Tag: Ethnic Studies

Adoptee Formations of Kinship: Queer Diasporic Traditions in Chinese America

Presenter: Alayna Neher – Ethnic Studies, Psychology

Faculty Mentor(s): Sharon Luk

Session: (In-Person) Poster Presentation

Chinese American adoptees are part of a tradition of non-normative kinship and exist in relationships that transcend racial, gendered, and physical borders. It is hypothesized, given the history of transnational adoption, that Chinese American adoptees seek to navigate identity in predominantly white families and communities, negotiate kinship, and participate in the queering of relationships in biological, adoptive, and/or chosen families. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 adult adoptees (18 women, 1 man; ages 18-26), all of whom were born in China and adopted to the United States. Results show generally strong connections between adoptees and their immediate family members and other adoptees, although adoptees experience varying quality and strength of relationships with all people in their lives. Relationships with other adoptees and non-adopted Asian Americans are less frequent when adoptees are raised in predominantly white communities. Relationships between adoptees are particularly important for humanizing adoptee experiences, providing space for nuance and fluidity in identity, and coalition-building. Adoptee relationships and identity form a constellation of kinships and offer a new understanding Asian American identity.

The Loss Of Native Hawaiian Culture Resulting from Migration to the Pacific Northwest

Presenter(s): Kris Galago − Ethnic Studies

Faculty Mentor(s): Stephanie Lani Teves, Sharon Luk

Creative Work Session 4

Research Area: Ethnic Studies

In the past 20 years a significant number of pacific islanders have moved away from their pacific island homelands to the continental United States for perceived ‘better opportunities’. In that migration, some Native Hawaiian cultural traditions were not perpetuated. From a survey of discourse on colonialism in Hawaii in both literary studies and history, the erasure
of Native Hawaiian culture grounds much of the theory and analysis about Native Hawaiian migration to the mainland and the loss of culture when this occurs. I analyze general themes prominent in scholarly literature most grounded in Native Hawaiian colonial studies: experience of relocation, perpetuation of culture, loss of culture, connection to land and family and institutional racism.

I investigate the ways that the Pacific Islander cultures are being practiced and perpetuated in the continental United States. Participant interviews make up the majority of my research data along with insight gained from attending, observing and participating in various community event in the Pacific Northwest centered around the Native Hawaiian culture and arts.
A close examination of archival records obtained from two key archival sources: The Office of Hawaiian Affairs demographic data on diaspora of Native Hawaiians, and the U.S. Census information on Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders will also be key to understanding the rate and frequency of Native Hawaiian migration away from Hawaii. I conclude by sharing insight as to whether the decision to perpetuate the Native Hawaiian culture in the Pacific Northwest is a conscious one or not.

Stress and Implications for Poor Mental and Physical Health Among Latinx Emerging Adults

Presenter(s): Yomaira Tarula-Aranda—Ethnic Studies and Spanish

Faculty Mentor(s): Heather McClure

Session 5.5: McNair Scholars Presentations

The Latinx population is the largest and fastest-growing minority in the United States, and also has growing rates of poor mental and physical health . This research explores how stress is very prevalent among Latinx emerging adults (aged 18–23 years old) and potential contributing factors . Stress is related to an assortment of negative outcomes including development of poor mental and physical health and other outcomes . This research uses data from the Latinx Emerging Adults Project’s Emerging Adult & Peer Survey created by the Center for Equity Promotion in the University of Oregon’s College of Education . To measure stress, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure the frequency, severity and perceived control individuals have over daily stressors within the previous 1-month period . Higher PSS scores have been linked to risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and elevation in stress hormones . Analyses explored potential differences in Latinx emerging adults’ PSS scores by different socio-demographic characteristics . Results will be presented and discussed in relation to the potential risks confronting Latinx emerging adults of stress-related poor health .

Disrupting the Cyclical Narrative of Castration in Rape Revenge; distinguishing violence from vengeance

Presenter(s): M. Joelle Ahler—Cinema, Womens, Gender & Sexuality Studies/Ethnic Studies Minor

Faculty Mentor(s): Peter Alilunas

Session 3: Beyond a Melody

Rape revenge films have been heralded as feminist iconography since their conception despite many controversial points, as the agency they award their protagonists stands out in film history . This thesis dissects the relation of gendered violence and bodily autonomy presented in traditional rape revenge films to disrupt the narrative of castration as a form of feminized vengeance . Rape revenge films from the male gaze construct female agency and castration as retributive justice, creating cyclical narratives that perpetuate binary understandings of bodily autonomy in relation to gendered power . By dissecting several classic rape revenge films through the lens of hegemonic power and social constructions of gender, this thesis will examine how the rape is represented in the film and how the avenger’s relationship to the victim—self, family member or community member—affects the severity of the revenge . These films utilize binary systems of gender and heteronormativity to dictate sexual violence and reciprocal vengeance as ‘naturalized’ forms of female agency . Conflating the relationship of castration and rape presented in these scenes, the autonomy of the victim and the assaulter are equalized as vengeance is assumedly served . This thesis finds that rape revenge narratives construct castration as a tool for vengeance and reclamation of bodily autonomy to perpetuate binary understandings of sexual violence and patriarchal systems of power within these narratives .