Model minority myth

The model minority myth is a sociological phenomenon that refers to the stereotype of, as well as data on,[1] certain minority groups, particularly Asian Americans, as successful, and well-adjusted, as demonstrating that there is little or no need for social or economic assistance for the same or different minority groups. The model minority stereotype emerged in the United States during the Cold War in the 1950s and was first explicitly used as a term in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement as an antithesis to African American claims of racial oppression and has perpetuated notions that other minority groups can achieve the same success through hard work and that discrimination and systemic barriers do not impede upward mobility.[2] The model minority myth has been widely criticized as oversimplistic and misleading, and for being used to justify discriminatory policies and neglect of marginalized communities.[3][4]

  1. ^ "Earnings Disparities by Race and Ethnicity". Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. April 19, 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  2. ^ Lim, Desiree (2017). "Selecting Immigrants By Skill: A Case Of Wrongful Discrimination?". Social Theory and Practice. 43 (2): 369–396. doi:10.5840/soctheorpract20172157. ISSN 0037-802X. JSTOR 26381167.
  3. ^ Hsu, Madeline Y. (2017). The Good Immigrants. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-17621-5.
  4. ^ Covington, Caroline; Hart, Alexandra (September 7, 2020). "How The 'Model-Minority' Stereotype Obscures Asian Americans' Economic And Health Care Challenges". Texas Standard. Retrieved 2023-05-05.