My research team has been selected to receive the 2024 CUNY Interdisciplinary Research Grant Program award of $45,350. As the lead Principal Investigator, I will be working with PaoYi Huang and Lili Shi on our new project, “From Chinatown to Koreatown: Spatial Boundaries and Intraethnic and Interethnic Relations in Flushing, Queens.” Our research builds on previous studies by investigating how Chinese, South Koreans, Joseonjok (Korean Chinese), and Taiwanese coexist and contribute to the development of a multiethnic neighborhood, while exploring intraethnic and interethnic relations and conflicts among these four East Asian groups.
Abstract
Flushing/Murray Hill is known for being one of the largest and most vibrant Asian communities in New York City, where one can immerse themselves in unique and “exotic” Asian cultures, from food to nightlife. Although the neighborhood is famously known as the second Chinatown and Koreatown, what is less discussed is its ethnic and national diversity. Flushing/Murray Hill is home to a diverse group of East Asians, including Chinese, Taiwanese, Joseonjok (ethnically Korean but with Chinese nationality), and Koreans, who find opportunities for accommodation and employment while seeking and enjoying authentic flavors from their homeland.
Based on in-depth interviews, critical media analysis, and archival research, this project explores new types of intraethnic and interethnic relations and conflicts among these four East Asian groups. Specifically, it investigates how and why unique immigration histories to the U.S., East Asian geopolitics, and socio-economic stratification within the Asian community have shaped Flushing/Murray Hill as a transnational and multi-ethnic Asian neighborhood. The project examines these dynamics by focusing on two major events: the Flushing redevelopment plans and hate crimes against Asians during the pandemic.
Plans
Although I have left CUNY for Smith College in MA, I am continuing to work on this project. Since March 2024, I have been fortunate enough to collect stories from 162 Korean immigrants, Korean Americans, Joseonjok (Korean Chinese), and Chinese Americans (as of August 2024). Some of the interviews with Joseonjok individuals (about 30 out of 52) were conducted with the help of a graduate student and we plan to write a journal article together.
