Chia Youyee Vang, “The Sorrow of Displacement: Southeast Asian Identity and (Be)Longing in the Global South”
Description
This book project examines the social and cultural history of Southeast Asian refugees resettled in French Guiana and Argentina in the late 1970s amidst much local protests.
Biography
Chia Youyee Vang is professor of history. Her teaching and research interests include twentieth century U.S. international history, the Cold War in Asia, Asian American history, Hmong history, refugee migration and transnational and diasporic communities. Dr. Vang is interested in not only understanding larger political and military transformations, but also, the lived experiences of those who experience wars not of their own making but fought in their environments. Her documentation of the lives of Vietnam War refugees and that of their descendants across four continents help us to better understand the lasting impact of one of the most controversial wars of the 20th century.
Thanks for sharing this adventure, Chia! What an amazing experience for the students (and you!). It makes me think of other diasporic communities in various places around the world — the forces both to retain one’s earlier cultural values while adapting to new ones. This younger people talking about farming vs other kinds of work shows that tension so well. This project leaves me thinking of other places in Southern Hemisphere that have served as refuges from the wars in other parts of the globe.