Like just about everything, panethnicity seems to be useful in some cases and detrimental in others. For example, in order to garner representation in the political sphere, it was appropriate for Asian ethnicities to unite panethnically. However, this often results in Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans dominating the Asian American demographic, whereas smaller groups like Filipino Americans became "unseen." As such, panethnicity can result in reinforcing the notions behind racial lumping, putting all Asian Americans into a group of predominately Japanese and Chinese representation and ignoring the individual (and often very different) concerns of groups like Filipino Americans (e.g. being a small ethnic minority and not getting the necessary welfare funding or being paid less despite having the same amount of education as J.A. and C.A.). Ultimately, panethnic formation does many of the same things racial discrimination does in not seeing difference and not acknowledging that different ethnic groups face different issues. While I'm tempted to say that panethnicity should be used only in cases in which those issues are common of all Asian groups, I don't think any such case would truly arise because there is always going to be variation among and between ethnicities.
Video on racial lumping--gets to his main point at 3:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NH0o_Eb6DY
Virginia: Thanks for uploading the video and speaking to the political use of pan ethnicity as well as how it can overshadow variation in ethnicity. Part of the pan Asian movement was to say we acknowledge the differences but will choose to unite for specific moments and agendas. As you rightfully point out, though, different ethnicities have different needs and can be neglected in this formation, There is also the issue of class difference, language, religion, and culture. As a response to hate crimes, pan ethnic formations may be quite useful, and to a degree, politics, too, although we know many groups are still grossly under represented in public/political life.
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