An Agenda for Policy Change: Participatory Research and Data Collection by Southeast Asian Youth

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
Kohei Ishihara
Keyword(s):  
Rhode Island ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Racial Profiling ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Generational Conflict ◽  
Southeast Asian Americans ◽  
Youth Leaders ◽  
Consensus Decision Making ◽  
Asian Youth

In a policy-making world that is influenced by “model minority” ideology and racial aggregate data, Southeast Asian Americans have become one of the most underrepresented and misunderstood Asian American communities. Cambodian, Laotian, and Hmong youth leaders in Providence, Rhode Island, protested this lack of representation by surveying 16 percent of the city’s Southeast Asian youth population. This data became the first of its kind to provide a quantitative and qualitative portrait of the lives and issues experienced by the city’s Southeast Asian residents. Youth leaders were trained in survey administration and data analysis in order to design and execute the survey. Survey results revealed the very intricate and oppressive realities faced by Southeast Asian youth, including lack of education, gang violence, racial profiling, inter-generational conflict, as well cultural conflict over ideas of gender and sexuality. Youth leaders used the data and a process of consensus decision making to develop a list of policy-change recommendations targeting Rhode Island decision makers and power brokers.

Southeast Asian Americans

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia Youyee Vang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Southeast Asian Americans ◽  
Socialist Republic ◽  
Brunei Darussalam

In geopolitical terms, the Asian sub-region Southeast Asia consists of ten countries that are organized under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Current member nations include Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Malaysia, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (formerly Burma), Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Kingdom of Thailand, and Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The term Southeast Asian Americans has been shaped largely by the flow of refugees from the American War in Vietnam’ however, Americans with origins in Southeast Asia have much more diverse migration and settlement experiences that are intricately tied to the complex histories of colonialism, imperialism, and war from the late 19th through the end of the 20th century. A commonality across Southeast Asian American groups today is that their immigration history resulted primarily from the political and military involvement of the United States in the region, aimed at building the United States as a global power. From Filipinos during the Spanish-American War in 1898 to Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao, and Hmong refugees from the American War in Vietnam, military interventions generated migration flows that, once begun, became difficult to stop. Complicating this history is its role in supporting the international humanitarian apparatus by creating the possibility for displaced people to seek refuge in the United States. Additionally, the relationships between the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are different from those of other SEA countries involved in the Vietnam War. Consequently, today’s Southeast Asian Americans are heterogeneous with varying levels of acculturation to U.S. society.

The Importance of Critically Disaggregating Data: The Case of Southeast Asian American College Students

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Maramba
Keyword(s):  
Asian American ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
Generational Status ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Southeast Asian Americans ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
Southeast Asian American

The following policy brief calls for the improvement in data collection of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and, more specifically, Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) in order to facilitate college access and success. First, context and the concern for the lack of data are provided. Second, an explanation of the challenges with the existing data and importance of disaggregating data with regard to ethnicity and other important factors such as language and generational status are discussed. Also emphasized is the importance of incorporating the use of qualitative data in the policy decision-making process. Third, suggestions and recommendations that will benefit research and eventually positively influence policy decisions regarding SEAAs in education are discussed.

Examining the Academic Achievement–Delinquency Relationship Among Southeast Asian Americans

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1556-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Bui
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Delinquent Behavior ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Children Of Immigrants ◽  
Southeast Asian Americans ◽  
Causal Inferences ◽  
Poor Academic Performance ◽  
Using Data

The extent to which poor academic achievement is strongly related to delinquency among Southeast Asian Americans (SEAA) remains unclear; reasons are methodological limitations and aggregated findings for Asian Americans, which mask evidence that SEAA have a higher prevalence of criminality and poor academic performance than other Asian American groups. The present study examines the academic achievement—delinquency relationship in a diverse group of 1,214 SEAA using data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to make causal inferences and assess whether poor academic achieving SEAA, after being matched with higher academic achieving SEAA, displayed a higher prevalence of delinquency. Findings showed that, even after matching, poor academic achieving SEAA were still more likely to exhibit delinquent behavior than those who performed academically better. Interventions targeting SEAA communities will need to focus more on improving academic achievement to directly prevent and decrease delinquent behavior.

scholarly journals Priorities and approaches to investigating Asian youth health: perspectives of young Asian New Zealanders

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Wong ◽  
Roshini Peiris-John ◽  
Amritha Sobrun-Maharaj ◽  
Shanthi Ameratunga
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Youth Leaders ◽  
Asian Youth ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
New Zealanders

INTRODUCTION: The proportion of young people in New Zealand identifying with Asian ethnicities has increased considerably. Despite some prevalent health concerns, Asian youth are less likely than non-Asian peers to seek help. As preparatory research towards a more nuanced approach to service delivery and public policy, this qualitative study aimed to identify young Asian New Zealanders' perspectives on best approaches to investigate health issues of priority concern to them. METHODS: Three semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with 15 Asian youth leaders aged 18–24 years. Using an inductive approach for thematic analysis, key themes were identified and analysed. FINDINGS: Study participants considered ethno-cultural identity, racism and challenges in integration to play significant roles influencing the health of Asian youth (especially mental health) and their access to health services. While emphasising the importance of engaging young Asians in research and service development so that their needs and aspirations are met, participants also highlighted the need for approaches that are cognisant of the cultural, contextual and intergenerational dimensions of issues involved in promoting youth participation. CONCLUSION: Research that engages Asian youth as key agents using methods that are sensitive to their cultural and sociological contexts can inform more responsive health services and public policy. This is of particular relevance in primary health care where culturally competent services can mitigate risks of unmet health needs and social isolation. KEYWORDS: Asian; minority health; New Zealand; youth

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