What do you think?
Rate this book
Old Asian, New Asian
'A 2010 Human Rights Commission report found that Asian people reported higher levels of discrimination than any other minority in New Zealand.'
K. Emma Ng shines light onto the persistence of anti-Asian sentiment in New Zealand. Her anecdotal account is based on her personal experience as a second-generation young Chinese-New Zealand woman. When Asian people have been living here since the gold rushes of the 1860s, she asks, what will it take for them to be fully accepted as New Zealanders?
(BWB Texts Book 59)
K. Emma Ng shines light onto the persistence of anti-Asian sentiment in New Zealand. Her anecdotal account is based on her personal experience as a second-generation young Chinese-New Zealand woman. When Asian people have been living here since the gold rushes of the 1860s, she asks, what will it take for them to be fully accepted as New Zealanders?
(BWB Texts Book 59)
- GenresNonfictionEssaysPolitics
Paperback
Published July 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 19, 2023
necessary reading for all white ppl of aotearoa
October 4, 2017
As a New Zealander and one who has certain ties to Asia and more importantly a love for China I found this work an eye opener. I knew a lot already but even still i find that the history of Chinese in New Zealand shouldn't be one that is ignored it is part of New Zealand's history and should be known. So i congratulate the author Emma Ng for speaking out, especially at a young age. I appreciate your insight and valuable knowledge.
March 14, 2020
Emma Ng discusses the 'contemporary position' of Asian-New Zealanders in light of a history of Asian-New Zealander positioning in Aotearoa.
I had no awareness of the history of Asian-New Zealanders, particularly Chinese-New Zealanders, especially of the length of time or the significance of their contribution to nation-building (despite being largely excluded from nation-building narratives). I loved having specific historical references to make concrete my abstract knowledge of systems of racism and to challenge my own (white) perceptions of history. Some examples of historic discrimination include: the poll tax, not being eligible for the pension, refused permanent residency, could not hold local body office, could not vote, refused naturalisation, police power to search Chinese persons and premises without a search warrant because of suspicions around the smoking of opium, couldn't access social benefits (still paid tax), when could naturalise they were the only group charged an extra fee to do so.
Some quotes:
""Asia" and "Asians" remain objects for the New Zealand subjects, to obtain value from or protect themselves from" - Tze Ming Mok
"... one of the most stubborn ideological barriers to accepting Asian immigrants seems to be a difficulty separating a generalised view of Asia (as an economic powerhouse and a political threat) from its individuals (those seeking work, a different lifestyle for their children, and somewhere to house them)"
"For Asian New Zealanders, much of the racism they experience seems to stem from an underlying and misguided belief that Kiwi and Asian identities are mutually exclusive"
"The reality of modern racism [is that it is] shaped by history, carried out by otherwise well-meaning people and almost impossible to name"
"Although inclusive by definition, diversity has come to be used as shorthand for 'otherness', marking this otherness out as distinct from mainstream culture. This framework upholds the status quo of the hegemony by awarding it the position of 'normal', 'neutral' or 'natural'. 'Other' cultures are celebrated, but only in small, non-threatening ways. Thus, these groups are awarded cultural value (through the performing of diversity), while other forms of agency and political power might be denied to them"
"Racism is still part of common-sense: the accumulated, taken-for-granted and often contradictory set of assumptions used by people to understand and cope with the complex social world around them... This hidden and often unconscious power of racist discourse allows elite groups to claim enlightened and meritocratic views, while in fact applying racist definitions of social reality." - Stephen Clark
"... ethnic media... are poorly resourced and rely heavily on the mainstream press for their reporting, thus [reflect] back mainstream attitudes. This means that ethnic news sources are likely to report through a Pākehā lens, which has implications for how Asian migrants' perceptions of other groups (such as Māori) are shaped"
"This is the... price... of organic assimilation. Always, at the root of assimilation, is a refusal of difference. Within a system that encourages the abandonment of difference, it's only natural that elements of difference may fall away."
"...many of New Zealand's early Chinese migrants established small businesses.... so that they would not be seen as competing for the same work as white New Zealanders. Self-employment also allowed them to avoid the difficulties of finding hobs with white employers."
"... this is not the first time that Māori have watched immigration turn from a 'trickle' into a 'flood', while figures such as the late Ranginui Walker have made it clear that their opposition to Asian immigration has been on this basis... We have all seen how easy it is for the desire to belong to teeter and slip into a neocolonial agenda of 'laying claim' to a place'. How can we belong here, become 'from here' without re-enacting the violence that is historically embedded in the gesture of trying to belong?"
"The development of a proud Pākehā identity seems vital: not one with an agenda of laying a naturalised claim to 'being from here', but one that comes to terms with the historical fact that the Pākehā identity is at its root an immigrant identity."
