Mothering, Education, and Ethnicity: The Transformation of Japanese American Culture (Asian Americans: Reconceptualizing Culture, History, Politics, Vol. 7) [Hardcover]

Susan Matoba Adler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0815331592 | ISBN-13: 978-0815331599 | Edition: 1st

This postmodern feminist study explores changes in Japanese American women's perspectives on child rearing, education, and ethnicity across three generations-Nisei (second), Sansei (third), and Yonsei (fourth). Shifts in socio-political and cultural milieu have influenced the construction of racial and ethnic identities; Nisei women survived internment before relocating to the midwest, Sansei women grew up in white suburban communities, while Yonsei women grew up in a culture increasingly attuned toward multiculturalism. In contrast to the historical focus on Japanese American communities in California and Hawaii, this study explores the transformation of ethnic culture in the midwest. Midwestern Japanese American women found themselves removed from large ethnic communities, and the development of their identities and culture provides valuable insight into the experience of a group of Asian minorities in the heartland. The book explores central issues in studies of Japanese culture, the Japanese sense of self, and the Japanese family, including amae (mother-child dependency relationship), gambare (perseverance), and gaman (endurance).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 203 pages
• Publisher: Garland Publishing; 1st edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815331592
• ISBN-13: 978-0815331599
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,385,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insights on growing up Japanese-American, October 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mothering, Education, and Ethnicity: The Transformation of Japanese American Culture (Asian Americans: Reconceptualizing Culture, History, Politics, Vol. 7) (Hardcover)

If you grew up in a Japanese-American family, Ms. Adler's content will sound familiar. A lot of insight is provided on the dynamics of life in a Japanese-American family and some of the ethnic roots of those dynamics. Cultural explanations are provided for behaviors I thought "just ran in my family." The book is useful for anyone who deals with Japanese-Americans and wants to understand some of the motivations for their behaviors.