Silences, Hesitations, and Refusals: Intergenerational Memory Work in an Introductory Course in Asian American History

• In Event: Exploring Asian American Perspectives of Knowing and Being

Abstract

he oral history interview has been employed as a teaching instrument to encourage critical inquiry into the histories of communities rendered invisible by official archives. In Asian American Studies, the oral history interview takes on a deeply personal and embodied experience as Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students interview family members and attend to memories that have resurfaced about war, migration, xenophobia, domestic violence, immigration status and other traumatic events. This qualitative case study of three APIDA students enrolled in an undergraduate level Asian American History course seeks to understand the negotiated role of individual memories, and the challenges faced while encountering silences, hesitations and refusals to disclose family histories. I conclude with implications about Asian American collective memories.

Author

• Mohit Mehta, University of Texas at Austin