Vietnamese American Experiences of White Supremacy in New Orleans
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Disasters, Settlements and the Homeland: Vietnamese American Experiences of White Supremacy in New Orleans by Hoang Vu Nguyen A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology University of Toronto © Copyright by Hoang Vu Nguyen 2017 Disasters, Settlements and the Homeland: Vietnamese American Experiences of White Supremacy in New Orleans Hoang Vu Nguyen Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology University of Toronto 2017 Abstract Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans became well-known as “a community with miracles” after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Arriving in the United States after the Vietnam War (1975), these Vietnamese refugees learned to adapt to life in Louisiana. After more than 35 years living in the country of settlement, Vietnamese Americans have developed experiences of living with African Americans, the majority population in New Orleans. By engaging in the discussion of the white supremacy ideology, the dissertation points out that Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans are not only victims of both overt and covert racial discriminatory acts, but they are also complicit in it. While they suffer from the minority status in American society, they buy into the racial hierarchy of white supremacy that denigrates low-income African Americans. From the analysis of not only their everyday life experiences but also the aftermath of disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and BP Oil spill in 2010, the dissertation shows the politics of race in New Orleans as well as in the United States. Vietnamese Americans’ conformity to white supremacy also confirms that the United States has not been color-blind. ii The last chapter displays the linkages of the Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans with their home villages in Vietnam as well as the government of Vietnam. Engaging in a global perspective in which the nation-state has tried to embrace its overseas population as an essential part of the country, the chapter examines the effectiveness of the deterritorialization policy of the Vietnamese government on Vietnamese Americans. It also shows that while the deterritorialization policy failed to achieve its missions, it unexpectedly became a key factor that renewed the diasporic dimension of Vietnamese Americans. In addition, when fighting against the intrusion of the communist agenda into their diasporic community, Vietnamese American community leaders strategically employed the freedom in American politics to legalize and implement their local anticommunist agenda. In this process, while the diasporic moments were reinforced, the white supremacy remained intact. iii Acknowledgements The completion of my PhD study at the University of Toronto would not have been possible without generous financial support from the Harvard-Yenching Institute, the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, the Center for the Study of the United States, the Munk School of Global Affairs, and the University of Toronto’s Doctoral Completion Award. The field research based on which the dissertation was written owes much to the people of New Orleans, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Thuan whose lives have been affected by the Vietnam War and its long-term effects. Without their strong support and trust, I would not have been able to build rapport, participate in activities and collect information on the research localities. In New Orleans, Father Nguyen The Vien provided an introduction to the Vietnamese American community in New Orleans East by connecting me to his networks in the community, especially the Mary Queen of Vietnam-Community Development Corporation. I am also indebted to friends who work for the MQVN-CDC. This was the site where I worked at everyday as a volunteer interpreter and from which I learnt much about American society. My life in New Orleans was saturated by daily activities with Bibo, Tap, Tien, Khai, Dat, Tinh and Mai. Father Nguyen Van Nghiem opened the gate for me to learn about Vietnamese American Catholic traditions in the Mary Queen of Viet Nam church. His support also allowed me to participate in the church’s activities as a local parishioner. The Trung Duong choir of the Mary Queen of Viet Nam church embraced me as a member every weekend. I also thank Mr. Quan Huynh and Mr. John Nguyen for their full support of the project and their willingness to help me to extend my social network for fieldwork. My warmest thanks also go to people in Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Thuan provinces who shared their houses with me and to people who provided me with their knowledge of their communities. The hospitality and trust of Mr. Cuong’s family and Mrs. Huong’s family made me feel at home all the time. I would like to extend my deep gratitude to my core committee for their unceasing encouragement and support during my study. Professor Hy Luong, my supervisor, guided