According to Edward Park, in his article "Competing visions: Political formation of Korean Americans in Los Angeles," the 1992 violence created a new wave of "political activism" among Korean Americans, but it also divided them into two main groups. The liberals worked to connect with other minority groups in LA to fight against racial injustice, where as the conservatives highlighted law and order and ultimately favored the economic and social policies of the Republican Party. It essentially was the common story of liberal versus conservatives. The conservatives tended to emphasize the political disparities between Koreans and other minorities, specifically blacks and Hispanics.
I am interested in examining the different way that the Koreans have assimilated, as well as how they have avoided becoming an integrated part of American culture, and how it has affected the racial tensions that were exacerbated with the 1992 South Central LA riots.
I'm not too familiar with Korean assimilation in California. I only vaguely know that they were involved in the 1992 Civil Unrest, as you said. From what you have said, it appears that significant assimilation began after the unrest, but the assimilation split the immigrants along political lines. Which stance are you going to take? I would actually discuss how assimilation into American culture has hurt the immigrant group and that the group should remain connected to their home nation and culture.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, I came to the conclusion that because the Korean American group was able to assimilate into American culture, the two political parties within this immigrant group was formed. I would say that their attempt at acculturation was successful, but they experienced more of the disadvantages of American political formation that involves racial injustice. I am actually curious about what compelled this group of immigrants into the United States before 1992, or the first wave of Korean immigrants. Did they come for educational opportunities? Were conditions in Korea detrimental to the residents at the time? Also, were the first group of immigrants before the unrest able to successfully assimilate and gain more benefits than disadvantages?
ReplyDeleteThe Korean Americans came in response to the Immigration Act. It allowed many of them opportunity in America as well as reunited many families that had been previously separated during Korean War, etc.
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