Synopsis of Prof. Pyong Gap Min's Lecture 

Dr. Pyong Gap Min, Professor of Sociology at Queens College and the Graduate Center, gave a lecture on "Pan-Ethnic Boundaries in Asian Americans". The following is Prof. Min's summary of his talk: 

Pan-Asianism is currently a very popular concept in Asian American research. Various pan-Asian studies have focused on pan-Asian coalitions at the collective level to protect common interests for all Asian Americans. While political identity is central to pan-Asian coalitions, private identity figures prominently in pan- Asian attachment at the individual level. 

Structural factors such as racial lumping and anti-Asian violence have largely forced various Asian groups to make broad coalitions in politics, education, social services, and other areas. But primordial ties in the forms of similar cultures, physical affinity and similar historical experiences have direct and indirect effects on the development of pan-Asian attachment in friendship, dating, sharing residential areas and religious congregations. 

Due to physical affinity and cultural similarities, East (Chinese, Korean and Japanese groups) and South Asian (Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladesh) groups maintain strong pan-ethnic attachment within each cluster and little interaction between the two separate clusters. 

My presentation focused on pan-Asian attachment within East and South Asians in New York in friendship, residential patterns, and participation in religious congregation.

 For further questions, please contact Prof. Min at Min@soc1.soc.qc.edu .