Pacific Crossings: Asian American and Pacific Islander Histories, 1870s to the Present

Pacific Crossings: Asian American and Pacific Islander Histories, 1870 to the Present will illuminate the long history of resistance by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their allies in struggles to realize a vision of the United States as a liberal, multiracial democracy across a wide geographical space. While the institute will take place in Los Angeles—an important site in Asian American and Pacific Islander histories and communities—lectures, discussions, and readings will highlight diverse experiences across the country and the Pacific Ocean. This expansive geographical lens recognizes that although Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been concentrated in the US West and the Pacific, there are no parts of the US where both groups have not settled. The expertise of presenters will reflect the institute’s national and even transnational scope, featuring scholars specializing in histories that span the United States and the Asia-Pacific world.