Blurring Racial and Ethnic Boundaries in Asian American Families: Asian American Family Patterns, 1980-2005

Abstract

In this work, the authors use statistics from the U.S. Census to examine trends in intermarriage, racial and ethnic combinations, and categorizations among Asian Americans. Specifically, the authors want to consider the extent to which family patterns may contribute to Asian Americans and their descendants’ continuing as distinct, becoming members of some new category or categories, or simply becoming White. Based on the data analysis and discussion, it seems most likely that Whiteness will increasingly depend on the situation: Where there are Asians,Whites, and Blacks, Asians will tend to become White.Where there are only Whites, Asians, including even those of multiracial background, may well continue to be distinguished. Yet people in mixed families will be continually crossing all racial and ethnic lines in the United States, and their numbers will steadily increase.

Changing Patterns of Interracial Marriage in a Multiracial Society

“…Growth in the number of interracial marriages is often viewed as an indicator of improving race relations in America (Fu & Heaton, 2008; Ono & Berg, 2010; Qian & Lichter, 2007). To varying degrees, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians have all experienced increases in out‐marriage with Whites since the 1970s (Hidalgo & Bankston, 2010; Kalmijn, 1998; Rosenfeld, 2008). During the current period of substantial immigration, however, additional increases in interracial marriage are no longer guaranteed, nor do they lend themselves to unambiguous interpretations among changing race relations or group boundaries (J.…”

The model minority stereotype and the national identity question: the challenges facing Asian immigrants and their children

“…The issue of diversity within and among groups also involves the interracial marriage issue. Although rates of outgroup marriage are generally high for Asians as a whole, these rates are far higher for some groups, such as Filipinos, than others (Hidalgo and Bankston 2010;Lee and Kye 2016). Moreover, there is a sharp gender distinction in out-marriage, since the majority of these involve Asian women and white men (Lee and Kye, 2016).…”

“…Similarly, in their review article on what they term the "racialized assimilation" of Asians in America, Lee and Kye (2016, p. 254) commented that from one perspective, "[r]ather than being relegated as racialized minorities, Asian Americans appear to be approaching "near white" status …" Moreover, consistent with the idea that Asians in the United States are folding neatly into the larger national identity, is the fact that "Asian Americans have among the highest rates of interracial marriage in the United States (Lee and Kye, 2016: 257). Analyzing patterns of intermarriage, Hidalgo and Bankston (2010) have argued that the relatively large numbers of mixed race children with Asian ancestry necessarily means that if the boundaries between white and Asian identities have not disappeared, these have at least become increasingly blurred.…”

The model minority stereotype and the national identity question: the challenges facing Asian immigrants and their children

“…Similarly, in their review article on what they term the "racialized assimilation" of Asians in America, Lee and Kye (2016, p. 254) commented that from one perspective, "[r]ather than being relegated as racialized minorities, Asian Americans appear to be approaching "near white" status …" 4 Moreover, consistent with the idea that Asians in the United States are folding neatly into the larger national identity, is the fact that "Asian Americans have among the highest rates of interracial marriage in the United States (Lee and Kye, 2016: 257). Analyzing patterns of intermarriage, Hidalgo and Bankston (2010) have argued that the relatively large numbers of mixed race children with Asian ancestry necessarily means that if the boundaries between white and Asian identities have not disappeared, these have at least become increasingly blurred.…”