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... .:2-.._ Pedagogies o f Resonance : Teaching Africa n America n and Asia n America n Literatur e and Cultur e i n Asia 1 King-Kok Cheung As a teache r an d scholar , I hav e lon g bee n engage d wit h . interracial dynamic s i n th e Unite d States . Sinc e I bega n lecturing i n Asia, particularly whil e teachin g a s a Fulbright Professo r a t th e University o f Hong Kon g from 200 0 t o 2002 , my chie f concerns hav e bee n to explor e th e relevanc e o f ethni c American studie s i n Asia an d t o presen t issues abou t rac e compeUingl y t o Pacifi c Ri m audiences . Asian audience s easily understan d o r sympathiz e wit h th e pligh t o f racia l minoritie s i n th e United States , bu t wha t i s mos t intellectuall y satisfyin g i s notin g thes e audiences begi n t o identif y socia l inequalitie s i n thei r ow n countrie s an d shift fro m empathizin g wit h oppresse d minoritie s elsewher e t o seein g themselves a s th e dominan t majorit y withi n thei r ow n homelands . I hav e foun d severa l theme s an d strategie s t o b e quit e effectiv e i n teaching o r lecturin g i n Asia o n literatur e b y African American s an d Asia n Americans. Fiv e literar y theme s i n particula r hav e provoke d critica l self reflections i n East Asian audiences . The first i s the legacy o f a buried history . Scholars and activist s in the United State s have divulged lamentable historica l chapters suc h a s the genocid e o f Native Americans, slavery, and th e Japanese American internment , bu t i n som e Asia n countrie s man y untol d chapter s of nationa l histor y remai n closed , t o thi s day . The secon d i s hat e crimes . Many Asian a s weU as American student s ten d t o thin k tha t racis m is simply 14 King-Kok Cheung a matte r o f persona l preferenc e o r distaste . By learning , throug h literature , film, o r curren t events , about physica l injurie s inflicte d o n peopl e o f color , these student s ca n bette r understan d th e grav e impor t o f racia l prejudice , both i n th e Unite d State s an d i n thei r ow n countries . N o les s perniciou s than hate crime s is self-hatred, the thir d theme; much contemporar y Hteratur e reveals th e psychologica l effec t o f racia l subordination . The fourt h them e I emphasize i s tha t o f th e Asia n America n mode l minorit y Althoug h Asia n Americanists hav e been denouncin g thi s stereotype a s a myth i n th e Unite d States, many student s i n Eas t Asia sti U preserve th e characteristic s associate d with th e mode l minority . The fifth them e i s the stereotypin g o f Asian me n and wome n i n America n popula r culture , whic h ofte n spark s heate d discussions amon g Asia n audiences . I hop e t o g o beyon d mer e debunkin g of th e stereotype s b y discouragin g Asian audience s fro m conformin g t o o r exploiting thes e image s i n fac e o f transnationa l mail-orde r brid e an d se x tourism industries . I hav e als o consistentl y deploye d five pedagogica l strategies . The first i s contextual enlargement . B y showin g ho w Africa n America n an d Asia n American writer s dra w fro m Western a s weU as Asian an d African heritage , I counterac t th e tendenc y t o 'ghettoize' ethnic literatur e an d...

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