5 more Annotated Bibliographies

Lee, John. "Acculturation Process of Hmong in Eastern Wisconsin ." Hmong Studies Journal. 11. (2010): 21. http://www.hmongstudies.org/HmongStudiesJournal (accessed February 7, 2012).

John Lee conducts a study using the East Asian Acculturation Measure on 110 Hmong adults to see their degree of Acculturation in Eastern Wisconsin. His results found that most of the subjects have integrated and blended their Hmong culture with the new one.

Watt, Hilary. "The Power of the Spoken Word in Defining Religion and Thought: A Case Study." Hmong Studies Journal. 9. (2008): 1-25. http://www.hmongstudies.org/HmongStudiesJournal (accessed February 8, 2012).

Hilary Watt explores the connection between the Hmong acculturating to a new place and their religion. Hmong religion is an animistic religion with shamans and animal sacrifice. A lot of Hmong are attracted to Christianity because they are willing to teach them English, not based on theological beliefs.

Pobzeb, Vang. Hmong Culture Related to Law and Education. Denver, Colorado: Hmong Council Education Committee, 1992. Print.

Vang Pobzeb discusses the organization of Hmong in America. There are still clans that the Hmong community is split into. Theses clans elect the Hmong Council which deal with the issues Hmong are facing acculturating.

Xiong, Zha. " Adolescents’ Problem Behaviors and Parent-Adolescent Conflicts in Hmong Immigrant Families." Hmong Studies Journal. 9. (2008): 1-21. http://www.hmongstudies.org/HmongStudiesJournal (accessed February 8, 2012).

Zha Xiong conducts a study relating conflicts between Hmong Adolescents and their parents. The study asks 123 males and 86 females ranging from 12-25 about conflicts with their parents and their performance and disciplinary actions at school. The study concludes with 5 suggestions to Hmong parents.

Julian, Roberta. " Hmong transnational identity: the gendering of contested discourse." Hmong Studies Journal. 5. (2004-05): 1-23. http://www.hmongstudies.org/HmongStudiesJournal (accessed February 9, 2012).

Roberta Julian argues that Hmong Identity is not a standard thing across nations. Hmong interact a little bit differently with each other in different cultures, class, gender, and age. While there are differences between these identities they have a somewhat common foundries.

Analysis #4

Analysis of “Caught Between Cultures:

Hmong Parents in America’s Sibling Society”

In “Caught Between Cultures: Hmong Parents in America’s Sibling Society,” Tamara L. Kaiser discusses the correlation between the Hmong culture and American culture, and how families struggle to accommodate both. Kaiser goes through Hmong culture fundamentals of the Confucius hierarchical system. Hmong children learn and respect their elders and know their place. If I child would disobey their elders they would be punished through physical force or public shame. This approach is very different compared to the modern American style of parenting. In America Kaiser argues that there is a lack of parent interaction with their children due to single parent families or both the parents’ work. American children are then focused on the media support that does not work.

While Kaiser has a strong argument, the essay is weakened by the generalities and examples she uses. Some of Kaiser’s bitterness and bias comes out when she talks about American culture saying, “Americans are increasingly ignorant of history, art, music, geography, literature, religious and philosophical ideals, and moral issues” (9). While this may pertain to a certain group of Americans, you cannot assume this about a whole nationality. Even though Kaiser uses these generalities the final point of the essay is very valid, both parenting styles have flaws and the combination of the two is not an easy thing to do.

Analysis of Political Transmigrants: Rethinking Hmong Political Activism in America

Analysis of Political Transmigrants:

Rethinking Hmong Political Activism in America

In the essay “Political Transmigrants: Rethinking Hmong Political Activism in America,” Nengher N. Vang discusses Hmong Americans political involvement with U.S. Lao Relations and fight for the people being prosecuted in Laos today. Vang starts out by going over the Hmong’s initial involvement with the U.S. and the cause of their diaspora which is the Secret War. After the background knowledge of the Secret War, Vang goes into detail about the transnational politics, the policies that transcend the country of settlement and refers to a home country, during the cold war era and today and the organizations formed by Hmong Americans to improve the human rights in Laos. Despite multiple protests by pro-Hmong organizations the U.S. government successfully closed refugee camps in Thailand and gave normal trade regulations on Laos.

