Professor Chin discusses legal history of anti-Asian discrimination
This week, the UC Davis School of Law community heard Professor Jack Chin, Edward L. Barrett Jr. Chair of Law, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law, and Director of Clinical Legal Education, speak on "The Legal History of Discrimination Against Asians: A Perspective on the Atlanta Murders." Professor Chin, a leading Critical Race Theorist specializing in criminal, civil rights, and immigration law, revised his topic to place the tragic killings a couple weeks ago of eight people, including six Asian American women, into the long history of discrimination against Asian Americans in the United States.
His talk covered the history of legal discrimination against Asian Americans in immigration, naturalization, voting, land ownership, and employment. Professor Chin explained how Asians came to be understood as perpetual foreigners, regardless of how long they have lived in the United States, and how the "model minority" myth is simultaneously used to denigrate other people of color and generate resentment against them.
Professor Chin looked at the history of stereotypes of Asian Americans, especially Asian American women. He sees a continuation of racism in modern U.S. social life, including against Asian Americans. For hundreds of years, white people had economic and other advantages in ways that have not been changed so much. He posed the provocative question of whether this is still a white country.
His presentation provoked many questions, and we had a lively Q&A session. More than 400 faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members signed up for this incredible lecture.
Professor Chin’s work with students includes persuading the California Supreme Court to admit Hong Hen Chang to the bar in 2015 after he was denied because of his race in 1890, and leading an effort to repeal anti-Asian alien land laws which were still on the books in Florida, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
The racial Justice Speaker Series continues with Professor Raquel Aldana on April 7. She will talk on “`Citizenism’ and the Shackles of Borders.”
His presentation provoked many questions, and we had a lively Q&A session. More than 400 faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members signed up for this incredible lecture.
Professor Chin’s work with students includes persuading the California Supreme Court to admit Hong Hen Chang to the bar in 2015 after he was denied because of his race in 1890, and leading an effort to repeal anti-Asian alien land laws which were still on the books in Florida, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
The racial Justice Speaker Series continues with Professor Raquel Aldana on April 7. She will talk on “`Citizenism’ and the Shackles of Borders.”