me iv through the steps of academic advancement. His instruction on advanced anthropological theories helped to position my research in contemporary theoretical trends. Without his criticisms and strict deadlines, I would not have been able to finish the writing process. Professor Bonnie McElhinny helped me to enter the debate on the politics of race in the United States by offering courses on immigration, settlement and diaspora. Her comments and suggestions on my previous drafts helped me to engage my research with scholarly debates on these issues. Professor Nhung Tuyet Tran trained me in religious studies and in the analyses of multiple discourses of Vietnamese Americans. More than that, I also thank Professor Tran for her continuous attempts in connecting me and my research with other international scholars. I would like to thank the defense committee members who helped situate my research in broader research issues. While Professor Hilary Cunningham showed me some deeper dynamics within the Vietnamese American community in New Orleans East, Professor Lisa Yoneyama helped connect my research with other Asian American studies. Special thanks to Professor Louis- Jacques Dorais, Université Laval, the external appraiser of my defense committee. His constructive criticisms and questions helped me to see some gaps and inspired me to further develop my analysis on the concept of diaspora. As a Vietnamese citizen, I would not have been able to conduct research in the United States had I not been able to secure the institutional support provided by Professor Allison Truitt and the Department of Anthropology at Tulane University. Moreover, through occasional discussions with Professor Truitt, I gained a lot of insights from a person who was both local and scholarly. Elsewhere, I have always received support from Professor Oscar Salemink, my master’s degree supervisor, and Professor Hue-Tam Ho Tai. I am especially grateful that they recognized the importance of the research topic and trusted my research ability when I applied for a doctoral scholarship. In Vietnam, my research institute, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences have strongly supported my study throughout this enduring process. I am fortunate to get support from Professor Do Hoai Nam, Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang, Professor Nguyen Quang Thuan, Professor Vo Khanh Vinh and Professor Pham Van Duc at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. The paperwork and introductory letters were issued v without delay and helped me keep focus on my studies. I would like extend my deep gratitude to Professor Vo Quang Trong, Dr. Luu Hung, Professor Nguyen Duy Thieu, Professor Pham Van Duong, Dr. Vi Van An, Dr. Vo Thi Thuong and all staff members of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology who always encouraged and followed me throughout the completion of my study. In the Personnel Department of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, I would like to thank Dr. Pham Minh Phuc for his support and understanding of the length of my doctoral program. My personal life during this process would have been boring had I not had my friends and colleagues in Toronto, New Orleans and Hanoi. Antoine Nouvet, Duc Huynh, Petar Lachkov, Martin Degand, Hoang D. Nguyen and Hasan Raboui have made my life in the Graduate House more lively and enjoyable. I also thank TranSaigon Co. Ltd. and its staff for giving me a pleasant part-time work experience in Toronto. Lastly, but most importantly, the completion of my dissertation brings joy and happiness to my extended family at 2 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi. My parents, aunts, uncles, younger brother and cousins have been undoubtedly patient throughout my seven years of study. While my mother consistently fulfilled any financial request from me, my father and my two cousins, Dr. Chi Huyen Truong and Dr. Hien Kim Nguyen, have been my academic colleagues since the beginning of my career. The intellectual exchanges with them helped me overcome the impasses during the Ph.D. program. Finally, I thank my wife for her strong endurance and trust during the time I studied abroad. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements iv Table of Contents vii List of Tables viii List of Figures viii List of Appendices viii Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Background 1 1.2. Theoretical Approaches 1 1.3. Methodology 21 1.4. Organization of the Dissertation 33 Chapter 2. New Orleans and the Arrival of Vietnamese Americans 35 2.1. A Brief History of New Orleans 35 2.2. The Arrivals of the Vietnamese 42 2.3. Demography of Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans 58 2.4. Within the Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans 66 2.5. Conclusion 76 Chapter 3. Vietnamese Americans in a Racialized New Orleans 77 3.1. Everyday Racism 78 3.2. Political Power of the Minority? The Case of Mr. Cao 113 3.3. Conclusion 122 Chapter 4. Hurricane Katrina: Disaster for many, Opportunity for others 124 4.1. Hurricane Katrina 125 4.2.