The construction of 'Asian American': Reflections on intermarriage and ethnic identity among second-generation Chinese and Korean Americans

Drawing on sixty in-depth interviews, this article examines the development of a pan-Asian American identity among second-generation middle-class Chinese and Korean Americans. I explore conceptions of ethnicity through an analysis of their attitudes and beliefs about intermarriage across racial and ethnic lines. The analysis reveals a process of pan-Asian American ethnogenesis at work, one that involves the construction of an Asian American culture and identity. The construction of 'Asian American' is a process that involves recognition of the shared personal experiences and orientations of Asian-origin persons, including that of being racially labelled as Asian by the dominant society, of growing up in an Asian home, and of adhering to the Asian values of an emphasis on family education, hard work and respect for elders.