The Asian American Century (Edwin O Reischauer Lectures) [Hardcover]

Warren I. Cohen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0674007654 | ISBN-13: 978-0674007659 | Publication Date: March 22, 2002

Warren Cohen reviews the role of the United States in East Asia over the past century, making a convincing case for American influence in Asia as generally positive. He illustrates specific ways in which American culture has affected Asians, from forms of government to entertainment, and offers valuable insights into the nature of cultural exchange. Americanization was most successful when Asians freely adopted cultural elements, while efforts to impose values generally failed, notably in the Philippines. And in a fascinating and eye-opening assessment of the "Asianization" of America, Cohen observes that Asian influences in food, film, music, medicine, and religion are now woven deeply--and permanently--into the American fabric. Indeed, Asians are changing American identity itself: by mid-century, approximately one in ten Americans will boast Asian ancestry.

In this lively look at the cultural bonds that continue to shape the relationship between East Asians and Americans, Cohen invites us to ponder the past and envision the future as the "American century" gives way to one with a decidedly more Asian focus.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Just three chapters long, this engrossing book is based on a series of lectures. The first chapter, "The Struggle for Dominance in East Asia," is the least satisfying in its recap of the modern history of the U.S. relationship with East Asia, being both too brief for the uninitiated and too long for the expert. "The Americanization of East Asia" is much more satisfying in its depiction of the many American influences on the Far East, the obvious examples being McDonald's and Mickey Mouse. Cohen (history, Univ. of Maryland) shows, however, that these and other American icons change their status when imported. For example, Japanese children assume that Mickey Mouse is Japanese, and McDonald's is not a fast-food spot but a nice place to linger with friends. Finally, "The Asianization of America" catalogs the innumerable Asian influences that have become integral to American life: Chinese restaurants (far more numerous than McDonald's in Asia); Asian films, books, and movie stars; Asian influences on art and architecture; Buddhism; and simply the soon-to-be ten percent of the population. As this book tackles an important subject, it is unfortunate that it is not longer. Recommended for all libraries. Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

This is a gem. Warren Cohen has long been the leading historian of the relationship between the United States and East Asia. When such a scholar writes a spirited, delightful, and personalized account of American-Asian relations, it commands special attention. He shows convincingly how the histories of East Asia and the United States have become intertwined since the nineteenth century. The book argues, in essence, that the modern history of the world can never be fully understood unless we recognize this fact.
--Akira Iriye, Harvard University

Perceptive and witty, these provocative reflections consider what some Americans celebrate and some Americans fear and condemn, but what most Americans refuse to acknowledge: the "Asianization" of America. The cultures of the world are dramatically and quickly changing and Cohen offers a historian's long view of an East-West encounter that transcends immigration exclusion, atomic bombs, and economic boycotts: the changes in the everyday lives of everyday East Asians and Americans produced by their cultural contact.
--Gordon H. Chang, Stanford University

Warren Cohen is a master historian of US-East Asia relations. In these lectures he examines a new topic, the history of cultural relations between the United States and Asia. He traces how Americanization has swept Asia but he reveals that the United States has been more Asianized than one might guess from our "Western heritage."
--Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (March 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674007654
• ISBN-13: 978-0674007659
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,913,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Readable Well-Thought Perspective, February 28, 2003

By 

pwb "pwb_in_bru" (Germantown, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Asian American Century (Edwin O Reischauer Lectures) (Hardcover)

-- A Readable Well-Thought Perspective --
I enjoyed reading Cohen's perspective on Asian-American realtionships; it includes many interesting insights on the historial, current and potential future directions between the the U.S. and Asia. Cohen's extensive dicsussion of U.S.-Japan U.S.-China and U.S.-Korea history helps put todays' <important> world events into perspective. Americans DO tend to view the world through a Eurocentric lens; this books shows a different path. Cohen's (sociological) insights into cultural impacts and exchanges are top notch. This book is a well written, deceivingly light read that packs in many complex ideas into a very readable package.
<How many times can you say that about 'policy' issues writing!> ...and the restaurant tips aren't bad either. ;) Cheers, Patrick

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant synthesis, October 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Asian American Century (Edwin O Reischauer Lectures) (Hardcover)

This book is a superb introduction to a complex and broad topic. Contrary to the review in the Library Journal, I do not find the first chapter on the history of US strategy in Asia to be either too simple or too advanced. It has a lot for both the naive and sophisticated reader. And contrary to the other reader reviews, I found the book very balanced, neither condemning nor condoning all the US actions in the region, but explaining their complex evolution.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good factual research on the positive side, but lacks full.., October 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Asian American Century (Edwin O Reischauer Lectures) (Hardcover)

This is a good book to read if you are looking for positive facts about Asian and American relations. Cohen goes through much of the history of America's foray into East Asia, and he discusses the history of the changing relationship between East Asia (especially China) and the various American administrations. I especially liked how Cohen confined his study to East Asians, rather than the current academic trend of lumping all of Asia (Russia, Pakistan, India...) together. It makes much more sense this way.

On the other hand, Cohen is very selective in the facts that he reveals. He mentions how America brought democracy to S. Korea and Taiwan, and how America helped create the sports culture and the student movements. While he presents some good data on America's involvement in Asia, he also skips or skims over some very important issues.

For example, he says that American culture was never forced on Asian people, and that the American media was accepted by the Chinese people willingly and without coercion. What he neglects to mention is the fact that cross-cultural relationships don't have to be militarily enforced in order to be considered "enforced." When one country that is predominantly of one race conquers another country of another race, there are psychological issues of superiority/inferiority that come into play. Considering that most ethnic and gender studies professors today spend copious amounts of time studying this psychological issue alone, it is surprising that Cohen failed to explore it. An example of this psychological damage can be found in the Time Asia article last year (2001!) in which an Asian person questioned whether people of the Asian race even had the ability to compete creatively with white people. The author's contention was that many felt the white race was superior, and that many felt it might be pointless to even try to compete. Another example: in both Asian and Asian American literature, often one will find that all white male characters are good, and almost all Asian men are weak and bad. Obviously this is not reality: not all Asian men are bad (though there are some), nor are all white men good (though good white men also exist). To write a book about Asia without referring to this terrible inferiority complex is to tell only half the picture.

Cohen also ignores some important facts when making statements of opinion. For example, he mentions that Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam was inspired by Wilson's Fourteen Points, and then goes on to say Ho's interest accomplished little. What Cohen doesn't mention is that Ho was so inspired by Wilson that he wanted American help in ending French domination of Vietnam, and that he was ready to start talking about a democratic Vietnam. When Ho tried to approach Wilson in France with a plan to have America help establish a new system of government in Vietnam, Wilson's men wouldn't allow Ho to even talk to the president, saying that self-determination was only for white men (read the book "Ho" by David Halberstam). Ho then went to the person who was willing to help him--Stalin. By not mentioning this crucial fact, Cohen makes it seem as if Ho rejected democracy, when in fact history shows that democracy (or racism, depending how you look at it) rejected Ho.

All in all, this is a good intro book to Asian and American relations, but there are some crucial elements missing. My advice would be to read this book but to supplement it with other readings.