Little Saigons: Staying Vietnamese in America

256 Pages·2009·2.1 MB·English

by  Karin Aguilar–San Juan

LITTLE SAIGONS
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L I T T L E S A I G O N S
Staying Vietnamese in America
Karin Aguilar–San Juan
University of Minnesota Press
Minneapolis
London
Copyright 2009 by Karin Aguilar–San Juan
Photographs in the book were taken by the author.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
Published by the University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
http://www.upress.umn.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Aguilar–San Juan, Karin, 1962-
Little Saigons : staying Vietnamese in America / Karin Aguilar–San Juan.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8166-5485-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) —
ISBN 978-0-8166-5486-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Vietnamese Americans—Ethnic identity—Case studies.
2. Vietnamese Americans—Social conditions—Case studies.
3. Community life—United States—Case studies. 4. Geographical
perception—United States—Case studies. 5. Place attachment—United
States—Case studies. 6. United States—Ethnic relations—Case studies.
7. Vietnamese Americans—California—Orange County—Social
conditions. 8. Vietnamese Americans—Massachusetts—Boston—Social
conditions. 9. Orange County (Calif.)—Ethnic relations—Case studies.
10. Boston (Mass.)—Ethnic relations—Case studies. I. Title.
E184.V53A35 2009
305.895'922073—dc22
2009016774
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
The University of Minnesota is an equal-opportunity educator and employer.
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For the future of Vietnamese America
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The stranger intends to stay,
although he cannot ever become a native.
—GEORG SIMMEL, “The Str anger,”
from On Individuality and Social Forms(1908)
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Contents
INTRODUCTION
Where Does Viet Nam End and America Begin? xi
1. Producing and Constructing Vietnamese America 1
2. Q: Nationality? A: Asian. 37
3. Like a Dream I Can Never Forget
Remembering and Commemorating the Past 61
4. What’s Good for Business Is Good for the Community
Packaging and Selling Vietnamese America 91
5. Implications for Community and Place 123
CONCLUSION
How Do You Stay Vietnamese in America? 157
APPENDIX: Research and Methodology 161
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 167
NOTES 171
WORKS CITED 187
INDEX 201