies, presenting a grounded theoretical orientation to the discipline and framing key historical, cultural, economic, and social themes with a social science focus. This critical text offers a broad overview of Asian American studies and the current state of Asian America.
Encyclopedia of Asian American Artists by Kara Kelley Hallmark
Call Number: N6538.A83 H35 2007
ISBN: 9780313334511
Publication Date: 2007-04-01
Painters, photographers, sculptors, and installation artists are among the seventy-five artists represented in this guide to Asian American artists. Within each entry, Kara Hallmark describes the artists' early life, education and training, and impact on the art world both in their country of heritage as well as the U.S. While some artists dismiss any notion of their heritage influencing their work, others describe how assimilation and immigration affected themselves and their families, particularly those affected by World War II and the Japanese internment camps. Interviews with living artists, as well as extensive images, enhance entries that celebrate the contributions of Asian American Artists to American art.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature by Guiyou Huang (Editor)
Call Number: PS153.A84 G74 2009
ISBN: 9780313341571
Publication Date: 2008-12-30
Asian American literature dates back to the close of the 19th century, and during the years following World War II it significantly expanded in volume and diversity. Monumental in scope, this encyclopedia surveys Asian American literature from its origins through 2007. Included are more than 270 alphabetically arranged entries on writers, major works, significant historical events, and important terms and concepts. Thus the encyclopedia gives special attention to the historical, social, cultural, and legal contexts surrounding Asian American literature and central to the Asian American experience. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and cites works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography of essential print and electronic resources. While literature students will value this encyclopedia as a guide to writings by Asian Americans, the encyclopedia also supports the social studies curriculum by helping students use literature to learn about Asian American history and culture, as it pertains to writers from a host of Asian ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including Afghans, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, Iranians, Indians, Vietnamese, Hawaiians, and other Asian Pacific Islanders.
Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife by Kathleen M. Nadeau (Editor); Jonathan H. X. Lee (Editor)
Call Number: GR111.A75 E63 2011
ISBN: 9780313350665
Publication Date: 2010-12-01
This comprehensive compilation of entries documents the origins, transmissions, and transformations of Asian American folklore and folklife. * More than 600 entries * Contributions from more than 170 expert contributors * Introductory essays covering disciplinary theories and methods in the study of folklore and folklife * An appendix of Asian American folktales
Encyclopedia of Asian American Issues Today by Edith Wen-Chu Chen (Editor); Grace J. Yoo (Editor); Wendy Ng
Call Number: E184.A75 E523 2010
ISBN: 9780313347498
Publication Date: 2009-12-01
This is a revealing compilation of essays on the latest research and debates on Asian Americans, a growing and influential ethnic group today. * Organizes 100 key issues impacting Asian Americans around thematic sections such as youth, family and the aged, health, law, education, the media, and immigration * Includes the insights of over 100 leading experts and scholars on Asian American contemporary issues from fields such as education, public health, law, economics, and psychology * Numerous sidebars appear with biographical profiles, quotations, statistics, and document snippets throughout the volumes * Includes photos of community members, prominent Asian American figures, events, and more * Suggested readings including electronic sources for 110 key issues along with recommended websites