I had no awareness of the history of Asian-New Zealanders, particularly Chinese-New Zealanders, especially of the length of time or the significance of their contribution to nation-building (despite being largely excluded from nation-building narratives). I loved having specific historical references to make concrete my abstract knowledge of systems of racism and to challenge my own (white) perceptions of history. Some examples of historic discrimination include: the poll tax, not being eligible for the pension, refused permanent residency, could not hold local body office, could not vote, refused naturalisation, police power to search Chinese persons and premises without a search warrant because of suspicions around the smoking of opium, couldn't access social benefits (still paid tax), when could naturalise they were the only group charged an extra fee to do so.
Some quotes:
""Asia" and "Asians" remain objects for the New Zealand subjects, to obtain value from or protect themselves from" - Tze Ming Mok
"... one of the most stubborn ideological barriers to accepting Asian immigrants seems to be a difficulty separating a generalised view of Asia (as an economic powerhouse and a political threat) from its individuals (those seeking work, a different lifestyle for their children, and somewhere to house them)"
"For Asian New Zealanders, much of the racism they experience seems to stem from an underlying and misguided belief that Kiwi and Asian identities are mutually exclusive"
"The reality of modern racism [is that it is] shaped by history, carried out by otherwise well-meaning people and almost impossible to name"
"Although inclusive by definition, diversity has come to be used as shorthand for 'otherness', marking this otherness out as distinct from mainstream culture. This framework upholds the status quo of the hegemony by awarding it the position of 'normal', 'neutral' or 'natural'. 'Other' cultures are celebrated, but only in small, non-threatening ways. Thus, these groups are awarded cultural value (through the performing of diversity), while other forms of agency and political power might be denied to them"
"Racism is still part of common-sense: the accumulated, taken-for-granted and often contradictory set of assumptions used by people to understand and cope with the complex social world around them... This hidden and often unconscious power of racist discourse allows elite groups to claim enlightened and meritocratic views, while in fact applying racist definitions of social reality." - Stephen Clark
"... ethnic media... are poorly resourced and rely heavily on the mainstream press for their reporting, thus [reflect] back mainstream attitudes. This means that ethnic news sources are likely to report through a Pākehā lens, which has implications for how Asian migrants' perceptions of other groups (such as Māori) are shaped"
"This is the... price... of organic assimilation. Always, at the root of assimilation, is a refusal of difference. Within a system that encourages the abandonment of difference, it's only natural that elements of difference may fall away."
"...many of New Zealand's early Chinese migrants established small businesses.... so that they would not be seen as competing for the same work as white New Zealanders. Self-employment also allowed them to avoid the difficulties of finding hobs with white employers."
"... this is not the first time that Māori have watched immigration turn from a 'trickle' into a 'flood', while figures such as the late Ranginui Walker have made it clear that their opposition to Asian immigration has been on this basis... We have all seen how easy it is for the desire to belong to teeter and slip into a neocolonial agenda of 'laying claim' to a place'. How can we belong here, become 'from here' without re-enacting the violence that is historically embedded in the gesture of trying to belong?"
"The development of a proud Pākehā identity seems vital: not one with an agenda of laying a naturalised claim to 'being from here', but one that comes to terms with the historical fact that the Pākehā identity is at its root an immigrant identity."
January 20, 2019
I started reading this book in March 2018 but had to put it down at the time (for reasons unrelated to the book!) and I have only just picked it back up to read this week. Unfortunately, this is the type of book that, by the very nature of its content, can begin to feel dated quite quickly. If the changes since publication are positive, this can actually be a good thing... but when they're negative, it can make for an even more disheartening read. Emma's research is well done, and it is a shame that the topics being addressed here have in my opinion only become more strained going into 2019, since publication in 2017.
Still a great, slim volume for background knowledge, and one you can read through in a short amount of time. Just keep in mind what's being assessed, and that the entirety of both Trump and Jacinda Ardern's time in power have not been factored in (because they had not yet happened -- not due to negligence.) This is certainly a text that has sparked discussion, but it cannot also dole out all the answers.
Still a great, slim volume for background knowledge, and one you can read through in a short amount of time. Just keep in mind what's being assessed, and that the entirety of both Trump and Jacinda Ardern's time in power have not been factored in (because they had not yet happened -- not due to negligence.) This is certainly a text that has sparked discussion, but it cannot also dole out all the answers.
November 5, 2019
A must read on the history of anti-Asian racism in New Zealand and its continued impact. Readers unfamiliar with said history may find revelations, such as the exclusion of Chinese New Zealanders from full citizenship rights well into the 20th century, discomforting and at odds with many of the myths we tell ourselves about race relations in Aotearoa. The book is short, around 100 pages, and uses language that is much more accessible than academic texts on racism.
Read
February 13, 2021Short and to the point read about racism.
The position of 2nd/3rd generation Asian immigrants v new Asian immigrants v Pakeha v Maori v Pasifika ... no real solutions offered, but an interesting book anyway.
The position of 2nd/3rd generation Asian immigrants v new Asian immigrants v Pakeha v Maori v Pasifika ... no real solutions offered, but an interesting book anyway.
July 16, 2023
generous
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews