Activism and Identity: How Asian American College Students Define Contemporary Activism for Social Justice
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Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2018 Activism and Identity: How Asian American College Students Define Contemporary Activism for Social Justice Lester Manzano Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Manzano, Lester, "Activism and Identity: How Asian American College Students Define Contemporary Activism for Social Justice" (2018). Dissertations. 2974. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/2974 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 2018 Lester Manzano LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO ACTIVISM AND IDENTITY: HOW ASIAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS DEFINE CONTEMPORARY ACTIVISM FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY LESTER J. MANZANO CHICAGO, IL AUGUST 2018 Copyright by Lester J. Manzano, 2018 All rights reserved. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Although writing a dissertation is a solo project, there are many individuals who accompanied me on this journey. First and foremost, I am grateful for my dissertation committee who provided support and encouragement throughout this project. I am fortunate to have had Dr. OiYan Poon serve as my dissertation director. When I interviewed with her during my doctoral-program admission process, I was excited about the prospect of having an advisor who shared my research interests in Asian American college-student experiences. Little did I know then the significant impact she would have on my development as a scholar, and I will forever be grateful that our paths crossed at exactly the right time. I am also grateful for the insights and feedback from my committee members, Dr. Karen Su and Dr. George Villanueva, both of whom I consider models of scholar-activists. My doctoral journey would not have been possible without the caring support of several faculty members, in particular, Dr. Bridget Turner Kelly, who welcomed my fellow cohort-mates and me into the Higher Education program in Fall 2012; Dr. Mark Engberg, who provided guidance early in my graduate studies and during my comprehensive exam, and Dr. John Dugan, who offered early feedback and encouragement during my dissertation proposal process. The journey would not have been as meaningful were it not for my cohort, the “Fab Five,” including Dr. Dian Squire, Dr. Michael Bumbry, Dr. T.J. Jourian, and Dr. Ajani Byrd. Being in community with them sustained me throughout this process, and I will forever be thankful that we accompanied each other on this journey through classes, writing projects, cohort dinners, texts, gifs, and emojis. They have become and will always be true friends, cherished iii colleagues, and critical scholars—I am honored to bring up the rear and graduate to complete our Ph.D. cohort. I must also recognize friends and colleagues who supported me during the writing process. Dr. Qiana Green not only provided accountability, but also did so with encouragement and laughter—the best kind of support. Dr. Sara Furr and Dr. Megan Segoshi, fellow dissertators, shared in my journey of the ups and downs of “figuring this all out.” Dr. Cori Kodama and Dr. Jason Chan-Lentz shared not only their friendship, but their expertise on Asian American college-student experiences. Fellow Catamount alum Dr. Paul McLoughlin II and fellow Tartan alum Dr. Pamelyn Shefman were generous with their tips for success in the dissertation process, and I will always be thankful for their friendship and wise counsel. And, my colleagues within Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office were always generous with their words of support and encouragement. I am who I am because of my family. My dad, Salvador, was a model of hard work and diligence, and while our time together was too short, his influence on me has been long-lasting. I am also grateful for the support and encouragement that I received from my mom, Isabelita; my siblings and nieces, Luther, Lowena, Leander & Maria Lyn, Elle, and Kay; my extended Enriquez family; and my partner, Ron, who kept me focused on the goal and did so with unconditional love, unwavering support, and, at times, much needed nudging. Finally, I want to thank the nine Asian American college-student activists who shared their personal journeys and stories of hope for a more socially just world, demonstrating that there are indeed many ways that we all can effect positive social change. iv For my family. Activism can be the journey rather than the arrival. —Grace Lee Boggs The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................1 Problem Statement .....................................................................................................................5 Significance of the Study ...........................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................................8 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................10 The Challenge of Defining Activism .......................................................................................11 Organization of Dissertation ....................................................................................................12 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .................................................................13 Historical Overview of Student Activism in Higher Education ..............................................13 1960s’ Height of Student Activism....................................................................................14 Post-1960s Decline ............................................................................................................15 1980s Activism: Volunteerism in a Conservative Era .......................................................19 1990s Activism: Multiculturalism and Identity .................................................................22 Contemporary Activism in the New Millennium ..............................................................27 Limitations .........................................................................................................................30 Beyond Strategies and Goals: Consciousness, Awareness, and Social Identities ...................31 Perceptions of Campus Cultures and Environments ..........................................................32 Recognition of Systems and Power Structures ..................................................................34 Development of a Political Consciousness ........................................................................36 Connections Between Social Identities and Student Activism ..........................................37 Limitations .........................................................................................................................41 Asian American College-Student Activism .............................................................................42 Asian American Movement and its Influence on College-Student Activists ....................44 Asian American Panethnicity and Activism ......................................................................46 Asian American Consciousness and Motivation to Engage in Student Activism .............48 Limitations .........................................................................................................................51 Conclusion and Findings from the Literature Review .............................................................53 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................55 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS ..................................................................................................59 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................59 Methodology and Research Design .........................................................................................60 Paradigmatic Stance and Epistemology .............................................................................60 Theoretical Perspective and Freirian Praxis ......................................................................61 Rationale for Qualitative Research Approach ...................................................................65