Question

• What are the origins of the model minority stereotype?
• To what extent does the model minority myth factor into contemporary debates about Asian American identity?

Answer 1

Model minority stereotype

• smart (i.e., "naturally good at math, science, and technology")
• wealthy
• hard-working, self-reliant, living "the American dream"
• docile and submissive, obedient and uncomplaining
• spiritually enlightened and never in need of assistance.

I think Asian Americans have been referred to as a “model minority” based, in part, on easily available statistics. The median education level of Asian Americans, for example, is higher than that of non–Asian Americans, and their average unemployment rates are lower. But these general measures mask large differences in the economic situation of Asians in the United States.

The variation within the Asian population is often overlooked because disaggregated data, or data that include information on individual countries of origin, is difficult to come by. When data are based on samples of the population, information on subgroups such as Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, or Japanese might not be available. Fortunately, some studies allow us to look at frequently hidden differences in economic and social position within the Asian American community.