Introduction
Racialization concept has basically developed over time. Racialization can be described as a dialectical process through which meaning is accredited to certain human beings’ biological features hence this leads people being assigned to a common category of individuals that reproduces itself biologically. In simple terms, racialization is a process of social construction of the race.
In 1882, Korea signed a treaty of commerce and amity with United States. This means that the Korean immigrants could freely migrate to United States. Nonetheless, for the Korean American immigrants, all did not go well as they expected once they migrated to the U.S. These immigrants were racialized through different ways (Takaki 46). They went through both individual racialization and systematic or institutional racialization.
Starting with individual racialization, the Americans avoided contact with Korea American immigrants. Lee narrates what they went through when they landed in San Francisco. She explains how a group of white men laughed at them and spit in their faces. Additionally, these immigrants were insulted, called names, and abused verbally. She goes on to narrate how a man kicked her mother’s skirt and how the whites called them names that they could not understand (Lee and Sucheng Chan 12). Moreover, these immigrants went through offensive jokes, hate crimes, and even violence. Lee also recounts how several white girls formed a ring around them and started singing during their first day at school. One of them even went ahead and hurt her. Consequently, this shows that the Korean American immigrants went through individual racialization.
As stated above, Korean American immigrants also went through institutional racialization. In their new land, there were various patterns of behavior, practices, and policies that disadvantaged them. These practices and policies affected them negatively. These immigrants were hired in low paying jobs. Their working conditions were also very poor. Those who worked in sewing factories became deaf due to the thundering noises. In addition, the rooms had no windows and air conditioning. We understand that Korean men worked in farms as casual workers where they worked for long hours with inadequate pay. On the other hand, women worked as house helps in the American homes.
Furthermore, these immigrants were segregated by the whites. They had separate community meetings. They also ate things that white men considered unfit for consumption. For example, Lee tells how the white butchers laughed at them when they scrambled for the animal organs pieces that they threw out (Lee and Sucheng Chan 16).
What's more, Korean American immigrants were racialized in various public institutions. In schools, the Korean American children were discriminated. Lee’s son was not awarded after winning a math test since his reward was given to the daughter of a PTA president. She had also gone through this herself when she was schooling. Racialization was also experienced in hospitals. For example, an immigrant could not donate blood to an American. The Korean immigrants also lacked representation at various institutional levels. They could not exercise their democratic rights simply because they were never allowed to become American citizens (Lee and Sucheng Chan 105).
Despite all the sufferings that they went through, Korean American immigrants had a belief or a social construction that involved their strong identification within their new land. Nationalism played an imperative role in their experience. It made most of them adopt immigrant theory where they regarded themselves as middle class individuals (Takaki 82). It also made them believe that United States is truly a land of opportunities that was important for them in making a living. For that reason, this helped them go through many distresses that resulted from racialization.
Works cited
Lee, Mary P, and Sucheng Chan. Quiet Odyssey: A Pioneer Korean Woman in America. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1990.
Takaki, Ronald T. Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans. Boston: Little, Brown, 1989.