While Vang does pose valid arguments with the U.S.’s policy contested by the Hmong people, he presents certain information that has been debated by other sources. One of these points is the use of “Yellow Rain” which is a chemical spray that was supposedly used against Hmong in Laos has not been 100% proven. Vang Pao, a Hmong activist, claims that, “50,000 Hmong had died from exposure to Yellow Rain between 1975 and 1978” (14). While Pao states this a happened, there is not enough sufficient evidence to prove that there was even the use of Yellow Rain in Laos.  The essay defiantly hints toward this use of this chemical that has me believe that it is a somewhat bias essay in favor toward the Hmong. 

Analysis of "The World & I 17.12"

Stephen Grambow

The Struggle to Maintain Culture

In a passage from The World & I 17.12, James Emery argues that the Hmong community in the United States is losing their identity due to younger generations assimilating to American culture. The three thousand year old Hmong communities from Laos needed very few laws and restrictions in their native villages. Family was a cornerstone to their communities and parents and elders were revered by the youth. In 1960-1975 the C.I.A used the Hmong for the Secret War in Laos against the North Vietnamese. Once the U.S. pulled out from Vietnam the Hmong were slaughtered and exiled from Laos and fled to Thailand to refugee camps to be resettled elsewhere. From 1975-1988 over 100,000 Hmong resettled in the U.S.

The Cultures between the Hmong and America had major differences with family structure, which made it hard to raise children under two contrasting cultures. While the Hmong tries to maintain their culture, they encourage highly populated Hmong communities to teach Hmong as a language like McLane High School in Fresno. Even though the class was offered only 6% of the Hmong teenage population enrolled in the course.  Preserving the Hmong language is essential to the preservation of their culture, but with few of the younger generation making an effort towards learning their culture it is a dismal outlook. Culture practices like  “Bridal Abductions” have been stopped, but others like Hmong Funerals continue despite the cost of the ceremony. James Emery with his vast use of statistics and first person quotes makes the source credible and informative. The piece is a relatively natural piece, but sides with the elders of the lack of effert to preserve culture for the Hmong people.

Three annotated Bibliography Entries

Kaufman, Marc. "American Odyssey." Smithsonian 2004: 85-91. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 12 Jan. 2012 .

Author Marc Kaufman anaylzes the success and struggles of Hmong immigrants in the United States. He talks about he flight from Laos after the United States left Vietnam and then follows Mee Moua a successful Hmong immigrant. He also mentions the struggle of most Hmong to combined the Hmong and American Culture. Marc’s article in the Washington Post gives a good insight into Hmong assimilation into the U.S

Weiner, Tim. "Gen. Vang Paos Last War." New York Times Magazine May 11 2008: 48-53. National Newspapers Core; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 5 Jan. 2012 .

Tim Weiner goes into detail in an article from the New York Times Magazine about a controversial trial of General Vang Pao. He explains the C.I.A’s involvement with Pao during the 1960s called the Secret War. Now the U.S. government set up a sting operation against Pao and now label him a terrorist for trying to by weapons for Hmong in Lao. Weiner gets specific details about the Hmong during the Secret War and quotes from the former C.I.A. operatives involved with it.

Johnson, Dirk. "Slaughter in the Woods." Newsweek Dec 06 2004: 28-. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 4 Jan. 2012 .

Dirk Johnson describes a situation in northern Wisconsin where a Hmong Hunter, Chai Vang, kills six hunter. Vang states that six the hunters shot first after some ethnic slurs and comments. Vang has been convicted and jailed for these murders. Johnson gives insight to this topic through quotes from governor Jim Doyle and the Leader of the Hmong community.