Asian American male identity - A review of the syllabus from a perspective of male studies

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Hannover, course: Asian American Literature Survey, language: English, abstract: Reviewing the syllabus and trying to sketch an overview of Asian American Literature its inherent problem of heterogeneity occurs, which shows that the term 'Asian American' is only a makeshift and vague, but nevertheless necessary label. This heterogeneity especially complicates a revision from a view of male studies, because it applies to the authors as well as to characters of the texts and makes it difficult to state general explanations. In spite of this problem red thematic lines can be traced and analysed. They depict thoughts, emotions, needs and problems of Asian American men and shed a light on their identities and inner struggles. But is there really something that can be called an Asian American male identity as a common ground or do these men only share certain problems concerning their masculinity? This paper will examine the topic of male identity within the syllabus including theories of male studies. Of course, its insights are not general, but dependent on and limited by the fiction of the texts. Nevertheless, will it show that the creation of an Asian American male identity is subject to special problems which arise from the belonging to two social and cultural environments.