When racism is not simply black and white

Asians in America pose a challenge to the standard narratives of race and equity

People walking in Chinatown, in New York City. Over the past month, as reports of attacks on Asian Americans have circulated, a new generation of scholars, writers and celebrities have tried to figure out not just what to do, but also what exactly is
People walking in Chinatown, in New York City. Over the past month, as reports of attacks on Asian Americans have circulated, a new generation of scholars, writers and celebrities have tried to figure out not just what to do, but also what exactly is even happening, and how to discuss it. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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In the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, a dedicated group of community organisers, activists and academics banded together to address what the press had called the "black-Korean conflict". Their work, which included a march through Koreatown demanding peace and the publication of several studies, aimed to tell a story of mutual misunderstanding and media distortion.

In Blue Dreams - the first in-depth post-1992 study of the black-Korean conflict - sociologist John Lie and anthropologist Nancy Abelmann wrote that while the fissures between the two communities had a long history, "the situation is not simple; the responses are not singular".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 08, 2021, with the headline When racism is not simply black and white. Subscribe