Challenging the Monolithic Asian American Identity on Campus: A Context for Working With South Asian American Students (original) (raw)

and Bangladesh) were the third largest Asian American group, falling behind Chinese American and Filipino American populations. Among the specific Asian groups shown in the census, median incomes of Asian Indian and Filipino households were about 10,000higherthanthemedianincomeofallAsianhouseholdsandabout10,000 higher than the median income of all Asian households and about 10,000higherthanthemedianincomeofallAsianhouseholdsandabout8,000 higher than the median income of non-Hispanic White households. Of the five major racial groups, Asians, of which South Asian Americans are a subgroup, have the highest attainment of college degrees. With the election of Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and the emergence of high-profile entertainment stars such as Kal Penn and Mindy Kaling, South Asian Americans are gaining visibility. They are accruing economic capital and becoming a part of American popular culture. Student affairs literature concerning Asian American student populations often refers to an "Asian American" ethnicity, which blurs the lines between ethnicity As one of the fastest growing Asian American populations, South Asian Americans have a noted presence on college campuses. Coming from a variety of backgrounds, students' ethnic identity development is constructed and challenged through participation in both historically White institutions, such as the Greek system, as well as ethnic student organizations. This article explores immigration histories and racial constructions of South Asian Americans, the relationship between South Asian American ethnic identity and Asian American racial identity, the impact of the Model Minority Myth, and notions of ethnic authenticity in South Asian American student organizations. The article also includes three models of identity development to consider when working with South Asian American students and concludes with recommendations for future research.